# Easter is now "spring"! Did I miss a memo? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 27, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591 "2003-03-27T19:42:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Kalashnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/61 "2003-03-28T23:20:03Z")
How dare he decide NOT to piss people off ! Sacrificing your own pleasure just to avoid pissing people off isn’t a very christian thing to do, is it? ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/62 "2003-03-28T23:36:19Z")
You do realize that by “banning” the Easter Bunny et. al they aren’t banning you from celebrating these religious holidays anyway you see fit, right? Screw the chocolate eggs, nothing says celebrating the Savior of Mankind like eating a chocolate cross. Mmmm! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/63 "2003-03-29T00:21:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \* > \*\*You do realize that by “banning” the Easter Bunny et. al they aren’t banning you from celebrating these religious holidays anyway you see fit, right? \*\* Hell, I’ve stopped observing all religious holidays except Christmas. They can refer to that damn bunny however they want but I find much of the whole PC situation silly. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/64 "2003-03-29T00:31:50Z")
Allow me to amend that: I can’t stop anyone from referring to that damn bunny however they want. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/65 "2003-03-29T03:32:54Z")
Here’s another idea: Whoever owns the store is a practicing Jew, or Muslim, or Hindu, or whatever, who doesn’t feel comfortable putting up decorations for a holiday they don’t celebrate, but still wants to bring in some of the holiday business. So, bunnies, colored eggs, and chocolate with no overt Christian references. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/66 "2003-03-29T04:29:30Z")
There’s also the practicality of replacing decorations that become obsolete within a few weeks (Easter bunnies) with ones that can be left up till May or so (Spring bunnies). It may be totally unrelated, but I remember Mom not bothering to put up much in the way of Easter decorations in her classroom because by the time St. Paddy’s was over, it was only a couple of weeks till Easter. She usually just had generalized spring decorations with a few eggs and such here and there. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/67 "2003-03-29T07:40:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*From what I understand, there had been nativity scene on that site for over 30 years and all of a sudden the Board decided not to allow them any more. Admittedly, I don’t know if it’s Government property or not. [www.thecrackedpot.net/2\_1/NativityBan.html+nativity+ban&hl=en&ie=UTF-8](http://216.239.57.100/search?q=cache:RV64VHF_-jsC:%5Burl)"]Here’s a cached site that leans toward the latter. Thanks for the link. It says, in part: > [@](#): > > U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner took under advisement a request by the Knights of Columbus to strike down the town’s regulation > > Gertner questioned Darling closely, saying that the law itself doesn’t specify any religious content and appeared neutral. She also pointed out a U.S. Supreme Court case in which the Court suggested a “ban on all unattended displays” might be responsible. So it’s quite a different story than that depicted in the Fox News link. Leave it to Fox to only present one side of the story.:rolleyes: > [@](#): > > How about [New York City schools](http://www.washtimes.com/national/20021212-80863274.htm) banning nativity scenes but not other secular decorations? Or the Red Cross [not allowing any Christams decorations](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2596703.stm) in British charity shops? The tradition (there’s that word again! :)) was that Santa Claus would ride into town on a fire engine and light the community Christmas tree. In 2001, the city decided to repace him with three uniformed public servants. A cop, firefighter and (IIRC) postal worker. I believe the mayor either had just been elected or was coming up for election and possibly didn’t want to piss off any Jewish constituents. There’s at least one Pit thread on the subject from when the ban was announced. Of course, even with the ban in place it didn’t stop several people from showing up as Santa anyway. 🙂 Look, you’re still not getting it. It’s not a _ban_ if a government entity opts out of favoring one religion over another. It’s not a _ban_ if a private business owner decides not to display religious symbols. A city changing the characters portrayed in a Christmas pageant is not a _ban_. Here would be an example of a ban: A city declares that no citizen is allowed to go to church on Easter Sunday. And that would of course be unconstitutional. Boy, people just love to throw that word “ban” around, don’t they?:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/68 "2003-03-29T11:18:01Z")
—Hell, I’ve stopped observing all religious holidays except Christmas.— Not even Ramadan? Or Purim? Looks like the PC police got to you too! ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/69 "2003-03-29T11:19:35Z")
—Leave it to Fox to only present one side of the story.— Hey! They picked the Fair and Balanced Side: what more do you want? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/70 "2003-03-29T15:39:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > **It’s not a _ban_ if a government entity opts out of favoring one religion over another.** > [@](#): > > ban[sup]1[/sup] > tr.v. banned, ban·ning, bans > > 1. To prohibit, especially by official decree. How does this not apply? **Apos** , I’ve been pretty much agnostic since high school, remember? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/71 "2003-03-29T15:45:10Z")
BTW: **blowero** , while those NYC public schools prohibit nativity scenes. They _do_ allow Christmas trees. > [@](#): > > According to a memorandum distributed by the schools’ general counsel to the chancellor last year, the policy permits secular holiday decorations, including “Christmas trees, menorahs and the star and crescent.” The memorandum also stated if one symbol is displayed, then symbols of other “beliefs or customs” should be displayed as well. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/72 "2003-03-29T19:38:36Z")
—How does this not apply?— Because when the government prevents itself from doing something, that’s generally not a limiting of people’s freedoms, it’s an expansion of them. I don’t want the government to have a voice in religious matters, or even to put itself in charge of civic life. That’s OURS to decide, not theirs. —Apos, I’ve been pretty much agnostic since high school, remember?— That’s the cover story the PC police have given you, sure. They really have you brainwashed good. You even think they can operate in complete silence. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/73 "2003-03-30T00:09:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Apos \* > **Because when the government prevents itself from doing something, that’s generally not a limiting of people’s freedoms, it’s an expansion of them.** Thing is, in Lexington they’re preventing the public from doing something and I doubt NYC schools would permit a student or parent to bring in any sort of nativity scene. Christmas trees, menorahs, stars of David, etc. would probably fine but noting having to do with the birth of Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/74 "2003-03-30T01:45:04Z")
—Thing is, in Lexington they’re preventing the public from doing something— What? The question under dispute is whether or not its public or private land. —and I doubt NYC schools would permit a student or parent to bring in any sort of nativity scene.— Dude, they can come to school dressed as Moses as long as it doesn’t cause disorder or violate any non-specifically-targeted dress codes. What they can’t do is get the school to sponsor or feature the display or hold an official assembly where Moses explains God’s plan for all mankind. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/75 "2003-03-30T02:43:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Apos \* > \*\*Dude, they can come to school dressed as Moses as long as it doesn’t cause disorder or violate any non-specifically-targeted dress codes. What they can’t do is get the school to sponsor or feature the display or hold an official assembly where Moses explains God’s plan for all mankind. \*\* Okay, then. But I still think there’s something wrong with a public school system allowing some secular decorations and not a nativity scene; that’s not exactly a seperation of church & state. That is GD fodder though and I tend not to venture around there. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591/76 "2003-03-30T08:50:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Jeff Olsen: > BTW: blowero, while those NYC public schools prohibit nativity scenes. They do allow Christmas trees. Why is that so hard to understand? A pine tree has no overt religious content, but a nativity scene does. You _do_ realize that not all NYC school children believe that Jesus is God, right? There are Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, etc., who probably wouldn’t be too thrilled to have the baby Jesus shoved in their face every time they walk down the hall. > [@](#): > > Apos: > —How does this not apply?— > > Because when the government prevents itself from doing something, that’s generally not a limiting of people’s freedoms, it’s an expansion of them. I don’t want the government to have a voice in religious matters, or even to put itself in charge of civic life. That’s OURS to decide, not theirs. Exactly. Thank you. > [@](#): > > Jeff Olsen: > Thing is, in Lexington they’re preventing the public from doing something and I doubt NYC schools would permit a student or parent to bring in any sort of nativity scene. Christmas trees, menorahs, stars of David, etc. would probably fine but noting having to do with the birth of Jesus. Go back and read your 2nd link again. What you say is not true. They decided that NOBODY can put religious content in that spot. Due to a large number of requests by different religious groups to use the space, they thought it would get out of hand, so they decided not to have ANY such displays. How you manage to leap to the wild conclusion that it favors Jews is both puzzling and scary. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > Okay, then. But I still think there’s something wrong with a public school system allowing some secular decorations and not a nativity scene; that’s not exactly a seperation of church & state. Huh? I think allowing secular decorations and not religious ones in government institutions is practically the _definition_ of separation of church & state. > [@](#): > > That is GD fodder though and I tend not to venture around there. I can see why. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-is-now-spring-did-i-miss-a-memo/164591.md?page=3)