Ironically: Chanukah is a holiday that not only celebrates a oil-lasting-8-days miracle... but also celebrates religious freedom won in a guerilla war.

The issue in Seattle airport: The supreme court ruled Christmas trees and menorahs are secular items. They are not religious in and of themselves. However, the good rebbe wanted to hold a religious ceremony to light the menorah.
That would then make the menorah into a religious symbol. So then the big mess would ensue.