Childishness In Olympia
The old adage suggests that one should never discuss religion in public for the topic is always sure to offend. For that reason, a disclaimer:
The following post makes fun of a handful of evangelical Christians, a Rabbi, a handful of atheists, Republican legislators from the religious wing of the party, and the State Patrol. If you are easily offended by the mocking of such people and groups, you might not want to read any further. If however you find reason to be valuable, I hope you enjoy this post.
End disclaimer.
It seems that our state capitol building is attracting all manner of childish people, and childish behavior this Christmas season.
For a great many years the Association of Washington Business has put up a Christmas tree within the building, directly under the rotunda. This is for the AWB a part of their efforts to raise funds for ensuring that the needy can have a good holiday. A worthy endeavor by an important organization.
Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth is of course a Christian holiday, so the tree is officially designated a ‘Holiday Tree’ in light of the fact that it is contained within the capitol building of a secular government.
Christmas trees are of course a pagan tradition that has been widely adopted by western Christians, but of course many people choose to ignore the fact of decorated trees pagan origins, and have come to view the Christmas tree as a part of Christianity.
One such fellow is a Rabbi. It seems he was offended by the fact that the capitol was home to a ‘Holiday Tree.’ Instead of just not looking at the tree, he decided to make a childish political statement. He put up a Menorah a couple of Christmases past. His childish decision to be offended by the ‘Holiday Tree’ was however quite minor compared to the childish behavior it inspired.
A Realtor visited the capitol building and spotted the Menorah. Instead of just not looking at the Menorah, he decided to act childish, become offended, and make a childish political statement. He put up a nativity scene that is now in it’s second year.
Republican legislators, due to the controversy surrounding the nativity scene figured out that the ‘Holiday Tree’ is actually called a holiday tree, and not a Christmas tree. One can always count upon Republican legislators from the religious wing of the party to act childish, and of course they acted perfectly true to form. Indignant calls issued forth from some legislators demanding that the ‘Holiday Tree’ be called a ‘Christmas Tree.’
At this point last year the childish behavior of everyone involved, with the exception of the AWB that just wanted to get charitable donations for kids, had made the news in a fairly big way.
An atheist from the city of Shelton saw the controversy on the news. Instead of simply shaking her head at the childish behavior of others she too decided to act childish, to get offended, and make a political statement. This resulted in the placing of a sign with an atheistic message next to the nativity scene.
Moronic disc jockeys are paid extremely well to act childish, so of course the rantings of a Seattle disc jockey inspired yet another childish person to steal the sign placed by the atheist group.
The State Patrol, a police force so incompetent that it can not stop the capitol building from being regularly spray painted, taken over by ‘anarchists,’ or even stop the atheists sign from being stolen was however competent enough to go fetch the sign from the radio station it was delivered too, and put it back up.
It’s return is now sparking more childish behavior with at least two Christian groups deciding that they are so offended by it that they must place their own sign refuting it, and host a protest at the capitol building this Sunday.
While all of this does make an interesting study in childish behavior on which one can contemplate, I do have to wonder if any of these ‘religious’ and ‘non-religious’ people are remembering the purpose of the ‘Holiday Tree’ at all.
Will even one of these offended idiots leave a donation for the AWB so that they can provide a toy or a good meal to a needy child this holiday season?
I fear not.
I fear that childish political statements are far more important to all of these childish people than the true needs of a child ever could be.
This story, and the worldwide press it is receiving is a sad commentary upon our state.
Comments
MM: I hope I'm not rambling off topic yet again. I have a friend who is employed by Children's Hospital of Seattle. Every year, the AWB provides gifts and a bit of joy to children receiving care there. My friend spoke of a little boy who had endured numerous surgeries and treatment. Last Christmas, he received a book as one of his gifts. He absolutely loved it. His eyes blazed with excitement. "Is it really for me?!" He is now home and doing well.(He lives near Olympia and was invited to attend the tree lighting ceremony this year.) To those who feel the need to raise a rediculous political and/or religious objection...It isn't about you or your personal beliefs. It is..an effort to assist those in need and offer holiday cheer in the process. Kindness and good will to others. Please!!!
Posted by: Amy | December 9, 2008 12:45 AM
Mistress Milliscent,
I guess that what you wrote here is tongue-in-cheek, nevertheless, it is based on reality. I can add my own experience.
You may have guessed that English is not my native language. I grew up in a country under a Communist rule. Communists tried to eradicate any kind of religion because religions distracted people from the mindless doctorine fed to them by Communists. One particularly asinine decree was to "Henceforth, Christmas Day will be called Pinetree Day. Yes, all government references to it persisted ... for a while. The people took to it like the would to a pile of doggie doo on the living room floor.
You are being benign when you call this childish behavior. I take a more strident attitude and call it stupidity. I believe that a person can be intelligent, and yet stupid. We see that around us every day.
Posted by: Susan's pet | December 9, 2008 5:48 AM
Amy,
I want to thank you for kindly sharing the story. I think it important that people understand the true purpose behind the tree, and the importance of the funds it helps to raise.
I hope that with the controversy surrounding the Capitol this year donations to the AWB's cause do not fall too far.
M
Posted by: Milliscent | December 10, 2008 9:38 PM
Susan's pet,
'tongue in cheek'?
I'm not sure to be honest with you. I did want the post to be entertaining, and I hope that I succeeded in that goal.
I also though wanted to make a larger point. The point that a secular organizations very worthy charitable program is being overshadowed, likely harmed, by self identified religious people and groups, and an anti-religious group.
It seems to me that out of all the players in this sad, and as you say stupid drama, the secular Association of Washington Business is the only group keeping the true meaning of the holiday.
M
Posted by: Milliscent | December 10, 2008 9:44 PM
Mistress Milliscent,
I don’t know about the secular organization to which you refer that does good things in charity in your state. I approve of charity at mostly the local level, and this seems to be it.
I am not a religious person either. I am convinced that religion is a vehicle for a person to suffer the hardships of everyday life. However, I do have an extreme reaction to the practice of extreme religion. But that is not the issue here.
Coming together around the so-politically-correct-"holidays" is not a bad thing, assuming that we ignore our responsibilities the rest of the year. This is similar to the average schmuck who calls his mom on mother’s day and then ignores her the rest of the time.
I believe in doing good when good is needed. I don’t need a holiday to induce me. Please don’t take my comments as criticism. I have my own kinky way of looking at everything. I can piss off the Pope as easily as I piss off anyone else. I am polite, but I politely call a “spade” a spade, not a “frigging shovel”.
I hope that I have not alienated you by showing my prickles so blatantly. I like your blog. It is way above most of what I read, and gives thought to more than just sex. Not that sex is not on my mind a lot.
Posted by: Susan's pet | December 11, 2008 5:44 AM
Susan's pet,
You have not offended me. Like you, I believe that charity, doing good, is an important thing, and not only around the holidays.
It does however seem that the holidays are a time of extra needs. Weather, emotions, &c. all seem to come together in a difficult way at this time for some people.
M
Posted by: Milliscent | December 12, 2008 6:11 PM
Christ I thought this was a joke at first. You are serious?
Posted by: MyKey | December 15, 2008 4:45 PM
mykey,
No, not a joke.
Alas, it has grown since then with additional groups adding their own decorations as a kind of protest.
M
Posted by: Milliscent | December 20, 2008 1:56 PM