Ontario Court Justice Marion Cohen’s decision to remove the Christmas tree from the front of the courthouse was absolutely correct, although her reasoning–that it might offend non- Christians–was wrong (McGuinty says Christmas tree ban ‘Unfortunate’–online edition, Dec. 14).
Like it or not, Christmas trees are religious symbols, and in a free, democratic, secular society courthouses are the last places such symbols should be displayed.
Celebrating Diwali or Hanukkah or Eid or Christmas in public is one thing. Celebrating a religious holiday in a courthouse is quite another.