Sheriff decks his halls in protest of the "lights" policy

From Slapstick Politics: Larimer County Sheriff Decks The Halls With Nativity, Menorah

Sheriff Jim Alderden led an old fashioned tree trimming celebration Saturday in protest of the City of Fort Collins’ decision to remove religious symbols from city property.

The tree trimming was originally organized in response to a holiday task force that recommended the Fort Collins City Council vote to remove all religious references and colored lights from the city’s display. Because the sheriff’s tree is on county-owned property, it is not subject to any decisions the Fort Collins City Council makes.

BEST SHERIFF EVER – proud that he’s living in Fort Collins

Holiday Lights Update – the public speaks

I know I’ve been hitting on this topic quite a bit lately, but with this going on in my back yard I can’t help but comment.  Bethany clued me in on this latest story on the latest developments and the current version of the Holiday Lights policy.  Apparently the policy has evolved to now include input from City Council members, as well as from public input.  In the new policy, the “white lights only” has now expanded to allow colored lights and Christmas tree displays on the outside of buildings.

Apparently the spokesperson from the task force objects to people outside of the task force offering input. 

From the Coloradoan:

“My primary concern is that the (hybrid) recommendation includes aspects that were neither in the original policy nor the task force recommendation,” task force spokesman Seth Anthony said. “I am concerned that some of the things were not thought all the way through and carefully (vetted) like the task force recommendations were.”

Awwww, is the ACLU guy upset that the public can’t be circumvented in the vocal minority’s attempt to promote their own agenda?

Anthony, who acknowledged the task force recommendations may not be directly in line with what a majority of the community favors, said the city’s hybrid policy risks being too restrictive, not inclusive, by its wording.

I do find myself agreeing with Anthony in one part: I think the modified indoor-building policies, which state that only secular decorations may be used is too limiting.  My hope is that at the meeting tonight they’ll defer back to the “manager’s discretion” indoor policy, while maintaining an expansive outdoor policy.  Should be an interesting meeting tonight.

More on the FC Holiday Lights Issue

Follow up on the Holiday Lights news – glad to see that common sense still is present here in Fort Collins:

From Slapstick Politics:

“Fort Collins is becoming more like the imbecilic borough of Boulder than many would like to admit, where social agendas substitute for common sense”–Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden

Looks like some Fort Collins City Council members are coming out of the woodwork and proclaiming they will vote this down when it goes to the Council for a vote. The best part is that Sheriff Alderden is staging a bit of a protest, inviting Fort Collins citizens to come decorate the Christmas Tree on the lawn of their office.

Here’s the money quote:

“There’s such a thing as religious tolerance, but you can be tolerant without excluding the majority, and that seems to be the road we’re heading down,” Alderden said. “We respect people of other faiths and religions. We respect other people’s right to have their opinions, but don’t ask Christians to hide their faith.”

Amen.