Spirit of the Age

From Newsday, via Lost Budgie, by way of relapsed catholic, comes this story:

When the Rev. Nick Zientarski invoked the name of Jesus Christ during his traditional blessing of the official Christmas tree lighting in Manhasset last week, he had no idea he had signed on as a soldier in the culture wars over Christmas.

Even as he spoke, the Roman Catholic priest said he could hear North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman angrily objecting behind him, "this is inappropriate." Then, Kaiman got up and told the crowd, "I just want to make it clear that this is in no way a religious ceremony."

A collective gasp came from the 200 adults and children gathered around the gazebo across from Town Hall. Nothing has been the same since in this well-heeled community that counts at least a dozen houses of worship in about 2 square miles.

[SNIP]

"The reaction is beyond anything I could have imagined," Zientarski said yesterday. "Between yesterday and today, I've gotten 150 to 200 e-mails personally to me, all of it expressing support. And it's not just Catholics. I've heard from Jews, Greeks, people from other Christian denominations."

The reaction also has stunned and humbled Kaiman. "I overreacted and handled the situation poorly," he acknowledged in an interview yesterday. Kaiman said he had arrived at the park expecting a more nonsectarian holiday event because it is sponsored by the Manhasset Park District, the town and the local Chamber of Commerce.

"I'm getting an education on this myself as I speak to a number of people in the community, and realize there really is a concern that the holiday is being diminished because people such as myself who gloss over the specific purpose of the holiday," he said.

Kaiman, who is Jewish, said that his reaction to the blessing had nothing to do with his own faith, but related to his concern the town might be perceived as sponsoring a sectarian religious event. He said he has apologized to the priest as well as to St. Mary's pastor.

Supervisor Kaiman, of course, is no zealot or Christian-basher, and he comes across as being as regular a guy as a politician is likely to be. What struck us was his instinctive and almost violent reaction: "OMIGOD he used the J-word! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" One almost has the image of his leaping across the platform and tackling Father Zientarski (something he obviously didn't actually do) before more harm could be done.

While the article itself is oddly unclear as to precisely the nature of the blessing, one can infer that is was likely no more than the traditional "in Jesus name." This provoked the Supervisor's energetic reaction, described by the reporter as "angry." What about this made the Supervisor "angry?"

Fear, it seems to us. Fear that he and the municipality would be criticized for sponsoring "a sectarian religious event." Fear that his constituents would themselves react angrily at a simple prayer. Fear that he and the town would be set upon by the ACLU, the New York Times, and other Bishops of the Fundamentalist Church of Secular Orthodoxy, intent on preserving public virginity, free of the stain of religion in general, but Christianity in particular.

Supervisor Kaiman is now busily backpedaling and apologizing in the time-honored tradition of the ordinary, modern belief-free politician. Since he himself doesn't believe anything in particular, there's no harm in apologizing, backing and filling when called to task. Clearly it never entered his head that, if set upon by the ACLU, et al., he could respond simply:

Every year at this time our town dedicates a Christmas tree to mark the Christian holiday of Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus. The tree is blessed each year by a Christian religious leader, one year a Catholic, next year a Baptist, and so on. The blessing said this year was standard, ordinary and traditional. We have similar events to mark Hanukkah, Kwanza, and other holidays celebrated by the people of Manhasset.

If the ACLU doesn't like it, they can sue us, and we'll probably have to discontinue the practice or be subject to endless and expensive litigation. But that would be a shame.

But it never occurred to him. Instead, he reacted as if the speaker had uttered some rude and insulting epithet. How tolerant, inclusive and multi-culturally correct of him. Bravo!