Community Corner

Holiday/Christmas Tree, Round 2

Gov. Chafee's office backtracks from an announcement Monday that there would be no official tree-lighting ceremony this year.

 

There will be a tree-lighting ceremony this year after all. Gov. Lincoln Chafee's top press aide said Tuesday she spoke in error Monday when she said there would be no tree lighting ceremony. 

"There will be an official tree lighting ceremony at the State House with the Governor in attendance," said Christine Hunsinger in an email statement. No date has been set.

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Now, the question is, will protesters turn up again as they did last year, when Gov. Lincoln Chafee referred to the large evergreen in the middle of the State House rotonda as a holiday tree instead of a Christmas tree. The tree was erected Monday.

Last December, Chafee was lambasted by GOP lawmakers, some talk show hosts, and the Roman Catholic Bishop Tobin for his decision to use the term holiday tree.

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As pointed out in a story by the Providence Journal Tuesday, former Gov. Donald Carcieri also did not use the term Christmas tree in 2009. They quote from Carcieri's invitation to the lighting ceremony that year: "The Annual Holiday Tree Lighting."

Does it matter what the tree at the State House is called? Let us know in the comments section.


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