Last week we discussed the Ft. Collins, CO decoration task force’s attempt to scrub the Christ right out of Christmas. This week, there’s good news. Sort of.
Council members voted on Tuesday night that the holiday lights will stay on and rejected a proposal to ban colored lights, trees and wreaths. Instead, they agreed on a compromise.
The Fort Collins Museum will add a multicultural display and the debate over appropriate city holiday displays will move forward.
By a 6-1 vote Tuesday night, the Fort Collins City Council rejected key recommendations of a citizen task force in adopting a plan that combines some task force suggestions with current city policy and some new wrinkles.
The hybrid plan allows for colored lights and Christmas trees and wreaths on the exterior of city buildings and other city property, but allows for only secular displays and messages in building interiors. Religious and cultural symbols are allowed under the plan at locations other than the museum but only if part of a larger, educational piece of artwork.
Ft. Collins’ plan is still very PC. But perhaps the bruising that the city has taken over the whole thing has taught its leaders and others a lesson.
Mayor Doug Hutchinson, the subject of much criticism over the issue in recent weeks, said the issue has hurt Fort Collins’ reputation and image.
“I think this is a very strong success story,” Hutchinson said after the vote, calling the multicultural display at the museum a positive new step for Fort Collins. “I think there is going to be a residual effect from this, though. The traditional Christmas displays were never in jeopardy, but it came across that way because of misinformation in the media.”
Hutchinson later explained that he meant that it was never the council’s intent to put Christmas displays in jeopardy by forming the task force.
“But, of course, the task force recommendations put Christmas in jeopardy,” Hutchinson said.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member