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Walker Says It’s A Christmas, Not Holiday, Tree

November 7, 2011 2:46 PM
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(credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

(credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker is calling the tree decorated with ornaments and adorned with a star at the top in the center of Wisconsin’s Capitol Rotunda a Christmas tree, not a holiday tree.

The roughly 30-foot tall tree had been called a Christmas tree since it was first displayed in 1916 until 1985 when the name was changed to the more generic holiday tree.

The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation has opposed calling it a Christmas tree, saying it would offend nonreligious people and amount to a government endorsement of Christianity.

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie says it’s a Christmas tree and he doesn’t know what more to say about it. The tree is on display from late November to early January.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View Comments
  • Who gives an F?

    Will it also br the Easter Bunny and not a Holiday Bunny?

  • anti-proton

    Well if you crazy xtians get your mythological symbolism then I want my Zues lightning bolts and Thor’s hammer displayed as well.

    • ez

      You know the courts have ruled that Christmas in not a christian holiday. And it really is not, it is a linked to the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, not the birth of the Christian Messiah. People are soo ignorant they don’t even know what they are complaining about.

      • TL

        @ez

        I guess that would depend on what you believe in and were raised to believe in. My religion would disagree with your adaptation of Christmas and what it is.

        But thats ok.

    • Mel

      I’m sure you could find Zeus lightning bolts and Thor’s hammer for your Christmas tree ; ) everyone needs to just calm down. No one’s being secretly indoctrinated or forced into Christianity. Geez.

      • mel

        I forgot the word “ornaments” after Thor’s hammer. Doesn’t make much sense without the word ornaments. My bad.

  • Agreed!

    Yup, that would indeed be a CHRISTMAS TREE!!!

    Enjoy :-) … or leave

  • Spell Check

    You would probably be more welcome on Mount Olympus if you could spell Zeus’s name right.

    • cschilli@tcfbank.com

      HAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAHAA!!!! LOL LMFAO. So true. and thank GOD I live in a state that elected a governor with balls. Not a pansy like Dayton. HAAA haaa (deep sigh of relief).

      • lee

        You bet you dum ass…………………..

        • you DUM…. A$$

          Really, they let you put in “ass” but I am being denied? What? You got naked pics of the admin? I have to ask though, how stupid do you have to be to misspell dumBa$$?

      • randy

        We’re gllad you live there too

        • cheese baby!!

          Dayton, Franken, Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Yeah, MN elects some real winners.

  • pretzeldude

    You messed up the public employee unions so I’m glad to see that you do have a tiny bit of sense. It is indeed a CHRISTmas tree NOT a holiday tree.

    • TFerguson

      ’tis the season to worship evergreens and assign some deity to the solstice.

      • Debby

        AND to dance nekkid in the woods!!

    • markH

      You remind me that the credulous, gullible, and superstitious are always among us. Regardless, peace.

  • Moe

    People didn’t used to get offended by things like this. What has happened? If you don’t like it, DON’T LOOK!

  • TFerguson

    I’ll let you call it a Christmas tree if I can adorn it with some Mithra lights and we let a “Lord of Misrule” lead Wisconsin in 2012.

  • Matt

    wow he finally got something right?

    • TFerguson

      no, if he were historically correct, it would be an “Attis”mas tree

  • DARREN

    Lets put CHRIST Back into CHRISTmas!

    • TFerguson

      no, but the Attis back into evergreen tree solstice celebrations!

      • Callina

        TFerguson… you are quite the evangelist, aren’t you? How many people have you converted to atheism?

        • TFerguson

          Not an evangelist, I’m a satirist.

          • The Infidel

            “I’m a satirist.” And a poor one at that.

            • TFerguson

              right on, I haven’t earned money since Monica was in the Oval Office.

        • Debby

          I am a non-believer (an atheist as you like to call us)…but I celebrate the holidays with a tree and decorations…and do it my way too. This holiday began as a Pagan holiday and the Romans decided there were too many pagans, so they made it a christian holiday…so lets just ALL celebrate it whichever way we want to!!

        • markH

          @Callina- People aren’t “converted to atheism” as you state. All people are born with no belief system whatsoever; it is indoctrinated into them before they are able to reason and have their critical faculties in order. Atheism is simply a state of non-belief in a god, goddess, supernatural intervening deity. What we are seeing (now that secularism is gaining ground at a feverish rate) is that the religious are attempting to equate non-belief in the supernatural as being just another belief on offer-that couldn’t be further from reality. If there were indeed any evidence at all for the existence of a supernatural entity that intervenes in the affairs of people then we would hear and read such evidence from the proponents. We instead get a lot of nonsensical and defensive dribble as you have written. Peace.

          • Callina

            Why is it, then, that people QUITE often are converted to Christianity after being atheists? As adults? Perhaps not with evidence that you could see or believe… but real enough to them to make a difference in their lives.

            I’m not debating with you the existence of God. I’m just saying that people with “no belief system whatsoever” sure do seem pretty intolerant of those who do. Even those of us who chose it as adults rather than being “indoctrinated” as children.

    • ez

      Christ was never in Christmas.

      • TFerguson

        ez has probably never picked up a bible. Dionysus, er, Jesus was born to a mortal female through god Zeus, er I mean, the three in-one god on December 25. Then he martyred himself on Easter in a self-fulfilling prophesy. His disciples then dressed up on Halloween to escape persecution. All in the great book, ez.

    • donna larson

      I completely agree. Christs’ birth is what it is all about. There was no holiday born in the manger. It’s funny how free speech is emphasized when it comes to politics, but shunned when it comes to religion.

  • GOPSUX

    It’s the reason for the season. That’s right, GREED!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Jack Noff

    The christmas tree originated with the pagan celebration of the winter solstice.

  • Dean

    Great job, Governor Walker! We conservatives in Minnesota support you. And to all you (Christmas) tree hugging liberals, HA HA! Hopefully, God (and creation) will be put back in the failing public school system, too.

    • Goat

      I wish we had a Governor with balls in this state too! I’m almost tempted to move to Wisconsin!!

      • TFerguson

        because a governor who takes a solid stand on the naming of a tree is one by which I want my government ruled. I hereby declare the every evergreen in Minnesota to be christmas tree just so you will consider staying.

      • billy

        Then move. Let me help you back and don’t let the door hit you in the behind when you are existing

      • cschilli@tcfbank.com

        You are more then welcome, we’re making a move to take back our state from the Madison liberal crowd and we could use more votes. Maybe we can ship Madison to Minneapolis and move all conservative Minnesotans into the void. Sounds good to me.

    • TFerguson

      Yes, christmas trees create jobs!!! Jobs performed by 8-year old solderers putting together an iPad for under the tree. Adorable, especially if its snowing out.

    • Why Not

      What God and what version of creation? Native American would be good as they were the original dwellers in the area. The many different tribes have different versions and it would be interersting and informative to hear about them.

      • cschilli@tcfbank.com

        UM, and what do you know about it? Of the untold many that I know I can think of none that would not describe themselves as christian with a view of creation adopted directly from the bible. A good number, prolly 60% or more, are Catholic. Not very interesting to hear them talk about creationism. God and the creator are considered one in the same in most homes that I know.

        • Why Not

          ask.com – over 450 versions of Christian bible. Five main acknoledged religions Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Islam, Buddhism. Hundreds, perhaps thousand of subreligions. What God and what version of creation? I’ll go with science not myth and folklore. Also did you ever notice the most organized religion is male dominated and females play a subrole, usually as breeders. Organized religion seems to be about money and power – dominated by men. If athe majority of your friends are Catholic you may want to venture out into the real world and observe how others live. It could be eye-opening and would expand your horizons.

          • DougT

            Ohh Successful White Male Dominated World – ya that was once upon a time….and look at where we are not in this rotting stinking world of diverse low brow “culture”….

            Perhaps you should open your eyes to the filth that is being put forth – lazy, self occupied, “you owe me” entitlement with our effort society

            .

            • carl

              The “You own me” culture is pretty alive and well in the brown culture too.

      • DougT

        Excellent – for once my heritage and beliefs are being celebrated! The traditions of White Norther European Males!! = Success, hard work and rational thought. Finally!

        And I heard the Aboriginals lost and had to move to LA … oh wait no that was another ethnic group – Brewww! Skoal LA Vikings!!. :) ))

        God Rest Ye Marry Gentlemen!

        ….

    • Debbie

      Agreed Dean!!!

  • just sayin

    I still stink down there.

  • stung4ever

    “The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation has opposed calling it a Christmas tree, saying it would offend nonreligious people and amount to a government endorsement of Christianity.”

    Do they also want Menorahs to be called “non denominational candle holders”?

    • brad

      lol…good one.

    • Debby

      I am not offended! Call it what you want!!..I will buy myself gift no matter WHAT it is called…laughing.

    • markH

      Because it is called a Menorah and not a Jewish candle holder, your point makes no sense.

  • Murph

    Under that tree will be a package with Walkers name on it from the FBI.The card will read: Enjoy this brand new orange jumpsuit Scotty baby! Many of your friends will get same,we don’t discriminate like you do!

    • cschilli@tcfbank.com

      Keep dreaming Murph, while you’re at it why don’t you wish for a Hillary Clinton move to Milwaukee so she can run for Gov of WI.

  • Bob

    Big deal. It’s a celebration of the Holidays’ spirit no matter what the holiday is. Call it what you want.

    • TFerguson

      Hooray for the rational!

  • betty

    I guess it is eaiser for Walker to deal with something like it is a Christmas Tree and not a HOliday tree instead of creating jobs he promised. Hey all you Republcian lovers, how are those jobs Walker created doing?

    • Tommy G

      Hey Betty why don’t you go down to the capital and find out?

  • Kevin

    I love this guy more each day!

    • haha

      We always knew you loved men, Kevin.

    • TFerguson

      same here…it takes a bold leader to name a tree. Walker for Imperial Leader of naming conifers!

  • cullen w

    purdy gud

  • Nancy Aleshire

    To the schools, it is Christimas vacation, not winter break and Easter vacation, not spring break. That does not mean it wouldn’t cover Chanukah, Ramadan or Kwanzaa or Passover which occurs around Easter. In December we celebrate with trees, nativity scenes or menorahs, not snowmen.

    • TFerguson

      speak for yourself, my family celebrates with our snowmean, snowwomen and snowchildren over winter break with s’mores roasted over lit hay the neighbor places under some plastic robe-wearing figurines.

  • JP

    This is another example of a non-story the media loves to put out. Who cares what we call the tree now. Should we change everything like the Taliban did in Afghanistan when they destroyed 1,000 year old stone monuments to Buddha? The Christians want to call it a Christmas tree. Gov. Walker is a Christian. He gets to name the tree. He wants it to be called “Christmas”. End of story.

  • Tommy G

    Keep your eye on WI and MN. Walker has common sense, and the guts to make hard decisions with the public sector unions that have been ripping off tax payers. He also stands up to the wako anti religious factions, what do they worship? MN has a gutless Govener, and a growing deficit, land of 10,000 liberals.

    • TFerguson

      I worship you Tommy!…but I may have to worship Walker more now since he’s being decisive on this official conifer naming ritual.

  • JP

    TFerguson is good at his craft. Once the economy gets going, he is sure to get back on his feet again. Every village needs an idiot. His village will surely hire him back.

    • TFerguson

      JP – I was looking for a sidekick. Know any additional cliches?

  • Shannon LaPointe Mead

    Slippery slope. There is a separation of church and state is there not?

    • TFerguson

      Shannon, given that Jesusween didn’t draw the attention of the church-going populace, I don’t think we need to worry about having to worship a tree or its savior; unless you attend a catholic service, where they worship a Jesse-tree. I prefer just to worship the stump in that case.

  • Murph

    Walker flunked Marcus Bachmann’s pray you straight class! If you guys love him that much…..hmmm?

    • YES

      You can hate the packers, but it hard to hate the Governor of Wisconsin. Finally, a Governor who’s not a WUS!! Bleeding hearts… suck it!!

      • Murph

        Too late,the Gov nuh already did!

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