Religion and ACLU’s Stand

Re John Spano’s article (Dec. 27) concerning the menorah in Sasscer Park:

I am astonished and deeply disappointed that the City of Santa Ana gave in so easily to the American Civil Liberties Union’s attack.

The position of the ACLU that “a (Christmas) tree is a decoration, while the menorah is a ‘religious symbol,’ ” is an open blatant insult to Christians everywhere.

Although it is true that the Christmas tree has no relationship to Jesus and is the outgrowth of earlier pagan traditions, it is also true that the decorated tree is now viewed by most Christians as the central theme of modern celebration-type activities associated with Christmastime festivities.

To attack the tree as merely decorative is a deep insult to Christians who see the tree, and the gifts that appear under it, as symbolic of God’s gift to the world of His only begotten son. Yet, this obviously religious symbol is openly located in the same public park, just 50 feet from where the menorah was to be displayed.

It should be remembered that Hanukkah is as much a political ceremony as it is religious, because it’s the commemoration of the Jewish victory over their Greek-Syrian overlords in 165 BC. This victory resulted in Jewish political-national independence, which of course included the liberation of their temple from the Syrians as well.

The ACLU’s misdirected fetish with supporting our constitutional religious freedoms seems to constantly cross over the line into creating a wall of antagonism between religion and government--something the Founding Fathers had no intention of promoting. Our Constitution guarantees the protection of religion, not governmental antagonism against religion.

To support the ACLU position and justify the display of a Christmas tree as “decoration” and disallow a Hanukkah menorah as a “religious symbol” is an affront to all honest and responsible Christians and Jews.

IRVING E. FRIEDMAN

Huntington Beach