Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / Don’t take the red and green out of Christmas

Don’t take the red and green out of Christmas

November 30, 2007 by Optimist Editorial Board

In the tree spirit of the holidays, citizens of Fort Collins, Colo., aimed to give residents the gift of political corrections – and sought to purge the city of its offensive traditional holiday red and green lights.

The proposed move stemmed from the city’s Holiday Display Task Force’s recommendation, which clearly focused on the essentials during the cold months when many residents will likely go without shelter and a holiday meal.

The task force sought to help Fort Collins residents relax and enjoy generic green garland and meaningless decorations without any pesky Christian overtones interrupting the secular holiday. “As far as I’m concerned, the group ended up in a very fair place in which primarily secular symbols will be used on city property,” task force member Saul Hopper told the city’s newspaper, the Coloradoan.

The city council, however, did not support Hopper’s perspective. By a vote of 6-1, they rejected the force’s recommendations, sentencing Fort Collins to squander another Christmas season swathed in offensive lights and decorations.

Fort Collins’ Oak Street Plaza displayed a Christmas tree in past years, but under the watchful eye of the task force, surely the Christmas tree will disappear with the red and green.

The politically correct would relegate all religious components of the holidays – including representations of Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Christmas- to the Fort Collins Museum, the World Net Daily reported.

This move would have the city free to harbor an array of snowmen, snowflakes, icicles and Santa Claus – presumably so long as he is not referred to as “Father Christmas” – in the public sphere.

Thanks to the city council vote, such blatant religious displays will continue to leak into the public sector, but at least the city will also laud holiday tradition in less offensive ways within the museum walls, Fort Collins Now reported.

Fort Collins’ task force has paved the path for other cities to follow in its sterile, politically correct Christmas, er, holiday – celebration.

One can only hope that next year, the council will display greater reverence for the easily offended and keep religious holidays where they belong- in the dusty corners of museums.

Abilene continues to display blatant disregard for such political correctness, offering such offensive traditions as the Abilene State School fundraiser Christmas Lane, gathering the community for the community Christmas tree lighting Nov. 27, and spurring discomfort with the Christmas lights parade.

Let’s only hope a holiday display task force will soon form in Abilene and enlighten us, lest we offend with our green and red lights.

Filed Under: Editorials Tagged With: Christmas

Other Opinion:

  • Skipping class is a drug

  • Athletics have a lack of traditions leading to low engagement from students

  • Directionless but encouraged: My experience on The College Tour’s film set

About Optimist Editorial Board

You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / Don’t take the red and green out of Christmas

Other Opinion:

  • Skipping class is a drug

  • Athletics have a lack of traditions leading to low engagement from students

  • Directionless but encouraged: My experience on The College Tour’s film set

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
2 Feb

BREAKING: Campus will be operating remotely in the morning. Any classes after 1 p.m. will be in person.

Reply on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Retweet on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Like on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Twitter 1620939263557734401
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
31 Jan

BREAKING: Campus will continue operating remotely Wednesday due to continued icy conditions.

Reply on Twitter 1620523455421779970 Retweet on Twitter 1620523455421779970 Like on Twitter 1620523455421779970 1 Twitter 1620523455421779970

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 week ago

The Optimist
ACU’s Alpha Psi Omega chapter raised money for the Living Waters Charity by putting on a show in the span of 24 hours. See more photos from our gallery: ... See MoreSee Less

Gallery: 24-Hour Musical tells the heartwarming story of Junie B. Jones - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

ACU’s Alpha Psi Omega chapter raised money for the Living Waters Charity by putting on a show in the span of 24 hours. This year, the department chose to perform the beloved children’s musical “...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

1 week ago

The Optimist
Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. Read more: ... See MoreSee Less

Student life implements new software, updates rushing process - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. The Campus Director software has an algorithm programmed to match rushe...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Tune in to this week's newscast for a look at Greek Life rushing, the annual ... [Read More…]

  • Women’s tournament run ended by first-round exit against UTRGV
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 22. 2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.16.2022

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved