Honolulu City Lights

Each year during the holidays, residents and visitors come in droves to see the Honolulu City Lights. It's a time when the city decorates inside and out of Honolulu Hale with Christmas decorations.

Outside the doors of Honolulu Hale stands a large lighted Christmas tree. There are also some decorations with a Hawai'i flavor, such as the over-sized barefooted Santa and Mrs Claus and the very large ukulele.

Inside Honolulu Hale there is a large red carpet with a number of potted poinsettia plants along the path. There are also several Christmas trees that have been decorated by city employees. Some of these trees have a theme connected with a specific branch of the city, such as the tree decorated this year by the firemen that has ornaments which include a yellow fire-hose and helmets and an ax.

One of my favorite sites of Honolulu City Lights is the long hallway that has both walls filled with all the wreaths that were submitted for the wreath competition. Anyone can enter the wreath competition, and there are always some beautiful and unusual creations.

After looking at all the decorated trees and collection of wreaths, I walked out the side door to see some of the displays outside on the lawn. The first display that I came to confused me for a moment. To say that it wasn't a traditional Christmas display would be an understatement. The display stands over six feet in height and it's made to look like a white wedding cake. On top of the cake stands the bride and groom, a Barbie and Ken doll.

Alongside the display is a sign with a disclaimer. Right away I realize this is not good. My general rule is that if a Christmas display requires a disclaimer, then it's probably not a good idea to have such a display. This display and disclaimer was from the Alliance For Traditional Marriage And Values; "...having the courage to stand up for Hawaii's families and children."

It is my understanding that the display is privately funded and no funds from the City were used for the display. It is also not a part of the Honolulu City Lights program. Surely being adjacent to Honolulu Hale, thousands of people will visit the display thinking that it is a part of the decorations.

The display left a bad taste in my mouth. The issue of gay marriage can and should be debated and discussed, but such a display alongside the Honolulu City Lights is not only inappropriate, but it's in extremely bad taste. There is a time and place for such things, and families shouldn't be subjected to it while enjoying the Christmas decorations. Such a politicized display has nothing to do with the spirit of Christmas, nor with the Aloha Spirit.

Comments

Hear, hear.

You should send that to the editorial departments of the newspapers. Your opinion is spot-on with me.

Maybe we should require large-lettered signs saying "Advertisement" be conspicuously pasted on each side of such a display?

Blaine

You know, it annoys the hell out of me, but those locations are given out by lottery. Some years, I imagine there are only shiny, happy, all-Christian Christmas displays. Most years, there's a few decidedly non-Christian displays, and sometimes, an overtly anti-religious (atheistic) display.

More to the point, there's often a gay-pride themed display, replete with rainbow flag and strong political messages. As a commie pinko liberal, I love it. I am certain, however, that that particular display rubs social conservatives the wrong way.

Presumably, if the PFLAG group can use that space as a political soapbox, a "traditional marriage" group can do the same.

I'd much rather politics be kept out of Honolulu City Lights, but that First Amendment is a funny thing. Free speech includes all speech, and this year, a different group is getting its chance to speak out.

I guess my opinion would be this...when I read the opinion of Kane..."There is a time and place for such things, and families shouldn't be subjected to it while enjoying the Christmas decorations...", I agree that the Honolulu Hale gig is not the time and place for any political statements, however our country may just need to be subjected to the values of traditional marriage. Could it hurt?

I understand we are all entitled to our opinion and I have greatly enjoyed many things you have written Kane, to the point of frankly admiring you for both your wit and attitude, however on this topic I must make a stand. Subjecting families to anything but traditional marriage would be what leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I do however agree that there is a time and place for either stance and the decorations at Honolulu Hale isn't it. Christmas decorations should not be the arena for any political statements.

Christmas, to me, is about the birth of Christ. However, as a Christian I respect the fact that not everyone will agree with me.

Anyway, aloha and thank you for your contribution to this forum...it keeps me home in Hawaii when I'm actually out here in Texas...Aloha bra!

Jeff

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