Storey said she made the decision because she did not want to be a part of a city council that excluded other religions.
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Storey, who grew up Catholic but now considers herself a “non-believer”, said the four people who voted to change the name are Christians active in their churches.
In Union County, Roselle Park Councilwoman-At-Large Charlene Storey officially submitted her resignation Saturday after her fellow council members held a vote to change the name of the event from “Annual Holiday Tree Lighting” to “Annual Christmas Tree Lighting”, according to the Roselle Park News.
Minutes after the Roselle Park council approved the change Thursday night, Charlene Storey walked out of the meeting.
Hokanson said, “I am deeply sorry for the council president’s decision to resign, and I did not intend to insult or question anyone’s religious beliefs with the name change for our annual event”. Her resignation takes effect January 7.
Information from: NJ Advance Media. Last month, Starbucks put out a plain, red cup for the holiday season, and discontinued the usual seasonal artwork on its cups, which in previous years included a reindeer and tree ornaments.
‘I don’t mean to offend anybody in any way, shape or form, but it is a Christmas tree, ‘ Hokanson said.
“She is a very good councilwoman who is very good at what she does for the borough”, Hokanson said. The event had been called a holiday tree lighting since the 1990s, and Storey objected on the grounds that the change amounted to an endorsement of a specific religion.
Hue/amanaimagesRF/Getty Images/amana images RF The city’s “Annual Holiday Tree Lighting” ceremony will now be called the ‘Annual Christmas Tree Lighting’.
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Storey did not immediately return requests for a comment.
