Chafee in 'Holiday' Tree Debate

[beretta304]

The tree itself is not the bone of contention here. The term "Christmas" is. What is the origin of that?

I don't know but I know that the word holiday derived from the notion of "Holy Day", and gradually evolved to its current form.

LOL

Well in that case, holiday tree is a winner with everyone but the atheists. Chafee really should be calling it a "Celebratory Tree" if he truly wanted to be PC.

How about he kept his mouth shut and referred to it as "the" Tree... as in, "We're going to light, "the" Tree.

 

[sfcalifornia]

I don't know but I know that the word holiday derived from the notion of "Holy Day", and gradually evolved to its current form.

LOL

Well in that case, holiday tree is a winner with everyone but the atheists. Chafee really should be calling it a "Celebratory Tree" if he truly wanted to be PC.

How about he kept his mouth shut and referred to it as "the" Tree... as in, "We're going to light, "the" Tree.

That works just as well. Neutrality regarding religion is the key.

 

[beretta304]

LOL

Well in that case, holiday tree is a winner with everyone but the atheists. Chafee really should be calling it a "Celebratory Tree" if he truly wanted to be PC.

How about he kept his mouth shut and referred to it as "the" Tree... as in, "We're going to light, "the" Tree.

That works just as well. Neutrality regarding religion is the key.

Who says the fiscal cliff can't be avoided?

 

[bodecea]

It's a pagan tree. End of debate.

Well to you maybe. But no one has appointed you to speak for the other billions that inhabit this planet. See? that's how I know there is a God.

Billions celebrate with christmas trees? Oh, how little you know of the big wide world, Willow.

 

[Vast LWC]

That's why you're here and that's why you replied...because you don't care.

Neither do we, next....

And...the premise isn't about the WH. Had you bothered to watch the video and read the thread you might have been taken seriously and known that.

My response was to the OP, which is generally an accepted practice in a thread such as this.

And, as I stated, I don't really care about this subject. Certainly not enough to take the time to watch a FoxNews video, and read this entire thread.

 

[Againsheila]

Xmas has rapidly transformed from a religious occasion to a full blown commercial event.

The dollar holiday is far from dead. I find it amusing that those that claim to be the champions of free enterprise and unregulated capitalism should want to assign a moral or religious association to what is now purely a scam to keep the economy strong at the end of the calender year. Ya'll should just leave christmas alone to be what it will be. All kinds of people celebrate the December moneygrab ... Arabs...Jews.. Atheists.. At this point Christians having anything to say about the christmas agenda is like a flea trying to steer an elephant by the tail.

It used to be a christian celebration of the birth of christ but the crazy christians let it slip out of their hands and into the control of manufacturers and importers of crap. And now that most of the christmas crap is made in china it isn't really a great benefit to the USA anymore. A lot of dollars race around but end up overseas. Our country only gets to keep a rather modest slice of the pie as almost everything is on sale.

We'd keep more money in country if daddy just went out and blew the christmas cash on hookers.

I bought thermal underwear for my husband a dvd for my son and also an emergency preparedness pack for my son so far, you won't find much made in china in our home unless it's a necessity not otherwise available or we got it for free.

 

[Dreamy]

I'm a non-Christian and a non-rightie and I too don't give a damn that the town tree is called a Christmas tree but unlike some people, I DO give a damn that calling it a Christmas tree does offend some people and I think it best that any government sponsored activity remain neutral regarding religious endorsement.

That's the point. Who did it offend? Were there complaints? Had there been the Gov most certainly have stated that and right there O'Reilly would have been dead in the water. The Governor did this on his own, blamed it on two other former governors and then couldn't say why he did what he did or why it was right to do it.

That's an example of creeping Progressivism. No need to do it but figured it would slide on by. Right out of the ACLU Tactical Manual.

These "offended" people are like unnamed sources....

I know it is an extremely rare circumstance for government to actually do something proactive before anyone complains. Kind of surprised myself.

So one man, the Governor, has determined the Christmas tree which has no religious connection to any faith is offensive and intolerant of....what exactly is it intolerant of I wonder? Other trees might get jealous? Oak trees want some of this Christmas action maybe? Maple trees are feeling left out of all the Christmas festivities?

 

[Dreamy]

It's actually not semantics.

He's not demanding everyone stop calling it a Christmas tree.
He's not demanding a federal ban to force states to not call it a Christmas tree.

He's saying the people of my state elected me, and like my predecessors before me I'm going to call it a Holiday Tree.

If you don't like it, don't move to his state.

Ok, I'll be devil's advocate. Did he ask the people of his sate or did HE decide what he feels the people are thinking?

We live in a democratic republic.

He was elected, it's his call.

Elected people make bad calls sometimes and get called on it. His election does not mean he is above criticism. He is also not above making a stupid decision.

 

[AmyNation]

Ok, I'll be devil's advocate. Did he ask the people of his sate or did HE decide what he feels the people are thinking?

We live in a democratic republic.

He was elected, it's his call.

Elected people make bad calls sometimes and get called on it. His election does not mean he is above criticism. He is also not above making a stupid decision.

All correct.


I, personally think its a stupid thing to complain about, and I highly doubt a majority of his constitutes will agree that hes Hilter like because he calls it a holiday tree but, *shrug*.

 

[Dreamy]

We live in a democratic republic.

He was elected, it's his call.

Elected people make bad calls sometimes and get called on it. His election does not mean he is above criticism. He is also not above making a stupid decision.

All correct.


I, personally think its a stupid thing to complain about, and I highly doubt a majority of his constitutes will agree that hes Hilter like because he calls it a holiday tree but, *shrug*.

What is stupid is this one man making this stupid call. There is no reason or cause for the changing the name of this tree. None.

 

[Mustang]

O'Reilly drags out some version of the supposed (yet nonsensical) war on Christmas every year, and his clueless viewers seem to fall for it every time.

 

[Dreamy]

O'Reilly drags out some version of the supposed (yet nonsensical) war on Christmas every year, and his clueless viewers seem to fall for it every time.

This was discussed locally both this year and last. I never watch O'Reilly. He is annoying.

There is no war on Christmas. That is some lame ass talking point from national TV news and commentators. There is however one lame ass Governor in RI deciding what tolerance means.

 

[AmyNation]

Elected people make bad calls sometimes and get called on it. His election does not mean he is above criticism. He is also not above making a stupid decision.

All correct.


I, personally think its a stupid thing to complain about, and I highly doubt a majority of his constitutes will agree that hes Hilter like because he calls it a holiday tree but, *shrug*.

What is stupid is this one man making this stupid call. There is no reason or cause for the changing the name of this tree. None.

He didn't change the name. Why him following what past governors have done is news is beyond me.

 

[Mustang]

Elected people make bad calls sometimes and get called on it. His election does not mean he is above criticism. He is also not above making a stupid decision.

All correct.


I, personally think its a stupid thing to complain about, and I highly doubt a majority of his constitutes will agree that hes Hilter like because he calls it a holiday tree but, *shrug*.

What is stupid is this one man making this stupid call. There is no reason or cause for the changing the name of this tree. None.

They're not calling it a spruce tree anymore?

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Bill O’Reilly tried to explore the tradition of the Christmas tree and accused Chafee of not wanting the tradition anymore. “Now you are going to lecture me on traditions,” responded Chafee. Chafee likened the Christmas tree debate to the time when students had to say the lord’s prayer in public school. Chafee said when the Supreme Court ruled that students cannot be mandated to say prayers in public school, many people were upset. “There was outrage just like there is now with this tree,” said Chafee. “when you look back on it now you say, of course you can’t ask non-Christians to say Christian prayers in public schools.”

Chafee said controversies like the Christmas tree shouldn’t really be controversies and accused Bill O’Reilly for creating them.

Indeed, another contrived non-issue by the right.

Otherwise Chafee is making a good faith effort to comport with Establishment Clause jurisprudence; rare and refreshing.

The policy is consistent with the principle of separation of church and State, and in no way interferes with religious freedom.

 

[Dreamy]

All correct.


I, personally think its a stupid thing to complain about, and I highly doubt a majority of his constitutes will agree that hes Hilter like because he calls it a holiday tree but, *shrug*.

What is stupid is this one man making this stupid call. There is no reason or cause for the changing the name of this tree. None.

They're not calling it a spruce tree anymore?

Not for much longer.

The oak and maple trees are really ticked off. They want to know why the spruce tree always gets center stage and all the good decorations.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

O'Reilly drags out some version of the supposed (yet nonsensical) war on Christmas every year, and his clueless viewers seem to fall for it every time.

This was discussed locally both this year and last. I never watch O'Reilly. He is annoying.

There is no war on Christmas. That is some lame ass talking point from national TV news and commentators. There is however one lame ass Governor in RI deciding what tolerance means.

Nonsense, he took an oath to uphold the Constitution; which includes its case law. It’s perfectly wise and appropriate for government – representative of all faiths and beliefs – to plot a neutral course.

 

[Mustang]

What is stupid is this one man making this stupid call. There is no reason or cause for the changing the name of this tree. None.

They're not calling it a spruce tree anymore?

Not for much longer.

The oak and maple trees are really ticked off. They want to know why the spruce tree always gets center stage and all the good decorations.

Well, the oak trees and maple trees COULD be Holiday (or Christmas) Trees if Christmas was celebrated earlier in the year instead of a time meant to represent the winter solstice. But you know what? I'm not so sure that Oak and Maple trees are native to Bethlehem. This WHOLE issue is frought with mine fields. Jesus probably never even saw a spruce tree.

 

[Dreamy]

They're not calling it a spruce tree anymore?

Not for much longer.

The oak and maple trees are really ticked off. They want to know why the spruce tree always gets center stage and all the good decorations.

Well, the oak trees and maple trees COULD be Holiday (or Christmas) Trees if Christmas was celebrated earlier in the year instead of a time meant to represent the winter solstice. But you know what? I'm not so sure that Oak and Maple trees are native to Bethlehem. This WHOLE issue is frought with mine fields. Jesus probably never even saw a spruce tree.

Jesus probably never even saw a spruce tree.

And therein lies the rub. The tree has no religious connotation whatsover so what difference does it make that it has been called a Christmas tree for so many years? The word Christmas is not offensive nor is the word tree.

 

[Antares]

We'll call it a Christmas Tree, deal with it.

You see, in YOUR opinion WE need to change to "include" you.

Nope, you change.

The outcry because he chooses to call it a holiday tree, as to be inclusive of all religions, instead of a Christmas tree, is really childish.

Why does it need to be renamed after all these years to being called a Holiday tree? What's the impetus?

Think about it.

To be more inclusive

December is not owned by Christians, there are several religions who celebrate a holiday in December. Saying "happy holidays" and trying to include everyone in public celebrations, that are paid for by everyones tax dollars, isn't a bad thing.

I can already see the outrage if instead of putting up a tree, some city officials decided to put up "happy Ashura" signs and give all the school kids a day off for the Muslim holiday.