A "Silent Night" as Carolers Told to Stop Singing at Skating Show

From Associated Press:

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A high school choir was asked to stop singing Christmas carols during an ice skating show featuring Olympic medalist Sasha Cohen out of concern the skater would be offended because she's Jewish.

A city staff member, accompanied by a police officer, approached the Rubidoux High School Madrigals at the Riverside Outdoor Ice Skating Rink just as they launched into "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" and requested that the troupe stop singing, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported Thursday.

Cohen, the 2006 Olympic silver medalist and 2006 U.S. National Champion, had just finished her performance at the rink on the downtown pedestrian mall, and was signing autographs.

Choir director Staci Della-Rocco said she complied with the request "because a policeman told me to stop. I didn't want to have a big old huge scene in front of my kids," according to the newspaper.

The city staff member, special-events employee Michelle Baldwin, could not be reached for comment. City Development Director Belinda J. Graham confirmed the incident.

"This request was simply made by a staff member who was attempting to be sensitive to the celebrity guest, without considering the wider implications ... or consulting with her supervisor for guidance," Graham said in an e-mail to the newspaper.

Mayor Ron Loveridge called the incident "unfortunate."

"You kind of wish people do a little checking first. You certainly have my apology," he said, referring to the choir members.

A spokeswoman with the New York-based PR firm that helped promote the event said Cohen did not make the request to silence the singers.

My Comments:
PC nonsense. Let's offend an entire choir of high school kids so as not to take the chance that one celebrity MIGHT be offended.


UPDATE (15 December)
Here's the Catholic League's take on the story:

December 14, 2006

ANTI-CHRISTMAS FEVER ABOUNDS

Catholic League president Bill Donohue released these remarks today on the latest round of anti-Christmas incidents:

“Like most Jews, Olympic skater Sasha Cohen is not offended by Christmas carols. But that didn’t stop a government employee from trying to protect her. While Cohen was skating at a rink in Riverside, California, a high-school choir started singing ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman,’ immediately sending Michelle Baldwin into orbit. She summoned a cop and got him to institute a gag rule: he ordered the choir to stop singing. Baldwin maintained that because Cohen was Jewish, she would be upset by the carol. But she never bothered to ask the skater if she objected. As it turns out, Cohen couldn’t have cared less. As usual, those who say we must be careful not to offend non-Christians at Christmastime are the ones who object to Christmas—not those whom they falsely claim to represent.

“Like Baldwin, Sandra Byrne, principal of an elementary school in Delray Beach, Florida, has a need to show how inclusive she is. That’s why she has no Christmas tree, nativity scene or menorah in her office. Instead, her spot is adorned with teddy bears wearing sweaters. Moreover, only ‘winter parties’ and ‘winter celebrations’ are tolerated. ‘We’re very careful about this,’ she says. No doubt she is.

“Here’s another example of anti-Christmas fever. In a Detroit suburban school district, they’ve instituted a quota system on religious songs that can be sung at school concerts. That’s right, only 30 percent of the songs at Howell Public Schools can be religious. It’s not certain whether the choir director will be fined or imprisoned if a multicultural monitor finds that 31 percent of the songs are religious. We recommend incarceration.

“After Pope John Paul II visited Cuba in 1998, Castro made a good-faith gesture by allowing Cubans to celebrate Christmas again. Maybe we should hire Fidel to talk to these madmen.”

Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Seattle Airport Christmas Debacle

Naughty or Nice

Breakfast With Santa Banned

Christians See "War on Christmas" Momentum Shift

Catholic League Announces "2006 Christmas Watch"

"Nativity" Ban Called "Most Blatant" Form of "Religious Discrimination"

Christmas Banned From Christmas Festival

Marines Would Rather Needy Children Go Without This Christmas Than Receive a Jesus Doll

Best Buy Bans Use of "Merry Christmas"

Wal-Mart: We're Not Afraid to Say Merry Christmas

Court Okays Anti-Christian Discrimination - Allows Jewish and Muslim Symbols, but Not Christian Ones, in Public Schools

University Administrator Declares Christmas "Forbidden"

Massachusetts School District Cracks Down on Christmas

Merry You-Know-What

"Silent Night" Secularized (Wisconsin Elementary School Changes Lyrics)

"Merry Christmas" School Lunch Menus Recalled

I Celebrate Christmas

Jewish Groups: Okay to Say "Merry Christmas"

Catholic League: Wal-Mart Joins Neo-Puritan Left In Banning Baby Jesus' Birthday

Operation Nativity