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Early last Saturday morning (December 9) during the graveyard shift at SeaTac Airport, workers took down and boxed up all nine of the airport's Christmas trees. Airport bosses were hoping few people would notice. Instead, airline employees called Seattle television stations to complain.
The trees were taken down because Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky had asked the airport managers to add an 8-foot-tall menorah next to the tallest plastic Christmas tree welcoming international arrivals. Well, his request was denied, but apparently no immediate action was taken by the port managers. So, Rabbi Bogomilsky threatened to file a lawsuit if the menorah was not added to the decorations before the start of Hanukkah, which begins this Friday at sundown.
Then on Tuesday, December 12, an Associated Press article was published in The Spokesman-Review stating, "Christmas trees returning to SeaTac's public spaces." The article explained that Bogomilsky never asked that the Christmas trees be taken down and didn't want the Jewish community to be portrayed as the Grinch. It also stated that his organization agreed not to file a lawsuit over the installation of a menorah at this time. Postponement of the lawsuit meant the Christmas trees could go back up.
Next year airport management will apparently work with the rabbi and other community members to develop a plan for holiday decorations -- a plan that could include the display of symbols of other religions and cultures in the Northwest.
All's well that ends well, right? Or do the means by which an end is reached still matter? You'll have to decide for yourself. My question to you is: Should it really take the threat of a lawsuit to make people work together during the holidays? What do you think? What's your personal experience been on the subject? Take our poll or email us with your comments.
Happy Holidays
from the Editor
Editor@Spokane.net
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Poll Results ...
Question:
"Holiday decorations became the subject of a threatened lawsuit In Seattle, Washington, last week. Do you think threatening a lawsuit is the best way to get people to work together during the holidays -- or any time of the year?"
Results:
Yes -- 0%
No -- 100%
Undecided -- 0%
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