Christmas trees could be out in Fort Collins displays

Just like the Christmas season itself, the attacks come earlier and earlier every year...:

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Which part was the attack on Christmas? The Rabbi, last year, wanting a Menorah displayed? The policy created because of that request that essentially refused that religious inclusion? The continuation of said policy?

What part is the attack on Christmas?

this isn't an attack on Christmas

it was a result of a Jewish request

you're WAY too quick to place blame where there is none

If you think this is nuts, then read on below:

Feds ban grandma's angel ornament on Christmas tree

Feds ban grandma's angel ornament on Christmas tree
WorldNetDaily.com ^ | November 9, 2007

Posted on 11/09/2007 3:44:23 AM PST by Man50D


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 AFA 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.

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 grandmother told AFA she was instructed that even an angel decoration would be disallowed by the ban, which makes her think of the restrictions in Germany during World War II.

According to the center, HUD has issued a directive banning "any religious symbols or religious words associated with Christmas," which effectively prevents Mrs. Arnold from placing a small Christmas tree outside her door if it contains any religious symbols or words – "even an angel," AFA said in a special alert asking for e-mails.

A spokeswoman at the center who preferred not to give her name told WND the rules now prevent displays "like a manger, like a Christ child, any religious symbols."

"We used to have a sign outside that said, 'Jesus is the reason for the season,' but we can't anymore," she told WND. "We're all very unhappy about that."

The building has about 40 one-bedroom apartments for seniors who are at least 62 years old.

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So, what can we put up and what can we not put up in our neighborhoods?

Every year I display Christmas sculptures on the window of my home. Hanging outdoor lights is too costly for my sister, since she pays the electric bill.

Even then, my older sister hosts Christmas at her house this year. She always has her Christmas lights up.

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She's allowed to put whatever religious decorations she wants inside of her home.

She's just not allowed to display religious symbols outside of the apartment. She can have the tree outside her door hung with birds, and toy drums and little sparkly things, but no religious things.

Here's the memo that was actually sent out:

http://www.afa.net/pdfs/fairhousing.pdf

thanks for the research, KOS

as always in such instances, much ado has been made about something that really isn't all that big a deal. Stupid - but no big deal.

I'm quite sure that a Jew living next door to this woman doesn't need to read "Jesus ANYTHING" everytime he steps out of his apartment door.

HUD housing is tax funded isn't it? I could get very cranky and say that they should be spending their money on necessities and not outdoor religious displays, since we're paying for their housing. But I won't.

I think this whole issue is wildy out of control. First of all, the First Amendment guarantees everyone freedom of religion but nowhere does it give anyone freedom from religion save that created by the State.

People who don't like seeing Christmas trees should just get the fuck over it. The way these whining jackasses complained, you would think they had been strapped down, eyes wedged open Clockwork Orange style, and made to watch random Christmas cartoons while Gloria in Excelsis Deo blared in their ears. It's absurd.

Christmas doesn't have to be an all-inclusive holiday. It just doesn't. If you aren't a Christian, why the hell are you even celebrating Christmas to begin with, let alone making assertions about what is and isn't acceptable display?

I wholeheartly agree with you.

the whole matter of denying religious expression in any shape or form just makes my skin crawl. Good thing I don't live in one of those HUD establishments, I keep a Blessed Mother statue on my lawn.

IP, please don't take this as disrespect, because it's gonna sound that way...

I always think that it is the funniest thing when someone bitches about Christmas being too inclusive because it is actually a Christian holiday...

Do you have any idea how many of the venerated Christmas traditions were taken from pagan societies?

Mistletoe- pagan
The date of Christmas- pagan
Yule logs- pagan
Decorated trees- pagan (But I will acknowledge that Christians were the first ones that I know of to kill the trees and bring them inside to decorate them)


Basically, Christianity grafted a nativity over all of these things and claimed them. Maybe Christmas should be returned to winter solstice as it should be properly called.