The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal’s “Best of the Web” at WSJ written by the editor, James Taranto.
If It’s a Cane in Maine, You Must Abstain
“An email from a University of Maine supervisor, directing employees to refrain from displaying Christmas or other religious-themed decorations on campus, has sparked outrage on the campus and in the community,” reports the Bangor Daily News. The university has disavowed the missive, which came from the delightfully named Daniel Stirrup, executive director of auxiliary services:
Just wanted to remind everyone that Auxiliary Services is not to decorate any public areas with Christmas or any other religious themed decorations. Winter holiday decorations are fine but we need to not display any decoration that could be perceived as religious.
This includes xmas trees, wreaths, xmas presents, candy canes, etc.
What is allowed are winter themes, plain trees without presents underneath, decorative lights, but not on trees, snow flakes, etc.
If you are unsure, best to not use or ask me for clarification.
The paper adds that a university vice president said Stirrup won’t be disciplined and described him as “ ‘a really solid manager’ who was trying to provide guidance to his management team, and took a ‘very conservative stance out of an abundance of caution.’ ”
We guess that’s “conservative” in the old Soviet sense.
Everything Seemingly Is Spinning Out of Control
“Duchess Kate Wears Same Dress for Third Time”—video title, features.aol.com, Dec. 10
News of the Tautological
“People’s Climate Summit Finds Culprit in Capitalism”—headline, The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 12
For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.”
