Posted on 12/01/2004 10:37:03 PM PST by ajolympian2004
On the Gunny Bob Newman show and the Donna Star show here in Denver on KOA 850am tonight they have been talking about Denver mayor Hickenlooper's decision to ban the words 'Merry Christmas' from the traditional Parade of Lights downtown parade as well as any 'Christmas' float.
Dates - Friday, December 3, 2004 at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 4, 2004 at 6 p.m.
Location - Downtown Denver, starting in front of Civic Center Park and the City & County Building on Bannock Street at 14th Avenue.
From the web site: http://www.denverparadeoflights.com/
Once again this year, the parade is proud to present an International Procession to celebrate the cultural and ethnic diversity of the region. Groups in the International Procession include Belly Dance Concepts, Colorado Mestizo Dancers, Denver Taiko Drummers, Mudra Dance Studio, Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu, T.E.V. Edelweiss Schuhplattlers, and Two Spirit Society of Denver.
In addition to the amazing floats, balloons and bands, the 9NEWS Parade of Lights features countless other performers who each add a special touch to the evening. This year, featured performers will include Artistic Fusion Dance, Belles Performance Team, Centre of Dance, Colorado Clowns, Colorado School of Dance, Kit Andree Dance & Performing Arts Company, Peak Academy of Dance, Action Dance Express, and Denver Figure Skating Club.
Organization responsible for encouraging the ban:
Downtown Denver Partnership
http://www.downtowndenver.com/
303.534.6161 - voice mail
303.534.2803 - fax
Major sponsor and televising the event on Fri. Dec. 3rd - http://www.9news.com/
Other sponsors: Storage Tek, Ford, Starbucks, Xcel Energy, Wells Fargo
Gunny Bob suggested that everyone show up with a 'Merry Christmas' sign and sing all the traditional Christmas carols during the parade.
It's the name of the day, people. You're not celebrating "holiday-day". It's Christmas. Everyone calls it Christmas. The only ones who don't are the advertisers and PC officials who're afraid of offending anyone. We may as well ban every label and name black as it may offend someone, somehow.
Ugghh, We put up with this PC crap EVERY SINGLE CHRISTMAS.
Exactly. Defy these pukes. Show them who's boss.
And make a party of it.
It lasted for one or two years and the PC Commanders moved on or retired and the new ones went back to Christmas and Halloween.
This is the same crap happening in Denver and won't last long !
Here's a little excerpt from the Denver Post
Businessman aims straight for the top
March 18, 2003
Heart of an activist
Although Hickenlooper makes much of his struggles to launch a business during the recession in 1988, he managed a year earlier to pitch in $2,000 of his oil company severance to co-found the Chinook Fund, a foundation that provides startup grants to community organizations that emphasize social change. He since has given tens of thousands of dollars to Chinook, which in 15 years has doled out more than $1.3 million to groups including:
Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace, which has sponsored protesters to tear town Israeli road blocks in the West Bank.
Colorado Hip-Hop Coalition, a group dedicated to "community empowerment for youth through hip-hop culture."
Gender Identity Center of Colorado, a group supporting "people who cross dress, are transsexual, or are non-traditional in their gender identity."
Denver Cop Watch, which monitors police brutality in the city and has spoken out against police compiling "spy files" against peaceful protesters.
The Boulder Living Wage Campaign, which wants that city, its contractors and grant recipients to pay workers a minimum of $12.50 per hour - vastly more than the $5.15 minimum wage required federally.
Hickenlooper raised the ire of another of his fund's recipients, Colorado ACORN, when he opposed a similar living wage initiative in Denver, where he owns seven restaurants, employs 400 workers and has enjoyed a $125,000 city loan and a $3 million subsidy from the Denver Urban Renewal Authority.
"We were disappointed in his stance, especially from a business owner who has been subsidized with tax dollars and has a reputation of being progressive," says Carolyn Siegel, the group's director at the time.
On the other side of the political spectrum, some conservatives worry that the liberal ethos that drives Chinook would, under Hickenlooper's leadership, bleed into the city.
"If it's any indication of what he'll do with tax dollars, then I'm very concerned," said Jon Caldara, president of the conservative Independence Institute.
Gunny Bob suggested that everyone show up with a 'Merry Christmas' sign and sing all the traditional Christmas carols during the parade.
BIG signs with BIG, red letters.
The P.C. crowd is so behind the times! Get over it already, you morons! JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON! That must be the part they don't like.
Maybe everyone should hold the sign in one hand and a Crucifix in the other. Although it seems implausible, the ACLU. the athiests and the Bolsheviks are winning, while the Christians continue to spend billions for their Season's Greeting presents.
This could not have happened at any time in our history prior to the 1960s.
Saw a snippet about this on tv tonight:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/holidays/3963530/detail.html
Church Group Upset They Can't March In Parade Of Lights
Parade Organizers Say Christmas Carols May Be Offensive To Others
POSTED: 4:24 pm MST December 1, 2004
UPDATED: 7:31 pm MST December 1, 2004
DENVER -- It's one of Denver's most colorful holiday traditions -- the lighting of the Denver City and County Building and the parade of lights downtown. But now two decisions about those events are making church groups see red.
Church Group Banned From Holiday Parade
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper recently announced that next year the phrase "Merry Christmas" will be removed from the city building and replaced with "Happy Holidays."
And now a church group who wants to march in the Parade of Lights and sing Christmas carols will not be allowed to participate in the parade. Organizers say the parade is about the holidays, not Christmas, but leaders of the Faith Bible Chapel say that's ridiculous.
"We can't pretend that Christ didn't exist and Christmas wasn't about his birthday, so we felt we could sing it and apparently that is not in social vogue anymore," said Pastor Gary Beasley, with the Faith Bible Chapel.
"This event is not one that has ever intended to have a religious message or a political message," said Susan Rogers, with the Downtown Denver Partnership.
She said no overtly religious symbols is allowed in the parade and that means participants can't carry "Merry Christmas" signs and can't sing traditional Christmas hymns.
But in the 30 years that it's been held, there has been an occasional Christmas element to the parade, such as marching bands playing Christmas songs, and several years ago a large balloon in the parade read "Merry Christmas." In 1987, even Mayor Federico Pena greeted the city with "Merry Christmas!" during the parade.
But last spring when the Faith Bible Chapel asked to be a part of the parade, offering to sponsor or build their own float and sing carols, organizers said no because it would be offensive.
"We try to be sensitive to the fact that we are a very diverse community and a very diverse world," said Rogers. She said this is a holiday parade, not specifically a Christmas parade, and it's occuring during a season when many other cultures are celebrating other holidays as well.
But Beasley doesn't see this reaction as being tolerant of other religions, but being intolerant of Christianity. He said his large evangelical organization is being excluded from a major downtown celebration.
"We're singing Christmas carols. It's Christmas time, people have been singing Christmas carols for hundreds of years in America," Beasley said.
The Arvada church group said since it cannot be in the parade, it will march one hour before this weekend's Parade of Lights, pass out hot chocolate and sing Christmas carols.
Who is being offended here? Immigrants? Illegal aliens?
Why was it OK 20 years ago, but not now?
They should pick a side street and do what they want there-no sponsers. go there.
And from what hallowed "tradition" might this parade have originated? Kwanzaa? This mayor's decision is pure rubbish, but at least it's being recognized as such.
BIG signs with BIG, red letters
That is an EXCELLENT idea ..
Should also print off a picture with the words Merry Christmas and tape it to the inside of your car window
That is 100% illegal.
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! EVERYONE NEEDS TO STOP CAVING IN NOW. IF I LIVED IN DENVER, I'D ATTEND DRESSED AS AN OLD FASHIONED CAROLER AND SING CHRISTMAS CAROLS 'TILL THE CATTLE CAME HOME. IF ANYONE TRIFLED WITH ME, I'D TELL THEM THEIR PC GARBAGE OFFENDED MY CHRISTIAN SENSIBILITIES.
"International Procession"? Since it's a Christmas parade, and everyone in town will be in attendance, 'tis the season to gather signatures for the recall of every elected official who advocated this fiasco and/or went along with it.
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