CA County Lifts Ban On Star, Angel Christmas Decorations

WTF is it with people? Why did this even have to turn into a huge deal? Evidently an atheist complained, causing a county administrator to ban stars and angels on any public Christmas trees. We have too many idiots with too much time on their hands in America today.

Earlier in the day, Barry Collins, a senior trial attorney in the Public Defender's Office, erected a Christmas tree adorned with a star in the lobby of the office to protest Thomas' actions — a bold move given that Thomas is essentially his boss.

Undeterred, Collins, who is Jewish, said that his protest was consistent with the public defender's mission of questioning authority and representing those whose Constitutional rights are sometimes infringed upon.

“I think it's ridiculous,” he said of the county's ban. “I think it's important for an office like ours to take a stand.”

Acting Sonoma County Administrator Chris Thomas on Wednesday rescinded his order banning angels and stars in county buildings, and in an e-mail to employees, apologized for “any inconvenience and disruption.”

The reversal followed a deluge of criticism over two days aimed not just at Thomas, but also at the atheist activist whose complaints about the decorations led to the ban.

By Wednesday, pamphlets that had Thomas' picture on the cover and criticized him for robbing the “vast majority of his constituents” their joy of the holiday season were being left on cars parked at the county complex.

Comments

[Amy Byrd]

These evangelical atheists are ruining everything for those of us who have kept our atheism our own business. It's bad enough when a believer snorts down his nose at us, but these fools are making us snort-worthy. People should just shut up and mind their own business.

[Maurice]

I'm a religious Jew, and I'm SO glad to see Collins is Jewish and standing on the side of devoted Christians. I agree 100% with him, and glad he took a stand. Atheists, secularized Jews and Christians need to shut the heck up about stars and other Christmas symbols...frankly, even things like manger scenes do not bother me. It didn't get me to drop my Judaism when young, my kids are happy being committed, religious Jews, but also enjoy taking a spin through a local park, each year, lit up by tens of thousands of Christmas lights and decorations (though the display is light on Christian religious symbols...but it's all about Christmas, and we've not called to complain they should have a lit up Menorah, though it's in a city park).

I can't stand these idiots who protest these things. I applaud Collins and hope to see more of this kind of thing.

[Rob De Witt]

You'll be glad to know that the local tantrum throwers responded by trashing 60 government cars last night:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/24/BA421B9GSJ.DTL&tsp=1

Isn't that precious?

[Peter]

For Easter, I'd love to give the atheist activist a chocolate bunny made of Ex-Lax.