Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Cornell University Warns Mistletoe Isn't 'Inclusive'
The Daily Caller ^ | 12-6-15 | Blake

Posted on 12/06/2015 6:55:58 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic

A guide to "inclusive" Christmas decorations created by Cornell University warns that any decorations that remotely evoke religion, which includes stars and mistletoe, are incompatible with the school's commitment to diversity.

The guidelines are buried inside a Cornell publication concerning fire safety guidelines for holiday decorations, and were first noticed by the website Campus Reform. The first half of the document concerns certain banned fire hazards, such as candles and metallic Christmas trees.

The second half of the document, though, veers off into a discussion of how to make the Christmas season more "inclusive."

"University members are reminded to be respectful of the religious diversity of our students and colleagues and are encouraged to use an inclusive approach in celebrating the holiday season," the document says. Students are encouraged to be more "diverse" by either focusing on winter instead of Christmas or by including decorations for multiple holidays alongside secular decorations.

The university then rattles off a list of decorations that are "NOT consistent" with the school's "commitment to diversity and inclusiveness." The discouraged decorations include the following:

-Nativity scenes

-Menorahs

-Angels

-Mistletoe

-Stars (when placed on top of trees)

-Crosses

-Stars of David

While the religious connotations of nativity scenes or Stars of David is rather obvious, it's not clear why mistletoe is considered as possibly offensive.

The school says that holly, Santa Clauses, and wreaths might be acceptable decorations, but only after "dialogue within [a] living unit or area" to ensure nobody is offended.

Universities around the country have been issuing Christmas guidelines aimed at discouraging the display of religious symbols. A recent guidance email at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, for instance, warned against letting holiday parties become "Christmas parties in disguise" and discouraged using terms such as "Secret Santa" because they could offend people.

Follow Blake on Twitter


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christmas; cornell; mistletoe; politicalcorrectness
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last

Click The Pic To Donate

Support FR, Donate Monthly If You Can

21 posted on 12/06/2015 7:19:58 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

They are not nuts. They don’t want gays kissing other gays in public.


22 posted on 12/06/2015 7:21:01 AM PST by Bogie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

Come one. Come all!

You are all invited to my dorm room Christmas party where you can either worship the birth of our Lord Jseus or you can kindly kiss my ass and GTFO.


23 posted on 12/06/2015 7:21:26 AM PST by Delta 21 (Patiently waiting for the jack booted kick at my door.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

Still trying to figure out how excluding things becomes more inclusive.


24 posted on 12/06/2015 7:23:38 AM PST by Right Brother
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

Someone at Cornell never got kissed under the mistletoe, obviously.


25 posted on 12/06/2015 7:23:58 AM PST by polymuser ( Enough is enough)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

To sum it up:

You must be tolerant of all other cultures and abandon your own culture.

Tolerance is a two way street.

One way tolerance is tyranny and that is what we currently have.


26 posted on 12/06/2015 7:24:47 AM PST by joshua c (Please dont feed the liberals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic
Yet, excluding these "non-inclusive" items is the epitome of inclusiveness.

Twits don't realize that 99% of what the push for is not inclusive and should therefore be scrapped.

27 posted on 12/06/2015 7:25:04 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

So is the kwanza menorah with the black center candle lumped in with the hannukah menorah or is it ok ?


28 posted on 12/06/2015 7:26:58 AM PST by redcatcherb412
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

“Inclusive” is genocide.


29 posted on 12/06/2015 7:28:42 AM PST by The Toll
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cowgirl of Justice
"Your damn college isn't inclusive!!!!! How many applicants do YOU reject every single year"

Precisely correct. Plus you can bet that many of the faculty of Cornell (among other nominally ‘elite’ universities) think of themselves as superior to the faculty from less ‘prestigious’ universities. They are mired in pedigree, and this is about as ‘exclusive’ as you can be. It's just more hypocrisy from people too ignorant to know that they are ignorant. Ignorance and being credentialed in ‘higher education’ are not mutually exclusive - by any means.

30 posted on 12/06/2015 7:29:02 AM PST by pieceofthepuzzle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic
My mistletoe is inclusive to cute girls. It's also inclusive to not so cute girls. But it's not inclusive to Helen Thomas looking girls.

Glad I went to Georgia Southern and not Cornell.

31 posted on 12/06/2015 7:30:13 AM PST by real saxophonist (YouTube + Twitter + Facebook = YouTwitFace.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic
Let's just face it: Bacchus will be worshiped at far more college parties this month than Jesus.

But that's just the beginning of my Airing of Grievances.


32 posted on 12/06/2015 7:32:07 AM PST by KarlInOhio (CNBC = Clowns Neutered By Cruz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

33 posted on 12/06/2015 7:33:25 AM PST by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

Here is the deal: you can worship Baal for all I care. Sacrifice your chickens and goats.

I will worship my God. I will put with a nativity science and hang lights on my shrub.

When we go out to get the paper in the morning we will give each other a wave and bitch about taxes.

THAT is America. That is why we are exceptional.


34 posted on 12/06/2015 7:33:34 AM PST by Vermont Lt (I had student debt. It came from a bank. Not from the Govt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: broken_arrow1

Only if it lights up.


35 posted on 12/06/2015 7:34:52 AM PST by Vermont Lt (I had student debt. It came from a bank. Not from the Govt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: JennysCool

“Excluding things is inclusive. Got it.”

Right. Just like intolerance is intolerant. Liberalism is a mental disorder. If you didn’t bring enough candy for everybody to have some, then you can’t have any either.


36 posted on 12/06/2015 7:35:24 AM PST by bk1000 (A clear conscious is a sure sign of a poor memory)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

Apparently Cornell is staffed by angry lesbians who once stood under mistletoe and didn’t find any takers.


37 posted on 12/06/2015 7:37:54 AM PST by skeeter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic
So, is Kwanzaa's fake menorah banned as well?

There's something weird about banning things in order to be "inclusive," isn't there?

38 posted on 12/06/2015 7:39:42 AM PST by Zionist Conspirator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

Actually, it could be not only included but virtually required if a little creative thinking is used.

Mistletoe is among the plants that is toxic to eat. As a Cornell professor, I know that our toxic plants collections and exhibits have a very long tradition are actually quite famous. They are used as student teaching tools. We have courses in several colleges that cover toxic plants.

Simple solution. Mistletoe can be displayed as a content-rich educational exhibit that supports our approved toxicology and and biomedical sciences courses.

Do it for the students.


39 posted on 12/06/2015 7:40:39 AM PST by rod1 (CTLY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

Winter Holiday Displays/Decorations that are Consistent with Cornell’s Commitment to Diversity and the University Assembly Guidelines:
• Snowflakes
• Trees (in accordance with Fire Safety Guidelines) decorated with snowflakes and other non-religious
symbols

https://sp.ehs.cornell.edu/fps/fire-code-compliance/Documents/FCC_Fire_Safety_Guidelines_for_Holidays_Decorations.pdf


Snowflakes. Figures.


40 posted on 12/06/2015 7:51:26 AM PST by Flick Lives (One should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast. -- Heinlein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson