IRVINE : Mayor Criticized for Holiday Tree Plan

A request by Mayor Sally Anne Sheridan to consider setting up a nondenominational holiday tree outside City Hall drew criticism this week from residents who told the council that the tree itself is a religious symbol that should be avoided.

The council, however, asked city staff to prepare suggestions for a holiday tree and a policy for community participation, to be considered at a future meeting. If approved, the tree would be the first community holiday symbol in the city’s 18-year history, City Manager Paul O. Brady said.

“Ever since I’ve been on the council, residents have asked the city to put up a holiday tree,” Sheridan said, adding that one person has volunteered to provide the tree at his expense if the city approves a holiday policy.

Two-year city resident Robin Kale, who said she has written letters of protest to Washington regarding the White House Christmas tree, asked the council not to endorse a religious holiday in any manner.

“I’m not trying to be a ‘bah, humbug,’ ” said Kale, adding that she does not erect a holiday tree in her own home. “But it’s extremely distasteful to me. If you put a religious symbol up like a Christmas tree, you feel compelled to put up another symbol of a major religion--like a menorah--which is equally wrong because it is (also) religious.

“And what if it is a religion where a person might not want to stick his neck out and officially request that (it) be recognized?” Kale asked. “How tolerant would people be right now of an Iraqi Muslim who wanted to put a Koran” in the display?

Councilman Barry J. Hammond suggested that the holiday tree could include displays of any sort--including solicitations from charity organizations such as Toys for Tots or the Irvine Temporary Housing Program.

“It could represent the community’s involvement during the holiday season . . . whatever that might be,” Hammond said.

The Supreme Court has ruled that non-secular holiday displays such as trees and Nativity scenes do not violate separation of church and state laws, said City Atty. John L. Fellows.

In another religion-related matter, the council is expected next month to consider a proposal by Hammond to reinstate an invocation--a short prayer--to open council meetings, based on a recent outpouring of requests from the public, Brady said.

The city held invocations from about 1976 to 1980 but dropped them because of difficulty in scheduling clergy members and after an outcry from the community on the religious connotations, Brady said.