On Jan 01, there is an Islamic Religious Holiday – Eid al Adha. Should we put up symbols for the small minority of Muslims in this country? For the small minority of Jordanians in this country, should we put up symbols for Tree Day, which fall on MKL, Jr. day in Jan? Greece, Luxembourg, Uruguay, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Hong Kong, Canada, and Korea all have special days on the same day as Presidents Day. Should we put up symbols for those groups? Greece, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Iceland, Norway, Hungary, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, France, and Sweden all have special days on the same day as Memorial Day. Should we put up symbols for those groups? Canada has a Labour Day the same day as ours. Should we recognize their Labour Day? Peru, Japan, Croatia, and Canada have a special day on the same day as Columbus Day. Should we put up their symbols? Lebanon has an Independence Day the same day as Thanksgiving. For the small minority of Lebanese people in the U.S., should we recognize their symbols during this day? For Veteran’s Day, should we recognize the special days for France, Belgium, Poland, and Canada? Next year, Hanukkah begins on Dec 12. From the 12th to the 25th, should we put up symbols for Russia, Mexico, South Africa, Bahrain, Turkey, Japan, and Egypt; all who have special days during that period? All this in the spirit of diversity and getting along and recognizing other minority groups.
We shouldn't put up symbols for anybody. But if a group wants to use a public space for a few days to put up a symbol of their religion, we shouldn't dismiss it without reason.
If allowing displays leads to too many requests, then we can deal with the issue on that basis. But we aren't there now, right now we are just suffering from an intolerance to religion in general.
In this case, an airport that allowed "Holiday Trees", pretending them to be secular, but would not consider allowing people to set up any symbols of their own traditions if those symbols had religious meaning.
I can't be convinced by people who are intolerant of images of other religions, and I can't give in for those who are "offended" when they see signs of other people having religious beliefs different than theirs, no matter how wrong those beliefs are.
Why is a cross considered "offensive"? What is offensive about a manger scene, it's a family and some animals, and maybe a few rich guys in robes. Who is so insecure as to be offended by it?
Who is offended by a big candelabra? What an offensive message, the oil lasted 8 days, we have to shut our ears and humm loudly to keep the images away?
And if you could think of a positive symbol of another religion, what would be offensive about displaying that symbol in a public place?
I don't want my tax dollars funding any of these things. But so long as my tax dollars are already paying for all this "public land" where people have to go to do normal business (like airports), I would be quite pleased if ALL religions had the option from time to time of putting up small displays of their heritage.