Assault On Christmas: Fort Collins Goes First (Updated)

(For Update scroll down)

It wasn't enough to order people not to say, "Merry Christmas" but instead to cheerily intone, "Happy Holidays", or to ban the display in publicly-owned places of religious symbols such as decorated Christmas Trees (Winter Solstice Trees), creches (infant human alternative sleeping places), Angels (Holiday Fairies), or even Hannukah Menorahs (Semitic Candelabra), but now Fort Collins, Colorado has decided, in its infinite wisdom to ban the use in public areas of red and green lights.
From WND:

A special task force in a Colorado city has recommended banning red and green lights at the Christmas holiday because they fall among the items that are too religious for the city to sponsor.

"Some symbols, even though the Supreme Court has declared that in many contexts they are secular symbols, often still send a message to some members of the community that they and their traditions are not valued and not wanted. We don't want to send that message," Seth Anthony, a spokesman for the committee, told the Fort Collins, Colo., Coloradoan.

"Not valued ..." One has to wonder when any governmental body had the unmitigated gall to think it had the right to "value" or "Not value" any religion or persons. When did it become the government's job to make all its citizens feel "wanted" or "esteemed"?

He [Anthony, a Fort Collins Libertarian] said the recommended language does not specifically address Christmas trees by name, but the consensus was that they would not fall within acceptable decorations.

What will be allowed are white lights and "secular" symbols not associated "with any particular holiday" such as icicles, unadorned greenery and snowflakes, the task force said.

The group was made up of members of the city's business and religious communities as well as representatives from some community groups. Members met for months to review the existing holiday display policy, which allowed white as well as multi-colored lights and wreaths and garlands.

I can't imagine any thinking American patronizing the businesses owned or managed by the members of this P.C. group. As for the community groups involved, I wonder what sort of advocacy they have provided in the past, and which groups they have pushed for.

"I expect criticism from people who feel like we are taking Christmas away. And I expect we will get criticism from people who think educational display endorses religions," Anthony said. "(But) to the extent we can, recognizing that offending no one will be impossible, we want to be inclusive."

Inclusive? Funny how the word always comes after offending and disenfranchising as many Christians as possile. Inclusive. Sure. By all means let's include the pagans who celebrate the Winter Solstice, and the odd Afro-centric blacks who celebrate the fake non-holiday of Kwanzaa. But let us not include the celebrations of 805 of the populace without making damn sure they know their place in the public square, which is paying the taxes and keeping their beliefs to themselves.

City officials touted their own efforts.

"I am really delighted to see us taking this step," Mayor Doug Hutchinson said when the task force was being assembled. "I think Fort Collins is a great city, and I think great cities are inclusionary."

Gee whiz, Doug, I hope you are recalled for sheer stupidity and empty-headed platitudes as soon as is humanly possible. If the Mayor of Largo, Florida had the P.C. disease as publicly as this mouth-breather does, I would never cast a vote in his favor again. I would also make sure everyone I knew was told exactly why. Hey! Fort Collins! Get rid of that thimble-headed Gerkin you call a Mayor! He's a disgrace!

The Colororadoan has an online forum for this particular topic, and the comments seem to be mostly against this P.C. Task Force's recommendations. Oh, there are a few simple-minded, "Gee, can't you stop hating" style comments from the Dennis Kucinich wing of Americans in Colorado. But it looks like this could be voted down. As it should be.

Remember this, next time the Lefties and ACLU-types laugh at the assertion that Christmas is under attack. It is and they know it. Every year they try it again, in another city or state, from another direction and with yet another rationale for their perfidy. But the aim is always the same: destroy the Christians or the Jews. Create a Secular Utopia of the Left.

Happy Holidays? My ass!

Note: Bloggers are having some fun with this while angry with the underlying garbage. The Canadian Sentinel: "More PC Insanity: Red & Green Lights Ban Proposed
Because they're too Christmassy!"

Gayle's Liberal Lunacy: It's Official: Colorado City Officials Have Gone Around the Bend! And she asks,"Did you know that red and green lights were religious? I didn't know that. What next? Are they going to remove these?"


Update: Brooke brings news of another assault on Christmas, this time from those friendly folks at HUD. Read her post - its an eye-opener!

Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development officials have announced a ban on any decorations in HUD housing complexes that mention Jesus or represent religion for the Christmas season, and the American Family Association has responded with a petition drive to overturn the decision.

The very bureaucrats who live off the tax monies paid by Americans - which includes some 80%+ Christians - have decided that they have the authority to ban any reference to Christ at housing paid for by American taxpayers ( again: which includes some 80%+ Christians) and we're left to wonder how they managed to amend the Constitution to delete part of the First Amendment. You remember that one, don't you? That's the one the MSM and Lefties always quote by leaving out the part regarding Religion (the very beginning of their favorite Amendment):

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Brooke continues:

The issue arose at the Plant City Living Center in Plant City, Fla., where 85-year-old Mrs. Arnold was told that federal law now prohibits her from displaying anything that references religion – words, decorations and the like – in the common area of her apartment building, a HUD facility.

The AFA (The American Family Association) has set up a link to allow constituents to send e-mails to the HUD secretary or President Bush expressing their objections to the policy.

WND reports:

The family group noted the federal government has become increasingly active in banning Christianity from the public square, citing the National Park Service's efforts to conceal the words "Laus Deo," which is Latin for "Praise Be to God" at the Washington Monument, and the move by a Veterans Administration official to ban the script of a flag-folding ceremony that mentions "Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" and "Father, Son and Holy Ghost" at 100 national cemeteries.

However, "both of these were rescinded after AFA supporters sent e-mails to proper authorities," the AFA said. In the case of the Washington Monument dispute, Park Service officials told WND they got 26,000 e-mails in a morning.

It can be fought! We do still have the authority to defeat the secularists who would wipe out religion from this nation and our history! Find that link and go let HUD and the President know what you think. Don't forget: the government is yours! They work for you! You call the shots! That U.S. Constitution's not a limit on you and I, it is a limit on them! Go tell them! Don't dawdle! Thanks, Brooke! Great post!