Amherst Town Common 12/18/14
As per tradition the public menorah has joined the Merry Maple on the Amherst town common, as this year Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish celebration, started on Tuesday, December 16 and concludes on Christmas eve, December 24.
For those concerned about separation of church and state or playing favoritism with a religion, the town does not ban religious symbols in the public square, so if someone wished to put up a Christmas tree or erect a manger (but probably not with live animals) Town Hall would not deny such a permit.
After all, anti-war protesters demonstrate in town center every Sunday for the past five decades , so why not a symbol commemorating a battle for religious freedom?
Dedication monument a few feet from the menorah
12 comments:
Why does the town put up a menorah but not a Christmas tree? I thought the town prided itself on fairness, being a bastion of liberalism and all. No? I suppose we need to call this a Merry Taper Holder. Or Holiday Candelabra. I hereby request a Christmas Tree be erected on the common. Anybody second that?
The town does not put up the menorah, the Chabad House at Amherst does.
You want to put up a Christmas tree? Go ahead. Oops! I see, you just want to grouse. Merry Christmas Scrooge.
Thank you for clarifying, Larry.
Love the Amherst-Pelham Boy Scouts. Plenty of Christmas trees down in that little park across from Bertucci's. Thanks fellas!
Anon 9:48 am:
This whole attempt to find some "war on Christmas" being conducted here or elsewhere in America is one of the phoniest alleged controversies ever conceived,.....and that's saying something.
We have a blossoming of religious freedom in this country BECAUSE we are careful about the separation of church and state.
We stopped collecting tax dollars for an established church in Massachusetts in 1832 (the Congregationalists), and we are all much better off as a result.
Merry Christmas, all!
There used to be a creche (manger) scene on the common, with pasteboard wisemen and so forth. It was hounded off the public square in the 70's as I remember. Am I correct, Larry?
Feliz Navidad, neighbors. Have yourselves a merry little Christmas. "God Bless Us, Every One!"
I do vaguely remember maybe 50 or more years ago the darn college kids would steal the baby Jesus out of the manger.
I want to put up a Festivus pole.
Instead of Its a Wonderful Life-
Amherst Cinema should show Silent Night, Lonely Night (The made for TV movie filmed in downtown Amherst in the 1960s)
I saw it last year on You Tube (removed soon after) Nice to see Amherst as it used to be - includes the Merry Maple, Lord Jeff and the old movie theater.
Funny that the story is supposed to be in Vermont- but the phone is answered "Lord Jeffrey Inn" lol
Did anyone mention a "war" on Christmas? Christians can be killed, of course, but never Christ . I remember John Lennon and his fatuous statement that Christianity would "vanish and shrink." (Funny order pf things.). Still here though. Probably will always be.
Buon Natale a tutti. !!!
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