Wisconsin’s ‘holiday tree’ Is Also Under Fire
Wisconsin’s National Bible Week controversy isn’t the only church-state issue sparking debate this time of year. Last week, Governor Tony Evers—a Democrat—renamed the two-story evergreen in the Capitol rotunda the “holiday tree.” (Under the previous governor, Republican Scott Walker, it was called a “Christmas tree.”)
Gov. Evers, a former science teacher, chose the theme “Celebrate Science” for this year’s holiday tree in Wisconsin. He has asked students throughout the state to send in science-related ornaments to hang on the tree’s branches.
FFRF co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor praises the “holiday tree” renaming as “a sign of good will to all, which they always say Christmas should be about.” Meanwhile, Scott Fitzgerald, Wisconsin’s Senate Majority Leader, tweets that the governor’s move is “PC garbage.”
Appling of Wisconsin Family Action says Gov. Evers’ decision isn’t surprising, and she respects it. But, she adds, “The truth is Governor Walker called it what it is. It’s a Christmas tree, and that’s the historic tradition in this country.”
According to a 2017 Pew Research survey, about 90 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas, yet less than half (46 percent) do so more as a religious holiday than a cultural holiday. Generational differences are evident in the results, with Millennials saying they’re more likely to celebrate Christmas as a cultural holiday, not a religious one.
Polls repeatedly show that a majority of Americans favor the seasonal greeting “Merry Christmas” to the more secular “Happy Holidays.”
The so-called “War on Christmas” is a predictable headline-grabber at this time of year. For its annual Christmas cup, Starbucks is using a “Merry Coffee” message in 2019.
