Letter to the Editor: 'It Has Become the Tradition to Not Use the Word Christmas'

Dear Editor:

I was among many who attended the Cupertino City Council meeting on Nov. 15, 2011 and spoke in support of adding the word "Christmas" to the event currently called the "" and soon to be called simply “Tree Lighting”. It has become the tradition to not use the word "Christmas". Like the villain in a recent popular movie series it has come to be known as  “the holiday, which shall not be named”.

Having been raised in northern California it is not acceptable in my culture to discriminate against other ethnicities and faiths. In fact, Christians are admonished to welcome the stranger and be kind to the foreigner.

In doing so however, it is not our intention to become unwelcome ourselves. The most disturbing aspect of the debate over calling the Cupertino event  “Community Christmas Tree lighting”, was the implication that it would be disappointing to members of other faiths, or as one council member put it,  a slap in the face to those faith communities to include the word Christmas.

The council offered no actual persons, no letters and no documented surveys, but apparently casual conversations with members of these communities.

I encourage members of other faiths to correct the Council’s perception. If some find it objectionable to call this event “Community Christmas Tree Lighting”, or to have this event at all, their voices should be heard directly, and not anonymously alluded to by council members and the director of parks and recreation.

This is unfair to members of those faiths. Faced only with community support for the name change, and with hand wringing concern over alleged dissent, the council bravely chose to slap the face of those present over those who were not.

Director of Parks and Recreation Mark Linder suggested that including the word "Christmas" would not be community building. I agree that community building is important.

There are 30 churches in Cupertino. At St. Joseph of Cupertino the week before Thanksgiving, 175 families were given food baskets, and I am sure other churches had similar efforts. Cupertino churches have supported and provided space for the rotating shelter and are working to re-open it after West Valley Community Services ran out of money to keep it going. The churches are participating in Habitat for Humanity's Cleo Way project, including the recent walk-a-thon.

That's Community building.

Community building should not happen at the expense of any part of the community. The Christmas tree is something dear to our hearts. As every council member admitted, it is a Christmas tree, not a community tree, or even a holiday tree.

My suggestion for further community building is that Hindus invite Muslims to a Diwali celebration, and Muslims invite Christians to a Ramadan feast, or Jews invite Hindus to a Hanukkah party etc... I hope that many people of other faiths will come to enjoy the lighting of the beautiful Christmas tree that the city of Cupertino lights in December. It is fitting that the city of Cupertino recognize its heritage, and the large segment of its community that celebrates Christmas.

—Dan Morris, Director of Liturgy and Music, St. Joseph's of Cupertino Church