Christmas Tree Protest Story Slanted

Re a recent story about the origin of a valuable undertaking at Irvine City Hall (“Cultural Awareness Seminar Is Tuesday,” April 22), I believe that the report is slanted inaccurately and is potentially divisive. I suggest an amended view.

Some background: A council member’s proposal to set up a Christmas tree last year evoked energetic criticism. In response, Irvine city government (to its credit) has authorized a series of cultural awareness seminars designed to foster intergroup understanding and counteract divisiveness.

In his discussion of the origin of the cultural awareness seminars, the reporter seems to have misinterpreted the main line of the December, 1990, public debate about placing that Christmas tree at the Irvine Civic Center. I was present at the discussion too.

The way I saw it, public testimony successfully opposing the Christmas tree at City Hall came mainly from:

* Devout Christians who objected to secularizing Christmas.

* Those objecting to apparent insensitivity to religions other than Christian.

* Those concerned with the constitutional issue of separation between church and state.

However, The Times story said: “. . . Jewish and Christian residents . . . sparred . . . over whether the city should allow a Christmas tree outside the Civic Center.” The reporter went on to imply that Jewish opposition was the key factor.

Opposition by some Jews (not all) was only one factor.

LOU FRIDHANDLER, Irvine