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TECO
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
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 Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:18 am Post subject: Toronto Judge: Remove Christmas Tree in Courthouse! |
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This is hilarious, if also a bit sad.
The judge here must be a nut case. I'm not religious myself, but who on earth would be offended by seeing a Christmas tree? I find them nice to look at this time of year.
She must be a pretty difficult person. I definitely wouldn't want her hearing my case if I had to go before the courts! 
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Christmas tree banned from courthouse lobby
Last Updated: Thursday, December 14, 2006 | 4:29 PM ET
CBC News
A Toronto judge has banished a Christmas tree from the lobby of a provincial courthouse, saying the "Christian symbol" might alienate people of other faiths.
Judge Marion Cohen ordered that a small artificial tree on display in the Ontario Court of Justice at 311 Jarvis St. be placed in a back hallway, out of sight of the entrance.
She wrote in a note to staff that she didn't think it was appropriate that when people entered the courthouse, the "first thing they see is a Christian symbol."
The tree's presence suggests to non-Christians that they are "not part of this institution," she said, according to the Toronto Sun.
Pluralistic society
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty called it an "unfortunate" incident.
"I think it reflects a mistaken understanding of what we're trying to do here," said McGuint
He said the province is working hard to build a pluralistic multicultural society and that means celebrating all traditions, not asking some to abandon them.
"It doesn't offend anyone when we celebrate Diwali at Queen's Park or celebrate Hanukkah at Queen's Park," he said. "It's part of who we are."
Cohen has refused to publicly speak on the matter.
A spokesman for the Ministry of the Attorney General stated that as the local administrative judge, Cohen has the right to rule on such issues in the courthouse.
Tree not a religious symbol
Meanwhile, Dr. Robert Buckman, president emeritus of the Humanist Association of Canada, argues that the Christmas tree is not even a religious symbol.
"This is a simple, secular symbol of a festival period," he said. "It's like the pumpkin in Halloween. The pumpkin is actually reminiscent, apparently, of trying to scare ghosts and lighting jack-o'-lanterns and spirits coming into the house and all.
"But no one says you can't put a pumpkin on your porch unless you believe in goblins." |
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2006/12/14/christmas-tree.html |
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Natalia
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:15 am Post subject: |
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Canada recently decided to allow Sikhs to carry daggers to school as it is 'a part of their religion'.
And yet Christmas trees aren't allowed?  |
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Satori
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Location: Above it all
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:29 am Post subject: |
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| That's tenuous at best. How christian is christmas really? It's only nominally christs birthday, not even the real day. The rest of it is more Norse mythology than anything christian. The tree is not a "christian symbol", it's a symbol of christmas, which is nominally christian. No one says a chocoloate bunny is a christian symbol. Absurd... |
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SPINOZA
Joined: 10 Jun 2005
Location: $eoul
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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| TECO wrote: |
| She must be a pretty difficult person. I definitely wouldn't want her hearing my case if I had to go before the courts! |
She'd probably be very lenient.
I'd rather have her than a Christian judge in terms of "getting away with it" or getting a "slap on the wrist" when really one ought to recieve a lengthy prison sentence.
In any case, her views on Christmas trees (no matter how potty) are not, and should not be, a reflection of her professional ability. |
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TECO
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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| SPINOZA wrote: |
| TECO wrote: |
| She must be a pretty difficult person. I definitely wouldn't want her hearing my case if I had to go before the courts! |
She'd probably be very lenient.
I'd rather have her than a Christian judge in terms of "getting away with it" or getting a "slap on the wrist" when really one ought to recieve a lengthy prison sentence.
In any case, her views on Christmas trees (no matter how potty) are not, and should not be, a reflection of her professional ability. |
This Judge is in lots of schit now, and so she should be.
I am not religous but I can understand those who are and I have no qualms about any symbols being displayed.
Spinoza: Live and let live I say. |
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Newbie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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What a bunch of crap.
Korea may finally hold something over home. |
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coolsage
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: The overcast afternoon of the soul
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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| PC madness has gone way over the top. First, the Christmas tree kerfuffle at SeaTac Airport, now this. Who could possibly be 'offended' by a decorated tree? It's a pre-Christian, pagan icon, symbolizing the shortest day of the year, and the impending return of light in the sky. Those pesky Swedes; always stirring up something. |
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Rey Mysterio 619
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Location: 619 Connect
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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Canada is so ridiculously PC it embodies the worst of what is f@cked about the West.
Thank god that Canada doesn't hold much sway or influence in this world. |
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Lao Wai
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Location: East Coast Canada
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| Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:33 am Post subject: |
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Hey,
I have to agree with what others have said. Canada's S.S. (Socially Sensitive) mentality really gets to me sometimes. I have no religion, although I was raised Christian. Still, I have no objection to displays or celebrations in public that aren't overly preachy. Otherwise, it would be a pretty bland world.
It also bothers me that, frequently, it's the white anglo-saxon traditions that come under attack in Canada. For example, many public schools in Canada have now effectively banned Halloween so as to be inclusive of other faiths. WTF? Halloween is now a faith? This is especially funny in my part of Canada because about 99.9% of families DO celebrate Halloween and Christmas.
In large, multi-cultural cities like Toronto, public schools are all over celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year and all of the 'other' celebrations. Yet, principals encourage teachers to keep Halloween and Christmas parties low key, if they have them at all.
I love multi-culturalism and feel like the more parties and parades we have, the better...as long as we can still keep the ones I grew up with. As for public schools, as long as teachers make an effort to celebrate holidays and festivals of all the different cultures represented in their classrooms, I don't see the problem.
Someone might have mentioned the news story about the airport that removed the Christmas tree because a Jewish organization wanted them to add a menorrah. I don't know what the solution would be is this case. The Jewish organzation didn't want them to take down the tree, just to put up the menorrah alongside with it. But, if they did that, wouldn't they set a precedent to put up anything anyone asked? Tricky... |
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blaseblasphemener
Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Location: There's a voice, keeps on calling me, down the road, that's where I'll always be
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| Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:44 am Post subject: |
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I worked with a teacher in Canada who took me aside and gently chided me, explaining that I shouldn't mention Christmas lights as part of our "holiday" celebrations in December, since they are a "Christian symbol".(She was Christian and didn't want to offend any none-Christians in her grade 2 class).
Anyone care to speculate, as an aside, on what Case One was of PC policing going out of control? In my lifetime, I would say it was the "no means no" push of the late 80's. "May I touch your leg?" "May I touch your b reast?" "May I insert my pen is in you?" |
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madowlspeaks
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Location: Somewhere in time and space
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| Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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| don't get me started on this... |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:44 am Post subject: |
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| There was still catechism class when I was in elementary school. We all to take it, except for one of my friends. His dad was from Greece, so he got excused exempted from taking the class because he was Greek Orthodox. I remember thinking he was the luckiest kid in school. |
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