CA: Burlingame pays $1,600 to obscure Star of David shape on playground

ap on Monterey Herald ^ | 9/26/05 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

BURLINGAME, Calif. - The city of Burlingame has paid $1,600 to obscure a design at the newly opened Pershing Park playground that a resident felt resembled the Star of David.

The park was closed on Thursday of last week while a contractor filled in a pattern in the playground's surface that consisted of six yellow stars laid out in the shape of the Star of David. Residents had complained it was disrespectful for children to step on the design.

The pattern was changed to an arch shape that more closely resembles a sun.

The original contractor made a mistake in fashioning the design to look like a star, said Randy Schwartz, director of parks and recreation. The design was supposed to resemble the pattern in the playground's climbing net.

"Our intent was not to disrespect any religion or any religious organizations," Schwartz said.

[My2Cents]

The park was closed on Thursday of last week while a contractor filled in a pattern in the playground's surface that consisted of six yellow stars laid out in the shape of the Star of David.

Geez, they treated it like it was some kind of hazardous materials spill. A pox upon the City of Burlingame.

[goldstategop]

Apparently Judeo-Christian symbols offend secularists. Quick, let's erase them all!

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[ClearCase_guy]

The pattern was changed to an arch shape that more closely resembles a sun.

Get the lawyers ready. This place is intentionally trying to piss off the sun worshippers!!!

[familyop]

"Residents had complained it was disrespectful for children to step on the design.

The pattern was changed to an arch shape that more closely resembles a sun."

...from sensitivity back to sun worship. Isn't that special.

[Terabitten]

A pox upon the City of Burlingame.

I don't understand - a pox on them because they didn't want to be disrespectful of Judaism?

[Joe 6-pack]

If their motivation was to prevent children from trampling on what may be perceived as a religious symbol, I agree; I would have the same feeling if someone had misguidedly painted a US flag on the asphalt out of patriotism.

[SolarisRocks]

It may have been a Jewish person who complained.

http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=3900201&nav=5D7l

" A resident had complained it was disrespectful for children to step on the design."

[hlmencken3]

I say BS. Probably some Muslim or Muslim-sensitive weenie complained about Zionist symbolism.

[My2Cents]

Then that is a good point, and I may have misread the article. A pox on me.

[A message]

More tax dollars just thrown away.

Is this the use of our tax money that Hillary implied when she screeched that we have to raise taxes for the common good.

A pox on them all.

[Joe 6-pack]

No need for pox on anybody, lol.

Pax et bonum...

[A message]

and a pox on me too after some of the excellent other replies.

[Fabozz]

"CA: Burlingame pays $1,600 to obscure Star of David shape on playground"

I wonder what the obscure Star of David shape is going to do with the money.

[fizziwig]

"Then that is a good point, and I may have misread the article. A pox on me."

What is this, Apoxolypse Now?

[thoughtomator]

That person is an idiot. The Star of David is not a holy symbol, it's a Hebrew tribal symbol.

[Ingtar]

Either the contractor or the architect that came up with the design should have had to pay to correct the mistake. Since the city paid, I can only assume that the flawed design was the city's fault.

[NormsRevenge]

California is a
No Fault State. :)

[NormsRevenge]

well, in some ways, anyway.

[mtbopfuyn]

Add circles, squares, and triangles and let the whinies holler at the city for teaching children to recognize shapes.