Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
We may not be getting the whole story, but how do you interpret:
"The Rev. Johnnie Wilson gave the people of Centralia, Ill., an ultimatum:
Come up with $75,000 in 30 days or he would chop down a giant bur oak tree
on his church's property to make room for parking spaces."

Perhaps a lot of the story was left out, perhaps a lot of facts are missing.
But what I read does not come across very well. If it was in fact, an
ultimatum, not a request for help.

Good point. I dunno which came first, the public outcry to save the
tree or the pastor's offer to spare it for $75K. The story is cunningly
ambiguous.