Fort Collins, Colorado Tries to Ban Christian Christmas

The Grinch task force of Fort Collins, Colorado did not succeed in stealing away the colored lights and Christmas trees displayed on city property. According to the Rocky Mountain News, City Council members rejected a proposal to showcase only a strictly secular, multicultural holiday display, starting next year. The meeting lasted for 3 hours, and drew a crowd of 150 people. Forty three speakers urged the council to retain Christmas, as the holiday celebrated by a preponderance of locals. The Grinch task force preferred plain garlands, and totally secular symbols like snowflakes, insisting that Christmas trees and beautifully colored lights brought to mind a religious Christmas.

Mayor Doug Hutchinson said 95% of the 200 emails he received on the topic, plainly stated, "Don't diminish Christmas...Don't mess with tradition."

Verbally attacking the 15 member task force, the speakers complained that the group was only tolerant of its own views, and never had any intention of accepting traditional Christmas decorations. John Morris stated, "The work of the task force has been hijacked by activists." He warned that the intention of many of the task force members was to create an atheist state. Another citizen, Neil Caffrey, told of a local poll that validated that more than 80% of the public wanted the display to be about Christmas, and its traditional message. Caffrey added, "The makeup of the task force does not reflect the makeup of this town. Afford Christmas the same dignity, that is afforded other cultural celebrations. Don't lump it together with other celebrations, because it diminishes the dignity of a celebration that's very important, to a wide variety of people in this town."

Allen Ginsborg pointed out that the task force included a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, which has filed a number of lawsuits to eradicate religious displays in public areas. Ginsborg admonished, "In the future, please don't allow the ACLU to hijack a legitimate process." Another speaker wondered if all holidays would come under the scrutiny of a task force, following the Christmas pattern. He asked, "Will we have a task force on the 4th of July to take in different opinions (about that holiday)?"

A former Mayor, Ray Martinez, struck a pretty hard blow, when he said to the council, that it was a mistake to say that government has no role in religion. He reminded them that they began the meeting with the pledge of allegiance, which contained the words, ..."One nation under God." Persuasively, he pointed out to the council, "You led that pledge."

A few speakers defended the proposal. Sam Shelanski retorted, "Christmas should be celebrated in homes and families. It's not government's job to put Christ back in Christmas. This is not a Christian nation. It was not founded on Christ." Karen Schwartz put her stamp of approval on the task force and their proposal, by stating, "The American Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus." (This comment caused the gathered crowd to break into laughter.)

Jack Needy felt that Fort Collins was under national ridicule for trying to do away with the Christmas traditions. He reminded those present, "What you do here will echo across the United States."

The Rocky Mountain News reported that the City Council voted 6-1 in favor of the brightly colored lights, Christmas trees and traditional displays that the town has always used in decorating city property. It also agreed to pursue a city-appointed task force's idea of creating an all inclusive, multicultural "religious" exhibition at the city museum. The educational display would document how at least nine different religions celebrate the winter holidays.

It appears that it is all out war on a spiritual Christmas, but regardless of your opinion, Christmas IS a Christian holiday. X-Mas is a misguided effort to take Christ out of Christmas.

(And somewhere tonight, in the city of Fort Collins, Mr. Grinch has a very empty bag. Bless his heart, he must feel horribly rejected.)

Source: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/21/fort-collins-council-turns-down-plan-for-secular/