Staff Reports
Portland’s long-running tree-lighting at Pioneer Courthouse Square took a political detour this year, and the footage that surfaced online left hardworking families rightly furious. What was promoted simply as the city’s 41st annual tree-lighting avoided the word Christmas and turned a civic holiday moment into a platform for activism, a choice that shows how out of touch city events have become.
A speaker draped in a Palestinian flag took the microphone and led portions of the crowd in chants of “Free, free Palestine,” then performed an intertribal “Strong Woman Song” with children on stage — a move that transformed a family celebration into a political rally for a foreign conflict. That same stage also featured words about “genocide” and visible political symbolism that many parents felt had no place at a holiday lighting meant to bring neighbors together.
Meanwhile, Santa Claus still posed for photos and carols were sung, but organizers repeatedly referred to the centerpiece only as “the tree” and promoted the night as a generic “tree lighting,” erasing the word Christmas from the program and the marketing. As thousands gathered, viewers at home and people who attended saw a disconnect between the traditional trappings of the season and the left-wing messaging onstage, prompting predictable outrage across social platforms.
Mayor Keith Wilson eventually joined officials to flip the switch on the 75-foot display and the lights came on without physical incident, but the reputational damage was done — a city ritual turned into a signal of cultural surrender to performative politics. Citizens deserve officials who protect family traditions and keep civic celebrations free from partisan campaigning and overseas advocacy.
This wasn’t an isolated misstep; it’s the logical end of years of city leaders allowing “woke” priorities to trump common-sense community standards. When municipal events become stages for political statements, conservative taxpayers who fund these gatherings have every right to demand neutral, family-focused programming that doesn’t alienate or lecture the very people who support the community.
If Portland wants to heal and actually serve its residents, it should return to straightforward celebrations that honor the season and respect diverse families without turning public property into a soapbox. City officials must adopt clear rules about political speech at city-sponsored events, enforce them fairly, and stop using taxpayer-funded stages to advertise ideological positions that divide neighbors.
Americans who love tradition shouldn’t stand silent while their holidays are appropriated by activists and bureaucrats. Show up, speak up at council meetings, and vote for leaders who will restore common-sense values to public life so our children can enjoy simple, peaceful community celebrations again.
