Christmas tree ruckus at Seattle airport resolved with rabbi; outbreak of brotherhood ensues

by Actual News Geezer | December 12, 2006 at 08:08 am

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This is a story we have been following ever since a Seattle-area rabbi launched a lawsuit to force the operators of the giant Seatac airport to include a Jewish menorah among all the Christmas trees. To avoid going to court, Seatac came up with the less-than-brilliant solution to ban all holiday symbols.

Tempers flared; holocaust deniers unfurled moth-eaten swastikas; members of the Stern gang, an Israeli terrorist organization (circa 1948) woke from their graves to protect the Jewish identity. Kofi Annan resigned as Secretary General of the UN in frustration. Donald Rumsfeld was nearly persuaded to come out of retirement, when...

SEATAC, Washington (AP) -- Christmas trees are going back up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Pat Davis, president of the Port of Seattle commission, which directs airport operations, said late Monday that maintenance staff would restore the 14 plastic holiday trees, festooned with red ribbons and bows, that were removed over the weekend because of a rabbi's complaint that holiday decor did not include a menorah.

Airport managers believed that if they allowed the addition of an 8-foot-tall menorah to the display, as Seattle Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky had requested, they would also have to display symbols of other religions and cultures, which was not something airport workers had time for during the busiest travel season of the year, Airport Director Mark Reis said earlier Monday. (Watch the return of the Christmas trees Video)

Port officials received word Monday afternoon that Bogomilsky's organization would not file a lawsuit at this time to seek the placement of a menorah, Davis said in a statement.

"Given that, the holiday trees will be replaced as quickly as possible," he said.