Earlier this week, many of you contacted Denver mayor John Hickenlooper (MileHighMayor@ci.denver.co.us) after I wrote about his effort to replace the city’s “Merry Christmas” sign with a “Happy Holidays” sign. As you all know by now, Hickenlooper heard us–and tons of other protesters– loud and clear. The phrase “Merry Christmas” will not be removed from the city building after all. According to a press release issued by the mayor’s office:

“Last week a journalist accurately quoted my comments that a ?Happy Holidays’ sign encompassing greetings for all religious and cultural observances would be an appropriate complement to the existing holiday display. I was under the impression — perhaps erroneously — that the existing ?Merry Christmas’ sign was becoming worn out and would need to be replaced soon anyway.

“Over the past several days, it has become clear to me that there is strong community sentiment to maintain the ?Merry Christmas’ sign, and I am glad to oblige. My intention was never to disrespect or slight anyone or any religious tradition. I apologize to anyone who may have been offended or mistakenly felt I was being anti-Christmas. ?Hickenlooper’ might have two O’s, but I am not ?Scrooge.’ We are happy to keep the ?Merry Christmas’ sign, and perhaps we can explore the possibility of also adding a ?Happy Holidays’ sign to the display next year.

The organizers of the city’s Parade of Lights, however, still refuse to allow participation by groups that primarily promote religion. In effect, that policy results in a ban on most religious symbols, including replicas of Jesus Christ. About 1,000 people(!) protested this policy by singing religious hymns before the parade started. The Denver Post reports:

Steve Schweitzberger carried a basket with a tiny baby Jesus doll inside that had a paper teardrop falling from its eye.

The baby came with a sign that read, “It’s my party, and I’ll cry if I want to.”

Schweitzberger said he thought the display was appropriate considering religious groups were not allowed to participate in the downtown Parade of Lights this weekend.

“I thought it was strange that they would exclude the birthday boy from his own party,” Schweitzberger said. “Everybody knows that Christmas is not spelled with an X.”

Schweitzberger joined a group of about 1,000 people – some from churches throughout the Denver metro area – to sing religious hymns before the parade started in a peaceful protest of the policy.

They passed out cocoa and sang “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World.”

The parade was not interrupted by the crowd.

The Downtown Denver Partnership, a private nonprofit group that stages the parade, rejected Faith Bible Chapel’s bid to have a float in the event.

The Parade of Lights is sponsored by local television station 9news. Roger Ogden, the station’s president and general manager, can be reached at roger.ogden@9news.com. Now that Mayor Hickenlooper has changed his mind, perhaps Mr. Ogden would enjoy receiving a present from you. His mailing address is:

Roger Ogden
9NEWS
500 Speer Blvd.
Denver, CO 80203

The Downtown Denver Partnership can be reached at:

Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc.
511 16th Street #200
Denver, CO 80202
ph: 303-534-6161
fax: 303-534-2803

Meanwhile, in Sydney, Australia, mayor Clover Moore replaced “Merry Christmas” signs with “Season’s Greetings” in the spirit of “tolerance and inclusion.” She can be e-mailed at clover@clovermoore.com

And here are more suggested recipients of your lumps of coal: Macy’s and the Federated Department Stores. See The Committee to Save Merry Christmas.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a whole bag of charcoal briquets. The way these Scrooges are going, it’s gonna be empty by Christmas Eve.

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