O Christmas Tree...Where art thou?

"White Man's Guilt" or religious intolerance?

This is the scenario: Madam Justice Marion Cohen bans the display of a Christmas tree at the entrance of her courthouse and relegates it to a side hall. As senior judge of this particular courthouse in Toronto, she has the authority to do so.

Her reason? It was given to the staff via an e-mail that went like this, "However beautiful Christams trees may be - and I do find them beautiful - a Christmas tree is a traditional Chrisitian symbol. The message to many who attend our court and are confronted with this symbol is that they are not part of this institution. I do not think it is appropriate that the first thing people see when they enter is a Christian symbol."

Of course the media was plastered with this incident. A week later it still gets written about in the newspaper. What was the fallout? Jewish groups were interviewed - they had no problems with the tree being displayed at the front entrance. Muslim groups were interviewed - they had no problems with the tree at the front. The Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty apparently discussed the issue with the Madam Justice to no avail. Not one politician or religious group came to her defence, that I saw. Then why did she do it?

Is this a case of "White Man's Guilt?" That a White person feels guilty of past oppressions, or is trying too hard to be politically correct in order not to offend anyone. There is another possibility that I have yet to hear anyone broach, because they're probably too afraid to, lest they be labelled racist. And reading this, that may be your first reaction. But let may say it, read the rest of this posting, then judge me. You can even go as far as to submit your comments. So here it is... Her name is Madame Justice Marion Cohen. I'm not certain if she is, nobody's mentioned it, but the name appears Jewish to me. Is this a case of her be offended by this Christian symbol and using her position to get her way? Only she knows the true answer to this.

In a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood of Toronto, there is a giant Menorah. During Hanukkah, it is lit. It's in a very public place. What do you think the reaction would have been had somebody had the cajones to ban this important Jewish symbol from the public space, or relegate it to some hidden area?

No. Religious symbols such as a Christmas tree or Menorah should not be banned from public spaces. Canada is made up of a diverse population with many religious beliefs. The Canadian Constitution even guarantees the right to practice your religion without fear of persecution. Isn't the banning of a Christmas tree from the front entrance of a courthouse religious persecution? This is the act of a single person, not a government mandated policy.

I work for a company that has many non-Christians working for it. I do not harbour any ill will if some of them leave early because they must pray at sunset, or they take Jewish holidays off, or they take a few extra days during Christmas, even Orthodox Christmas, to be with their families. It's part of the diversity that makes up this country.

The ill will I do harbour is towards those that are intolerant towards those of other beliefs, and they get away with it under the guise of "equality" for all. Banning a Christmas tree is not equality.

Madam Justice, why don't you come out and tell us the real reason you banned the Christmas tree. If you did it because of what I suggested, then say so and apologize for it. You stand alone because nobody has come to your defense.

To those that may try something similar in the future, using the Madam Justice's incident to justify your actions, this will just lead to an escalation of religious intolerance. We have enough intolerance in this world, we don't need to start a war with this incident as the genesis.

Merry Christmas
Happy Hannukah
Happy Kwanzaa
Happy Holidays

Wings Over The World

P.S. Take note that I did not include a Muslim symbol because I'm not familiar with as public a symbol as those I mention for Christians and Jews. I do not mean any offence. I would have included one had I been aware of one when I wrote this. I just wanted to head off any comments.