December 11, 2006
For Immediate Release
For More Information, contact:
Don Feder at (508) 405-1337
WASHINGTON STATE REFUSES TO DISPLAY NATIVITY SCENE WITH MENORAH – WHY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE MAJORITY RELIGION?
During this joyous season, public officials seem to go out of their way to demonstrate their good will (or lack thereof) by discriminating against America’s majority religion – AKA: Christianity.
The latest example of this phenomenon comes from Washington State. On Monday, Governor Chris Gregoire lit a menorah at the state capitol. The symbol of Hanukah is on display there now, along with a Christmas tree.
But when a local resident requested that a Nativity scene be added to the tableau, the governor refused. A spokesman says the state is concerned that the crèche is too religious – i.e., might carry a stronger message of government endorsement of religion.
But the menorah is a religious symbol which commemorates a miracle. The state can’t accept one religious display and reject another. (The Supreme Court has ruled that both the menorah and the Nativity scene are religious, the Christmas tree not.)
That aside, Jews are less than 2% of the population, while over 90% of the American people are Christians. It borders on the absurd for Washington State to acknowledge the religion of a minority, while simultaneously ignoring one of the most important religious holidays of the overwhelming majority of Americans.
We say this as Jews who celebrate Hanukah, not Christmas. We say this as an organization whose board of advisors includes more than a dozen rabbis. We say this in the name of fairness and mutual respect.
Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation was organized in 2005 to fight almost daily instances of anti-Christian bigotry and discrimination. In December 2005, JAACD held a press conference in Washington, D.C. designated “Jews For It’s OK to Say ‘Merry Christmas.’”
For more information on Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation, visit our website – www.jews4fairness.org.
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