Ethics

Washington Eliminates Capitol Holiday Displays

By Ed Brayton

I'm sure you remember last year when the state of Washington got itself in all kinds of trouble with holiday displays inside the state capitol building. They couldn't allow only Christian displays because of a consent decree in a court case, so they established an open public forum and allowed all groups to put up their own displays. But when the religious right caught wind of people other than them having an equal right to put up their own displays, they went apeshit.

So this year, the state has a new idea: No displays at all. This year, there's gonna be a holiday tree put up by the state and no public displays allowed by community groups. Sounds like a good solution to me. Since the Christianists won't allow anyone else but them to play their reindeer games, cancel the games entirely.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on September 01, 2009 (boomark / email).