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Colorado city considers ban on red and green Christmas lights
Click here for link to onenewsnow.com ^

Posted on 11/20/2007 6:13:12 AM PST by Gopher Broke

A Colorado city is considering a plan that one attorney calls the epitome of the war against Christmas.

Tonight, the Fort Collins City Council will meet and decide the fate of a task force report that urges the city to decorate with white lights, winter symbols not traditionally associated with any particular holiday, and unadorned garlands of greenery. City staffers are also encouraged to remove ornaments or stars from trees and red ribbons from wreaths.

Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, says the task force is seriously misguided. "I think it's absolutely ridiculous that anyone would consider banning red and green because they are associated with Christmas, because they believe that anything associated with Christmas, being religious, has to be banned," he says. "I think this absurdity really underscores the extent to which this war against Christmas has escalated."

The Orlando, Florida-based legal group reports it has issued a letter warning the city council that its censorship of certain Christmas decorations is not well-grounded in legal precedent.

In a press release, Staver wonders if the next step will be to ban the giving of gifts because that act is associated with Christmas. "It is sad and unfortunate that some people are intent on eliminating Christmas because of its Christian theme," the attorney states. "People from around the country ought to call the Fort Collins City Council and protest the ridiculous recommendation of the Holiday Display Task Force.”

Staver points out that the task force included a representative from the American Civil Liberties Union, but neglected to include the input of any other legal organization that Liberty Counsel insists could have presented a "balancing viewpoint." Meanwhile, the local sheriff reportedly has vowed to decorate a Christmas tree -- with multicolored lights -- regardless of the council's decision.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: antichristian; christmas; citycouncil; fortcollins; grinch; insanity; pc; waronchristmas; waronchristmas2007
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1 posted on 11/20/2007 6:13:13 AM PST by Gopher Broke
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To: Gopher Broke

Geez, it sounds like the nut cases in Boulder have escaped, and invaded Fort Collins.


2 posted on 11/20/2007 6:15:00 AM PST by 3AngelaD (They screwed up their own countries so bad they had to leave, and now they're here screwing up ours)
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To: Gopher Broke

Call them Kwanza lights and watch their heads explode from their brain contortions.


3 posted on 11/20/2007 6:17:38 AM PST by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat; but they know what's best for us)
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To: Gopher Broke

Why no, Mr. Taskforce Officer. I’m not celebrating Christmas, that’s our family tree and those red and green chili pepper lights are in support of illegal aliens.


4 posted on 11/20/2007 6:18:10 AM PST by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: Gopher Broke

Contact Us
City Council

Physical Address: City Hall West, 300 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521

Mailing Address: PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
Phone: (970)221-6878
Fax: (970)224-6107

Please note: all e-mail to City Council is public information and will be treated accordingly
Council Member Home Address Phone Email

Doug Hutchinson, Mayor 1315 Whedbee Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524 (970) 416-2154 dhutchinson@fcgov.com

Ben Manvel, District 1 323 East Plum Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524 (970) 217-1932 bmanvel@fcgov.com

Lisa Poppaw, District 2 2945 Stonehaven Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (970) 223-4136 lpoppaw@fcgov.com

Diggs Brown, District 3 903 Rule Drive #14, Fort Collins, CO 80526 (970) 420-9097 dbrown@fcgov.com

Wade Troxell, District 4 812 Rochelle Circle, Fort Collins, CO 80526 (970) 219-8940 wtroxell@fcgov.com

Kelly Ohlson, District 5 2040 Bennington Circle, Fort Collins, CO 80526 (970) 493-7225 kohlson@fcgov.com

David Roy, District 6 2016 Evergreen Court, Fort Collins, CO 80521 (970) 217-5506 droy@fcgov.com


5 posted on 11/20/2007 6:18:22 AM PST by Vn_survivor_67-68 (CALL CONGRESSCRITTERS TOLL-FREE @ 1-800-965-4701)
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To: Gopher Broke

That’s racist.

Red and Green are the colors of the Mexican flag.


6 posted on 11/20/2007 6:18:23 AM PST by Hoodlum91 (I support global warming.)
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To: JenB

FC ping


7 posted on 11/20/2007 6:18:33 AM PST by TalonDJ
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To: Gopher Broke

These people have nothing better to do????? Typical example of why our government, in general, isn’t working. The people in Fort Collins need to get rid of these people and find some that actually do the peoples business for a change. I’m sure that if they look around, there should be something they could be doing of more value.


8 posted on 11/20/2007 6:19:02 AM PST by RC2
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To: Gopher Broke
Isn’t it interesting how “liberals” are so terribly illiberal as to look for ways to deny anyone from having a sense of fun. Sheesh, even the Puritan's would party from time to time. No wonder why so many liberals seek release through a variety of “pharmaceutical” means.
9 posted on 11/20/2007 6:19:05 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: mtbopfuyn; N. Theknow

Just tell them that your are celebrating Festivus.


10 posted on 11/20/2007 6:19:43 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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I forgot the link to the public info above....
http://fcgov.com/council/contact-us.php


11 posted on 11/20/2007 6:20:02 AM PST by Vn_survivor_67-68 (CALL CONGRESSCRITTERS TOLL-FREE @ 1-800-965-4701)
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To: N. Theknow

If they add gold lights (to the red and green) they cover Kwanzaa; add blue and white you got Chanukah covered. But wait, isn’t that a STRING OF MULTI-COLORED LIGHTS?!?!?!?!?


12 posted on 11/20/2007 6:20:03 AM PST by PennsylvaniaMom (I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them. Jane Austen.)
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To: 3AngelaD

From the city council page:

http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/council/?bct

Here are the council members’ emails:

dhutchinson@fcgov.com,droy@fcgov.com,kohlson@fcgov.com,wtroxell@fcgov.com,dbrown@fcgov.com,lpoppaw@fcgov.com ,bmanvel@fcgov.com


13 posted on 11/20/2007 6:20:19 AM PST by Gopher Broke (Run Fred, Run http://www.fred08.com/)
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To: Gopher Broke

Maybe I should file a complaint that I am offended by traffic lights (except for the yellow one in the middle).

/s


14 posted on 11/20/2007 6:20:49 AM PST by freespirited (I'm voting for the GOP nominee.)
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To: Gopher Broke

Is this for real?

Actually - I’m finding myself liking the idea of turning Christmas back into a religious holiday for those of us that celebrate Christ’s birthday.

I’d like to see people have to go to work on Christmas. I’d like to see stores not decorate or advertise for Christmas shoppers & just have business as usual. I’d like to see people gather with their families and go to a church service for Christmas and stop spending the obscene amounts of money for gifts none of us need with merchants that don’t want to say the word “Christmas”, but want us to spend our “Christmas” money with them.

I’d like to see an end to the commercialism of the holiday and let it get back to what it really is supposed to be.

Christians really need to “go on strike” for Christmas & let the merchants and everyone else see that they need to be careful what they wish for.


15 posted on 11/20/2007 6:22:34 AM PST by alicewonders (Duncan Hunter needs to be our next Sec. of Defense, Dir. of Homeland Security - or Vice President!)
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To: Hoodlum91

So what are they going to do with the traffic lights ?


16 posted on 11/20/2007 6:23:17 AM PST by Mopp4
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To: Gopher Broke

Isn’t white lights racist? How come no black lights.


17 posted on 11/20/2007 6:23:42 AM PST by edcoil (Reality doesn't say much - doesn't need too)
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To: Gopher Broke

I guess that the City Council in Ft. Collins is concerned that too many of their citizens will be confused by the red and green lights and think they are traffic signals.

/sarc

Don’t get me started. The Ft. Collins city council has apparently failed to notice that Christmas is being reclaimed by ordinary Americans who reject the whole “Holiday Tree” and “Happy Holidays” nonsense.

The reason for the season is CHRISTMAS!! Deal with it or go away.


18 posted on 11/20/2007 6:25:19 AM PST by DustyMoment (FloriDUH - proud inventors of pregnant/hanging chads and judicide!!)
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To: Gopher Broke
task force report that urges the city to decorate with white lights

It always comes back in favor of whitey.

Cracker please!!

Brother wants to see some black lights.

19 posted on 11/20/2007 6:25:29 AM PST by laotzu
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To: Gopher Broke

Should the Fort Collins city council approve this nonsense, the best thing residents could do would be to boycott the local merchants during the Christmas season. The loss of sales tax revenue would be devastating to the city, and angry merchants may quickly tell the ACLU and the diversity and sensitivity types to sit down and shut up.


20 posted on 11/20/2007 6:25:35 AM PST by Wallace T.
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To: Gopher Broke
So how are they going to get rid of the traffic problem if they ban red and green lights? They must have the worst city engineer in the USA. I have had to stop three times at the same light!! The lights are designed to impede traffic not to facilitate the flow.

I will do my part. I will not participate in your red lights by not going to Ft. Collins. They are just a left wing hate mongering city any way. Hey Ft. Collins “Taze this Worship Christ!”

21 posted on 11/20/2007 6:27:52 AM PST by mountainlyons (Hard core conservative)
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To: 3AngelaD

Sounds like the California transplants are trying to take over Colorado.


22 posted on 11/20/2007 6:28:00 AM PST by Sunshine Sister
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To: PennsylvaniaMom
If they add gold lights (to the red and green) they cover Kwanzaa; add blue and white you got Chanukah covered. But wait, isn’t that a STRING OF MULTI-COLORED LIGHTS?!?!?!?!?

Ah, yes. Diversity Lights!

23 posted on 11/20/2007 6:29:09 AM PST by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat; but they know what's best for us)
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To: alicewonders
Christians really need to “go on strike” for Christmas & let the merchants and everyone else see that they need to be careful what they wish for.

We have. That's why KMart, Home Depot and Lowes (to name a few) have suddenly "got religion" and started selling Christmas trees instead of "Holiday Trees" and they have started wishing their customers "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays".

24 posted on 11/20/2007 6:29:56 AM PST by DustyMoment (FloriDUH - proud inventors of pregnant/hanging chads and judicide!!)
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To: Gopher Broke
local sheriff reportedly has vowed to decorate a Christmas tree -- with multicolored lights -- regardless of the council's decision.

This could get interesting. If this goes down and the sheriff draws a line in the sand over this and there is any action to take down the tree people could end up in jail.

25 posted on 11/20/2007 6:30:10 AM PST by painter (Oval Office, Fred. Might be something you ought to think about.)
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To: mtbopfuyn
Why no, Mr. Taskforce Officer. I’m not celebrating Christmas, that’s our family tree and those red and green chili pepper lights are in support of illegal aliens.

I was thinking communists and ecowhackos, but in the same vein...

So ice and snow should be banned because someone, somewhere, worships something associated with it, too. (The Gorite church of warmth-hating fruitcakes)

26 posted on 11/20/2007 6:34:40 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: Hoodlum91

Red, Green and White...also the color of the Italian flag.


27 posted on 11/20/2007 6:37:28 AM PST by svcw (There is no plan B.)
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To: Army Air Corps

But do they have a poll?


28 posted on 11/20/2007 6:37:59 AM PST by svcw (There is no plan B.)
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To: Gopher Broke

In true “Animal Farm” logic Freedom of Religion has now become Freedom From Religion. The Constitution be damned.


29 posted on 11/20/2007 6:39:19 AM PST by Inwoodian
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To: Sunshine Sister
Colorado was getting 'Californicated' in the '70s

Rocky Mountain High....was the marching song

30 posted on 11/20/2007 6:39:23 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: svcw

Make sure that it is an aluminum pole.


31 posted on 11/20/2007 6:39:55 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: Army Air Corps
Just tell them that your are celebrating Festivus.

What about the rest of us who don't want to celebrate Festivus?

32 posted on 11/20/2007 6:41:28 AM PST by Disambiguator (Political Correctness is criminal insanity writ large.)
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To: Disambiguator
I imagine that it would be okay so long as you do not have any coloured lights...or a tree...or any carols...or any fun...
33 posted on 11/20/2007 6:44:24 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: alicewonders

That is an interesting approach.


34 posted on 11/20/2007 6:45:48 AM PST by NonValueAdded (Fred Dalton Thompson for President)
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To: Gopher Broke

I wonder if this “task force” wears brown shirts?


35 posted on 11/20/2007 6:45:53 AM PST by SwatTeam
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To: laotzu
Brother wants to see some black lights.

Black lights are like, way cool, man! But then we'd have to all wear white shirts for the full effect and that brings us back to whitey again.

36 posted on 11/20/2007 6:46:35 AM PST by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: alicewonders

You and your family are free to do just that if that is what you want.


37 posted on 11/20/2007 6:47:50 AM PST by SwatTeam
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To: SwatTeam
I wonder if this “task force” wears brown shirts?

Check out this thread. CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC has researched the members. He is also going to attempt to speak at the public meeting tonight.

38 posted on 11/20/2007 6:51:06 AM PST by mollynme (cogito, ergo freepum)
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To: Hoodlum91
Red and Green are the colors of the Mexican flag.

Red and green are also found in the flags of many Islamic countries such as Iran, Syria, Sudan, and the Palestinian Authority, so it seems Fort Collins is a hotbed of ethnocentricity and racism.

39 posted on 11/20/2007 6:51:46 AM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: mtbopfuyn
and that brings us back to whitey again

Reparations!!

Its this plantation mentality that keeps the color black out of the rainbow.
We all know there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...unless your black!

40 posted on 11/20/2007 6:53:02 AM PST by laotzu
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To: Gopher Broke

It’s not sad ... it’s downright hatred and fear of religion. I hope the people of the city will stand tall and say we are doing this!!! It’s time people who want to do these stop having interference by those who are just miserable and try to make everyone else miserable. I’m sick and tired of this. They have NO RIGHT to take away what we do as tradition and celebration of Christmas. There is porn out there, perverts, rapists, child molesters, murderers and yes, two heroic border guards sitting in some lousey jail for doing their jobs and now people are complaining about red and green Christmas lights?
Should the city remove the stop lights too? They are red and green and are there all year round? Does that THREATEN those who associate red and green with Christmas?
What about peppers? They are red and green too.
How about geraniums and evergreens?
What about red hearts on Valentines’ Day???
What about green on St. Patrick’s Day???
What about green grass?
What about red sunsets?
What about our blood...it’s red too...

Silly huh? Well, that’s how I view this nonsense going on now. Just plain silly and I hope there are adults there who will recognize this for what it is...silly and trouble making. Nothing more...nothing less. Seems to me there are an awful lot of people out there who start this nonsense just to stir the pot. If you don’t like the lights...dont’ look at them. We dont’ like porn or the filth out of holly wood but guess what???? We dont’ go to those movies nor do we pay good money to line the pockets of those who make and act in this junk. However, we don’t stop those who want to. This is Christmas and it should be celebrated and enjoyed by all. Sorry for the rant but this stuff just makes me sick anymore. Nothing but a bunch of trouble makers. This country has gone down hill and it’s going to continue if American doesn’t stand up and be heard.


41 posted on 11/20/2007 6:56:25 AM PST by cubreporter ( Rush has done more for this country than any other politician ever! He's the man!!!!)
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To: alicewonders

I agree Christmas has become commercialized way too much. But....not everyone buys into it. It’s up to each and every family to celebrate Christmas the way they see fit. However, a few lights aren’t hurting anything. This is pure, unadulterated nonsense.


42 posted on 11/20/2007 6:58:42 AM PST by cubreporter ( Rush has done more for this country than any other politician ever! He's the man!!!!)
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To: edcoil
Isn’t white lights racist? How come no black lights.

Why do the green olives have to be in a jar, while the black olives get to be in a can? :)

43 posted on 11/20/2007 6:59:52 AM PST by TankerKC (You don't have to believe everything you think.)
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To: svcw

and proud of that and my dad. :)


44 posted on 11/20/2007 7:00:28 AM PST by cubreporter ( Rush has done more for this country than any other politician ever! He's the man!!!!)
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To: mollynme

Thanks for the ping. It is becoming more obvious every day that not enough intelligent people are voting in local elections. That is where we have to start getting rid of the socialist, America-hating brown shirts.


45 posted on 11/20/2007 7:01:47 AM PST by SwatTeam
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To: TankerKC

and...the green olives are stuffed with pimentos. Those are now red and green olives. Should they be banned too?


46 posted on 11/20/2007 7:01:52 AM PST by cubreporter ( Rush has done more for this country than any other politician ever! He's the man!!!!)
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To: N. Theknow

BINGO!!!


47 posted on 11/20/2007 7:02:28 AM PST by RSmithOpt (Liberalism: Highway to Hell)
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To: cubreporter

You know what they say, “if you are lucky enough to be Italian, you are lucky enough”.
I have a shirt that says, “save the earth first, its the only place there are Italians”.
(The graphics are very similar to the “earth first” logos.)
My brother has a shirt that says, “there are two kinds of people, Italians and those who want to be”.


48 posted on 11/20/2007 7:04:56 AM PST by svcw (There is no plan B.)
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To: alicewonders
Exactly! I don’t need the government or their buildings and decorations to celebrate Christmas.
49 posted on 11/20/2007 7:06:44 AM PST by TankerKC (You don't have to believe everything you think.)
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To: mtbopfuyn

Why no, Mr. Taskforce Officer. I’m not celebrating Christmas, that’s our family tree and those red and green chili pepper lights are in support of illegal aliens.

Good one! Lord I hate liberal wack jobs! Oops, am I guilty of a hate crime?


50 posted on 11/20/2007 7:14:11 AM PST by Bitsy
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