By Rep. Kevin Petersen, 40th Assembly District
A beautiful 30-foot tree adorns the Wisconsin State Capitol rotunda. It looks like a Christmas tree, smells like a Christmas tree, and is decorated like a Christmas tree. But wait! At the Wisconsin State Capitol, it’s simply labeled the State Capitol Holiday Tree. Excuse me, but what holiday does it symbolize? Independence Day? Valentine’s Day? Thanksgiving? Perhaps St. Patrick’s Day or the winter’s solstice? Of course not. For hundreds of years, a tree decorated in December representing Christmas is a “Christmas Tree.”
Since 1985, the tree placed in the rotunda of the Capitol each December has been referred to as a “Holiday Tree.” In 2009 then Gov. Jim Doyle renamed the “Holiday Tree” into the even more generic “Capitol Tree.” Supposedly this politically correct title was meant to avoid offending anyone with the word “Christmas.”
From 2011-18 under Gov. Scott Walker, the tree adorning the Wisconsin State Capitol’s rotunda was called what it is – “the Capitol Christmas Tree.” And so the tree remained named until Governor Evers decided to label it a “Holiday Tree.”
In a November 2019 interview with Milwaukee WTMJ reporter Charles Benson, the governor said; “It’s a holiday season for a whole bunch of people in the state of Wisconsin, even those that aren’t part of the Christian faith. I think it’s a more inclusive thing,” said Evers. “I know a lot of people love to have that debate, and I think it’s a good debate to have.”
If that is so, what about other religions’ symbols representing their holidays? Should the Menorah be labeled the Holiday Candelabra? Or the Fanous – the lantern representing Ramadan – be called the Holiday Lantern?
Rather, liberal progressives focus only on attacking Christianity in their quest for “inclusiveness.” It’s highly probable that the term “Holiday tree,” offends a large majority of people, compared to the few who would oppose the title “Christmas tree.”
With more than 8 out of 10 people (or 88%) of Americans celebrating Christmas this year (November 2023 Statista), nearly 60% of them prefer “Merry Christmas” over “Happy Holidays” (Marist – November 2017).
By displaying a “Christmas Tree” in the Capitol rotunda the state is not promoting a particular religion. Besides the Christmas tree and a nativity scene, different religions or beliefs and their symbols are exhibited or invited to exhibit this month on the Capitol’s first floor rotunda.
Always prominent is the Menorah, representing the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. The fake celebration of Festivus initiated in a Jerry Seinfeld show displays a “festivus” pole and plaque. Even the group against any sort of religion – the Freedom from Religion Foundation – has a cut-out and plaque stating their secular beliefs. Previous years, other world religions, such as Sikhs, Islam, and Hindus chose to set up a display.
The name, “Wisconsin State Christmas Tree,” is consistent with the United States Supreme Court’s position that government can sponsor displays of religious heritage (Lynch, 465 U.S. at 677). The celebration of Christmas, which has included the traditional Christmas tree for several hundred years, is definitely a part of our heritage.
An overwhelming majority of Wisconsin’s citizens will be celebrating Christmas this December, and many of them will be visiting our beautiful state Capitol. They are not celebrating “Holiday”; they are celebrating “Christmas.”