The preamble is part of the constitution, and it most definitely speaks of “our creator”. That isn’t religion at all, just an acknowledgment that all rights flow from a higher being. Rights “given” by men can be taken away. Even “smarter-than-average” liberals (like you) should be able to understand what that means.

The airport officials overreacted by taking down all the trees without negotiating. Instead of asking the rabbi to provide appropriate displays, they created a situation where they could point their fingers at him and say “Nyah, nyah, it’s all HIS fault.

This time of year gives a lot of people plenty of opportunities to reveal what blithering asses they really are. In my opinion, Christians should be just as offended by the commercialism of the season as by the use of secular greetings and decorations. The ppeople making the loudest noises are people who wear their faith on their sleeves, not in their hearts.

P.S. Before anyone decides to jump on my for my use of “Xmas”, review the history of early Xtianity, especially in ancient Greece.

About The Thinker: Check out wikipedia. It is a symbol of Dante in the front of the gates of hell. (Quite an irony there, don’t you think?)

“The rabbi threatens to sue to get his point across, and this humble columnist writes an essay to express his view.”
Actually, the rabbi was threatening to sue to get a Jewish symbol erected instead, and he has maintained that it was never his “point” to get the arguably Christian symbols removed.

I might also point out that airport employees have since raise the private funds to replace some of the trees. I wonder if the rabbi considered that approach before retaining counsel…

Still, I would consider that since most people in US are christian, it’s perfectly normal to have a christian symbol there. When you invite people to your home, do you remove the wallpaper because they don’t like the color? The only thing I’m intolerant about is the intolerance of others.

Just to say, the removal was in the newspaper, here in Switzerland, with the subtitle: “you have to read it to believe it”…

It was wrong in 2005. Why would that change now?

“RJR,
If symbols are as important, as you have taken great effort to point out, then to what symbol would you atribute your point of view?”

Rodan’s “The Thinker”

http://www.mensnewsdaily.com/archive/r/r-misc/reyes021705.htm

“America is a democracy founded on the Constitution — which by the way doesn’t mention God or any specific religion.”

FYI –

First, America is a Representative Republic not a Democracy.

Second, We were founded as a christian nation to argue otherwise is just not sane, please see below for just a small sample, oh and if our rights are not founded on Natures God as the founding fathers put it, who do we get are rights from? Government, that’s right and its a hellish place to get rights from!

Did you know that 52 of the 55 signers of The Declaration of Independence were orthodox, deeply committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible as the divine truth, the God of scripture, and His personal intervention.

It is the same congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of scripture for the people of this nation. Doesn’t sound like an act of a bunch of athiests to me!

How about our first Supreme Court Justice John Jay,
He stated that when we select our national leaders, if we are to preserve our Nation, we must select Christians. “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian Nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”

Notice those little words “Christian Nation”.

On July 4, 1821, President Adams said, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”

In 1782, the United States Congress voted this resolution: “The congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.”

I saved my favorate for last!!!!

My fav since I am a decendant of his, Patrick Henry…

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.”

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/295567_trees11ww.html

“Christmas is coming twice this year to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

After days of controversy — and national media attention — surrounding the Port of Seattle’s decision to take the decorative holiday trees down, port staff will be working Monday night to reinstall them throughout the airport.

It will no longer be “Treeless in Seattle,” as CNN reported round the clock.

The initial decision to remove the trees came the day after Port commissioners were informed that a local rabbi intended to file a lawsuit if an eight-foot menorah was not constructed beside the largest of the trees. But Port officials Monday night were assured the rabbi would not file a lawsuit and the Port then decided to put the trees back up”

“I am glad we settle our disputes through legal means, unlike other countries where conflicts are decided by violence”

If you want to compare our country to the most uncivilized cultures. You’re right. But why not compare ours to other countries where people celebrate the Holidays without getting the lawyers involved. Travel a little and you’ll see what I mean.

“This is a Christian Country Founded on Christian principals.”

America is a democracy founded on the Constitution — which by the way doesn’t mention God or any specific religion.

“Threats of lawsuits are hardly the way to “bring light” or promote inclussion and goodwill among all cultures. If I want my culture to be considered, appreciated and respected then the last thing I would do is to force it upon others by legal means.”

I am glad we settle our disputes through legal means, unlike other countries where conflicts are decided by violence.

So, you are right about symbolism but your agruement reeks of taht of a petulant child! Symbols are evrywhere…the GOLDEN ARCHES, JACK IN THE BOX and the ever present TB(run for the border)for the fast food industry, GOLD and PLATINUM ALBUMS depicting sales achievements in the music biz, Barbie and GI Joe, the list being endless. The Advertising and Marketing biz realised this after WWII, not because of what they saw as a class of spenders in the vets after the war, but what had been gleaned from the boxes upon boxes of seized documents from Hitlers endless research about sociology and psychology. The same crap the US govt has been using since that time on and against the citizens of this country. Why then do you not raze about the image of Santa, the Easter bunny, Uncle Sam at the 4th of July celebrations, the elephant and ASS of the political parties….

(This ties in nicely with people who enter the U.S. often illegally and then demand special racial privileges to make up for “racism” even as the cultures they left have no problems with engaging in open police corruption and racial discrimination against foreigners.)

In other words: Hypocrisy.

Look at this Rabbi: He says he wanted the menorah up to “balance” out the display. But this assumes that only Christianity and Judaism are faiths that celebrate during the winter holiday. His demand was only 1/2 as closed minded as the original Christmas trees being put up.

Later, he blamed the airport for doing precisely what he threatened: take down the tree. Gosh, isn’t it awful when people call one’s bluff? He could have, well, just _asked_ nicely or even donated a menorah. Naw.