War on Christmas showdown in Fort Collins
As Thanksgiving draws nigh, ’tis the season for War on Christmas skirmishes. In Fort Collins, Colorado, the city council staved off a move to secularize the city’s traditional Christmas displays:
City Council members heeded the call of “don’t mess with tradition” on Tuesday when they rejected a proposal to create a strictly secular, multicultural display of the holiday season starting next year.
The council’s 6-1 decision means the traditional show of colored lights, ornamented greenery and Christmas trees will remain on city property, as it has for many years.
The council also agreed to pursue a city-appointed task force’s idea to create an inclusive multicultural “religious” exhibition at the city museum. The educational display would create a wide- ranging exhibition showing how at least nine religions celebrate a winter holiday.
The decision came during a meeting that drew a crowd of 150 people, lasted more than three hours and included 43 speakers. Speakers implored the council to honor Christmas as the holiday celebrated by a majority of local residents.
The task force, on the other hand, wanted strictly white lights, bare garlands and secular symbols such as snowflakes because colored lights and ornamented trees were too suggestive of a religious Christmas.
The council decision echoed the opinion of Mayor Doug Hutchinson, who said 95 percent of the 200 e-mails he received recently said “don’t diminish Christmas . . . don’t mess with tradition.”
Local blog Slapstick Politics attended the marathon council meeting and reports here.
They’ve only just begun…
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And they found the tinsel distracting.
I never understand arguments like those of the task force. Nothing represents The Savior like strings of green and red lights. We must get rid of those!!
I am surprised that Colorado chose to uphold tradition. But very pleased.
These people. What part of Christmas is Federal holiday did they not get?
OK, back to normal.
Ooh! Shiny!
Are they deliberately trying to forget that it’s the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? That’s why it’s called CHRISTmas. They are really trying to make it Xmas instead.
I’m also curious, if 95% of the emails supported CHRISTmas, then how did these PC morons get elected in the first place?
It sounds more like a backdoor attempt to create a Festivus celebration. City Council has already conducted the Airing of Grievances. Next comes the aluminum Festivus Pole.
See folks it is just a WINTER holiday.
I had a person this week tell me that back in 2004 in the presidential election, they couldn’t decide on the issues between Kerry or Bush. You know – they are sooooo alike. She then told me – “So I voted for who I thought looked better”
And we let these people vote and decide the future of our country. Amazing.
I guess – at least she know who was running (unlike some of the people that Sean Hannity finds on the streets of NYC)
Tre #5…For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
So yes – they are deliberately trying to remove Christ from the celebration.
I live here in the People’s Republic of Boulder, where Kerry/Edwards’ bumper stickers adorn most of the hulking SUVs and practically every Subaru. The Christmas lights are up throughout the town and we got our first snow fall today. I suspect our local left-wing nuts are laying in wait for just the right moment when they can spring forth and say: We’re here to ruin everyone else’s Christmas because we don’t believe in it!
The 17 member committee was hand picked to oppose Christmas.
Somewhere I saw the list of who they were, but am unable to find the link to it now. If you see the list, you will understand their decision.
Here is the link to the members
I’m going to state something here and it’s just opinion, pure speculation, but it is my opinion.
I’m of the mind there is and has been a concerted effort in this country to return Christmas to its pagan roots. Look at the things they want displayed – bare trees, white lights reminiscent of candles on the tree (I dont know when or why red and green became associated with Christ anyway), bare garlands, and no problem with mistletoe. These are all things pagans used to and still do worship. So is the government now officially establishing a pagan religion?
I’m not sure the goofs we keep electing to office know that’s what they are doing, but that’s exactly the result they are achieving.
Anybody disagree?
You could stop a lot of this by taking away the ACLU’s tax exempt status. Seem’s they are usually at the forefront of these “hate crime” issues – you know like saying “Merry Christmas”. Heaven forbid you might convert someone by saying “Merry Christmas”. Funny how that free speech issue is being taken away from every sector of society. Even in 1978 when I was still in high school teachers were being told they had no right to say “Merry Christmas”.
Sadly, a child in school today can say all kinds of vile things (even cuss out teachers) as they have the 1st amendment right to.
I keep wondering when we went from governing by majority to governing by one offended individual.
Every time we lose some traditional display of our Judeo/Christian roots it’s becasue one or two people perceive themselves as being offended. So the rest of society adjusts to accomodate the minority.
When and why did that happen?
Probably belongs over in the thanksgiving tree thread but….
When people say things like “happy thanksgiving” – I respond – “Who are you thankful to?”. Amazing what some people come up with in the way of response. ANYTHING but recognition of God.
Is Christmas really that bad that they need to do away with it? No – they don’t want to get rid of the celebration. However, they do wish to rid us of the reason for the season.
Apparently, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is such a horrible event that even the term Merry Christmas is offensive. So much so that Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings have sprouted.
I.Don’t.Get.It.
Many companies, organizations & govt. grant holiday time for yom kippur or hannukah; ramadan; Christmas; and even halloween.
These are all either nat’l, local, or business holidays, but they are first and foremost religious holidays.
If these loon toon secular utopians want to abolish public display of Christmas, et al, let them first stop being hypocrites, and give up their paid xmas time off.
Then I might give an ear to their spew of cranial diarrhea.
Walterc, you are so right about being “governed by one offended individual.” I understand it was one individual complaining in Cambridge that got the Boy Scouts Support the Troops drive removed from the polling places. Our society is supposed to run by the will of the majority not one offended person. I read a good common sense book by Charles J. Sykes, titled, “50 Rules Kids Won’t Learn in School”. Rule 21: “You’re offended? So what? No, really. So what?”
If a Christmas tree offends someone, don’t look at it. If someone doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas, fine, I expect to see them at work on Dec. 25th.
I live in FC and work right on the main drag. The white lights are pretty in that sterile kind of way, but the lack of anything remotely Christmasy is really evident. What I liked was Sheriff Jim Alderden’s rebellious declaration that his station would by-God have a Christmas tree. And he did. Love that guy.
Fort Collins has been terminally infected with Boulder-itis.
I’m not the least bit offended when I see a Menorrah or Kwanzaa display even though I do not celebrate them. In fact, they make me feel the season too. So I don’t know why anyone would be offended by a tree or wreath or manger scene regardless if they celebrated or not.
Task Force? Is there a war on?/
Sounds like the continued invasion of Leftist California expatriates (I realize not all that suffer or flee CA are like them, grew up in the Sacramento area myself) once again trying do what they have already done to CA. One of the reasons we no longer miss living in Colorado Springs is the Californication of the area just took away the joy of living in one of the most beautiful places I have ever lived in my life. Boise is also suffering through its own bout of these invaders, but with Micron going south (loss of 1300 local jobs) and growth slowing down it may subside a little. Good to see we won the first skirmish, but there are more to go in this battle against American tradition of God and Country founded on Judea-Christian principles.
Most places I go during this time of year everyone gives me the Happy Holidays greeting I prefer to respond with the actual holiday being celebrated. So Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the season, your family, friends, and the love you feel for each other and remember it’s all good until somebody gets shot over the turkey leg.
How could the site of Rush Limbaugh’s Dan’s Bake Sale have fallen so far?
I know, it always was a commie enclave.
Good for the powers that be in Ft. Collins for doing the right thing. There’s a pretty good discussion in the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” thread on this general topic.
Just for the record (as the other Coloradans here obviously know), Colorado is generally a pretty red state (pragmatic in orientation, but conservative nonetheless). Other than Boulder and the city of Denver proper, we are pretty darn conservative. Colorado Springs might be the most conservative (and Christian) place in the country. Also, and meatpie would know better than I, Ft. Collins (while a college town) has a pretty midwestern/traditional small-town feel to it.
Shortly after the Dems won the majorities in Congress in 2006, I heard a Teddy Kennedy soundbite warning us to beware of the “tyranny of the minority”. Does anyone know where that term originated? Clearly, Teddy isn’t bright enough to have thought it up himself.
Of course, when the Dems were in the minority, there was no such thing.
These are the same people that tell us that if we don’t want our children to see all of the sex and violence on TV, just change the channel or turn it off. Why can’t they take their own advice? If you don’t like Christmas trees or decorations, just don’t look.
It’s obvious that the “just turn it off” mantra only applies to US and not to THEM. Why, I am shocked, stunned, and amazed at this revelation.
And I agree with having them work on DEC 25. If they don’t celebrate Christmas, don’t take the day off.
Wait a Sec…. a multicultural display for Christmas?… Must have slipped out in to the Twilight zone or something, last I remember The Greater Area where CO and MO are located had a low population with more cows than people, a single margin ethnic Minority Population and not too many Multi Culturalist. Then I remember that pledge that came from that region…
What Happend? I mean massive ethnic move, a compleat 180 on politics in a couple of years, or what? If this is just a small number of single digited offended people its not there tradition, but on the other hand I see no one with a gun to there heads yelling Sing for Baby Jesus, allah, etc. They want no part of it or want a *insert religious Celebration here* Can’t they just do it in the confines of thier homes?
When you deal with any issue in Colorado, not just this one, you have to look behind the scene a bit to see who is pushing the agenda to have their way with things.
In all things Colorado one of the prime movers is a very rich totally way off to the left lady by the name of Pat Stryker.
She is the sister of Jon Stryker the founder of AMWAY who tries to do his own funding a king making in Michigan where he is based.
They are hand in hand working on and funding a coordinated plan along with Soros funded groups to leverage and buy their agenda by flooding the area with one side of the issues and destroying any chance of fair and informed debate on any issue.
Look at most of their advertising efforts and position papers and you will see major efforts of pigs becoming prime cosmetic consumers.
Here is an example of her influence she tries to bring to the issues.
You wonder where people’s priorities are when they waste so much energy attacking a cherished holiday like this. If the folks who try to neuter CHRISTmas would expend their energy on something useful (helping the hungry, joining the local CrimeWatch, etc), our society would be so much better off.
But no, “COLORED LIGHTS ARE BAD!! THEY’RE A SIGN OF OFFICIALLY SPONSORED RELIGION!!” I’m gonna puke!
I love the [War on] Christmas season, perhaps more than any other time of year. It’s when all the drama queens come out and strut their stuff!
CHRISTmas vs. Xmas – who will out-fierce who this year? Sounds like Team CHRISTmas won this skirmish. But the question remains – who will win the war? Tune into Fox News tonight – and EVERY night until December 25 – for all the latest. There may even be a book or 6 on the subject for you to buy!
PS – you know, we still have a giant Christmas tree with red and green lights, even in heathen/commie enclave San Francisco.
The unvarnished and selfish ignorance demonstrated by these miscreants is beyond description. I’m an agnostic but only because I was born without a spiritual bone in my body. Having said that, anyone who has studied the New Testament with a trained theologian can only be astonished by the beauty and wisdom of the text. Furthermore, a thinking individual cannot levy criticism against Christianity knowing so many intellectuals who also believe, e. g., G. F. Will, W. F. Buckley. The MSM is complicit in debasing the character of one of the world’s great and most long-standing institutions.
#28 – “..why aren’t you at your post? Do you copy?”
Sorry, with the whole Festivus reference here, I just had to.
Happy Thanksgiving, all!
I live in the People’s Republic of Santa Cruz, and feel your pain, but I did see something funny yesterday. A car had four bumper stickers stuck on the liftgate of a van: “Obama ‘08″, “Hillary ‘08″ and the third read, “Edwards, ‘08″. The fourth? “Proud to be a Democrat”. I cracked up! This silly voter can’t be decisive about anything, just like their candidates!
Happy Thanksgiving, Everybody.
Audio of the citizens’ commentary at last night’s City Council meeting is loaded (at last!).
The libs, stalinists, and demos who are offended by Christmas trees, santa clause,and other Non-Christian symbols of Christmas must be really offended at What Christ taught. He said He is the only way to heaven and that the world will hate Christians because they first hated Him. Its time to realize that the war on Christmas comes from what Christ teaches on repentance and that He is the only way to Heaven. As Rusty said we are fighting principalities of the war that are not seen and not flesh and blood.
…and following the meeting the Task Force was taken out behind the woodshed and soundly thrashed.