Press Release Town of Kensington Maryland

Town of Kensington Maryland ^ | 11/29/01 | Town of Kensington

[UB355]

PRESS RELEASE IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 29, 2001

Not even Dr. Suess could have attracted this much attention to our annual Tree Lighting in Kensington, but we feel all the attention is missing a key point: this year is different than most years. The events of September 11 require a different kind of ceremony.

We want to be responsive to all those who need to come together for a moment of unity and family togetherness this holiday season. That's why in October, at our Town Council meeting, we made changes to our program to accommodate our response to the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

We now suspect that Santa Claus(es) will show up one way or another. Santa is always welcome and we sure won't send him to the hills above Whoville, even if he doesn't have a formal invitation from the Town of Kensington.

One way or another, we will have a ceremony that celebrates our local heros from the firefighters, police, postal workers and military. We will show that the Town of Kensington knows how to come together and knows not to take itself too terribly seriously. Most of all, we will have some fun with our kids which is what this event is all about in the first place.

  BACKGROUND INFORMATION

  Kensington, Maryland - Like many other communities around the nation, the Kensington Town tree will be lit up in red, white and blue this holiday season. On Sunday, December 2nd, the community will celebrate the American spirit and will honor the first responders to the tragedies of September 11th and its own fire fighters, police officers, mail carriers and military with lights and music.

In a flyer mailed to all Town residents earlier this month, the modified annual tree lighting ceremony was announced as an opportunity to come together as "we aspire for peace and unity throughout the world." "This year, more than ever," the Mayor said, "we need to come together as Americans and celebrate our freedoms and the men and women who have risked their lives to ensure our freedoms."

The festivities will begin at 4:00 p.m. with music performed by students from the Levine School of Music who will be on hand to perform some of the songs that bind us together as Americans. Community members will enjoy hot chocolate and cookies during the performance. Children have been asked to bring decorations of peace to be placed on a Banner of Peace. The Banner will be displayed in Town Hall throughout the holiday season.

The ceremony will be capped by the traditional lighting of the tree. This year the community has decided that instead of Santa at the switch, the Mayor will be joined by a local firefighter, police officer and U.S. Postal Service mail carrier. The tree will be lit in red, white and blue lights.

During the ceremony, charitable donations will be collected for Crossways Community, a residential/day care facility in Kensington for underprivileged children. Residents have been asked to bring diapers, baby wipes or formula which will be delivered to the Crossways Community nursery.

[bribriagain]

I guess this is as PC as you can get.

[moyden]

Now they claim that they are simply replacing Santa with firemen to "pull the switch".

Lying, fascist, thugs. Goebbels couldn't have done it better ...

[EggsAckley]

SPIN CITY!!

[11th Earl of Mar]

If I lived close by I would show up as a chain smoking Santa.

[James Lewis]

One needs to understand the demographics of the Maryland suburbs around DC. The area is now populated primarily be the product of government social engineering. Twenty years of affirmative action (sometimes cloaked as diversity) has produced a population of hard core liberal government employees. They dominate the area.

Now what should bother the citizens of this country REAL BAD is that these are the people that are in control of day to day government decision making. They are also in the position to control information and to make statements like this. This country is in for trouble.

[billhilly]

"we need to come together......".......This tired old left wing slogan has been driving people apart for thirty years, not bringing them together. When these people say we need to come together, what they really mean is, see things my way, you idiots.

[Rudder]

We want to be responsive to all those who need to come together for a moment of unity and family togetherness this holiday season. That's why in October, at our Town Council meeting, we made changes to our program to accommodate our response to the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

Makes no sense whatsoever. Are they afraid that Santa Claus is a terrorist and that's why they banned him for appearing?

Instead of unity (their goal) they created angry divisiveness.

What a bunch of idiots!

[Siouxz]

Children have been asked to bring decorations of peace to be placed on a Banner of Peace.

PEACE???? WE ARE AT WAR, PEOPLE. Those wacky Islamic fundamentalists want to KILL the aforementioned children.

This Barney-PC-liberal-can't we all just get along crap is truly p*ssing me off!

[OBAFGKM]

"Now they claim that they are simply replacing Santa with firemen to "pull the switch".

Lying, fascist, thugs. Goebbels couldn't have done it better ..."

Why then did the town council pass the resolution with the explicit language, "for this year only"?

[WI Fire]

The city/town council realized that if an "official" Santa wasn't going to be allowed, private citizens would fill in with their own Santa costumes. How could they keep them out? How would it look to have the police, who are on the stage as heros, also arresting Santa Claus(es)?

They put a nice spin on it, didn't they?

[John Jorsett]

." "This year, more than ever," the Mayor said, "we need to come together as Americans and celebrate our freedoms and the men and women who have risked their lives to ensure our freedoms."

Yes, dissing Santa is really a way to get people together to celebrate our freedoms. Way to go, Madam Mayor. I look forward to Spring when the town council can celebrate our freedoms by shooting the Easter bunny.

[stop_fascism]

Aren't they concerned that they might offend some terrorists by their insensitive show of patriotism?

[Hans Moleman]

Santa is always welcome and we sure won't send him to the hills above Whoville

Are they saying that Santa is the Grinch?

[colorado tanker]

I hope everyone in that town shows up at the ceremony wearing a Santa Claus suit!

[Gabz]

What a load of bunk - why is it the Town doesn't want to name the names of the "2 families" who said they would be uncomfortable with Santa

I have a very hard time with the changing of the stories here.

[bribriagain]

re post #7: You've nailed it, my friend.

[Mr. D]

Originally, their reason not to have Santa at the event was that someone in the village objected to his presence! What a bunch of bs. I hope all Freepers continue to put the pressure on the Peoples Republic of Kennsington!

[Diddle E. Squat]

Excellent idea, FREEP KENSINGTON IN SANTA SUITS THAT NIGHT! What a great way to get media attention and blast some of the idiotic Dem policies, mantras and myths on the rare occassion where we have the media outlet. An excellent way to illustrate to the clueless on-the-fence moderates how PC does trickle-down and affect their lives, how far-reaching it is.

[SAMWolf]

Too late to stop from looking stupid. CYA won't work now.