Thursday, March 30, 2006
THE WAR ON EASTER
By Stockton
St. Paul City Office Boots Easter Bunny
Given the serious nature of this dispute, Smorgasblog convened a Round Table of Experts to discuss the matter. Please welcome Rabbi Benjamin Rosenstein (of the Jewish Religion), City Councilman Dave Thune (of St. Paul) and Cindy Martin (of the Association against Juvenile Diabetes).
SmorgasBlog: Was the placement of the decorations, in the lobby, the significant factor here? Wasn't that promoting religion? In particular, Christianity?
Rabbi Rosenstein: The placement of the decoration did not offend me. What offended me was a clear violation of the 1st Amendment. It's not about offending anyone, it's about the law. And, it's about fake grass. Bunnies per se, are not offensive.
SB: Speaking of fake grass, we once bought a dime bag of oregano.....
Thune: Nonsense. I don't know what kind of Rabbi you are, but you're certainly no Christian. This is secular stuff. It's Spring, who doesn't think about warm, fuzzy Rabbits and fake grass? It's not christian. Some jews even celebrate Easter.
RR: Jews....Easter....
Cindy Martin: I'm more concerned about the signal this sends to kids. Eat all the candy you want, just gorge yourselves and worry about cavities and diabetes later.
Thune: Are you saying Christians are for diabetes and cavities?
RR: Oy
CM: Of course not.
Thune: Were you even born here?
CM: My dentist is Christian, or at least I think so. He hands out chocolate crucifixes every Easter.
SB: Is it crucifixes or crucifixi?
Thune: There you go again. You and all the other secular humanists. Nail a guy to a Cross and you automatically think about Christ. It could be any guy nailed to a cross.You wouldn't mind if it was pagan decorations.
RR: Actually, the Bunny and Egg motif goes back to the Ancient Egyptians. Both items symbolize fertility which was associated with Spring.
SB: Hence the term, fucking like Bunnies?
RR: Exactly!
SB: And the grass?
RR: Usually smoked before sex, to lower inhibitions.
Thune: This is the media's fault!
St. Paul City Office Boots Easter Bunny
Thu Mar 23, 9:31 AM ET ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Easter Bunny has been sent packing at St. Paul City Hall.
A toy rabbit, pastel-colored eggs and a sign with the words "Happy Easter" were removed from the lobby of the City Council offices, because of concerns they might offend non-Christians. A council secretary had put up the decorations. They were not bought with city money.
St. Paul's human rights director, Tyrone Terrill, asked that the decorations be removed, saying they could be offensive to non-Christians.
But City Council member Dave Thune says removing the decorations went too far, and he wonders why they can't celebrate spring with "bunnies and fake grass."
Given the serious nature of this dispute, Smorgasblog convened a Round Table of Experts to discuss the matter. Please welcome Rabbi Benjamin Rosenstein (of the Jewish Religion), City Councilman Dave Thune (of St. Paul) and Cindy Martin (of the Association against Juvenile Diabetes).
SmorgasBlog: Was the placement of the decorations, in the lobby, the significant factor here? Wasn't that promoting religion? In particular, Christianity?
Rabbi Rosenstein: The placement of the decoration did not offend me. What offended me was a clear violation of the 1st Amendment. It's not about offending anyone, it's about the law. And, it's about fake grass. Bunnies per se, are not offensive.
SB: Speaking of fake grass, we once bought a dime bag of oregano.....
Thune: Nonsense. I don't know what kind of Rabbi you are, but you're certainly no Christian. This is secular stuff. It's Spring, who doesn't think about warm, fuzzy Rabbits and fake grass? It's not christian. Some jews even celebrate Easter.
RR: Jews....Easter....
Cindy Martin: I'm more concerned about the signal this sends to kids. Eat all the candy you want, just gorge yourselves and worry about cavities and diabetes later.
Thune: Are you saying Christians are for diabetes and cavities?
RR: Oy
CM: Of course not.
Thune: Were you even born here?
CM: My dentist is Christian, or at least I think so. He hands out chocolate crucifixes every Easter.
SB: Is it crucifixes or crucifixi?
Thune: There you go again. You and all the other secular humanists. Nail a guy to a Cross and you automatically think about Christ. It could be any guy nailed to a cross.You wouldn't mind if it was pagan decorations.
RR: Actually, the Bunny and Egg motif goes back to the Ancient Egyptians. Both items symbolize fertility which was associated with Spring.
SB: Hence the term, fucking like Bunnies?
RR: Exactly!
SB: And the grass?
RR: Usually smoked before sex, to lower inhibitions.
Thune: This is the media's fault!
