By Dee DeQuattro, WPRO News
It’s still a holiday tree. Returning to his office Tuesday after a trade mission to France, Governor Lincoln Chafee said he is not backing down from calling the State House spruce a holiday tree, despite protests last year.
“Well, last year I said to the staff, "what did the previous governor do, whatever the previous governor did let’s do that", and that’s what I did last year," Chafee told reporters.
"Somehow that erupted into controversy and so the same is true this year. The tradition has been in recent years to call it a holiday tree I'm continuing that tradition,” said Chafee.
Originally, the governor’s spokeswoman Christine Hunsinger said that after the protest last year over whether to call the tree a ‘holiday’ tree or ‘Christmas’ tree, Chafee would not be hosting a tree lighting ceremony.
The office has now rescinded the statement saying that there will be a tree lighting ceremony. Chafee reiterated his opinion that calling the tree a “holiday tree” is inclusive to everyone and in line with the state’s tradition of religious tolerance.
"We do have to be careful," Chafee said. "I do remember having to say the Lord's Prayer in elementary school. So, things have changed over time, and the receptivity to different religions, in a public building, this is a public building."
"Now, some say I'm overreacting. But the previous governor (Don Carcieri) did the same thing. I didn't start the holiday tree, the previous governor did, I think going back to Governor (Lincoln) Almond, actually".
Asked about the initial report from his office while he was out of the country that there would be no tree lighting ceremony, Chafee said, "I don't think we had focused enough on that decision. I was in France, taking care of business, looking after a Rhode Island company, 350 jobs, so we really hadn't made a focused decision at that time."
Video by Steve Klamkin
