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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Holiday displays for all

A Nativity Scene erected by Hunter Abell of Bothell, Wash., sits on the Washington State Capitol Campus about a half block from a sign put up by atheists. Both are scheduled to be up through Christmas. (Jim Camden)
A Nativity Scene erected by Hunter Abell of Bothell, Wash., sits on the Washington State Capitol Campus about a half block from a sign put up by atheists. Both are scheduled to be up through Christmas. (Jim Camden)

A Nativity Scene erected by Hunter Abell of Bothell, Wash., sits on the Washington State Capitol Campus about a half block from a sign put up by atheists. Both are scheduled to be up through Christmas.

OLYMPIA – Washington state officials granted permits for three groups to put up holiday displays this year – two religious, one atheist – at or near the Capitol Campus, and all are set up apart from each other.

The Chabad Jewish Discovery Center received a permit to place its nine-foot-tall lighted menorah at Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia. The group held a community menorah lighting event Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, a permit for a nativity set similar to what was placed there last year was granted to Hunter M. Abell of Bothell and Ron Wesselius of Thurston County.

The depiction of the birth of Jesus goes on the west campus lawn near the Winged Victory statue.

A couple hundred feet away from the Christian scene is an atheists’ exhibit. Its permit was issued to the Freedom from Religion Foundation based in Madison, Wis., which has put up a placard near Tivoli Fountain and Capitol Way on the west campus lawn.

The message on the placard declares the season of the winter solstice and asks: “Let Reason Prevail.” It goes on to say there are “no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell.”

Everybody happy, now?



Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.