Something just didn't sit well with Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden when a city of Fort Collins task force recommended white lights, as well as neutral and non-religious decorations such as "snowflakes, snowmen, snowballs, ice skates, skis, penguins, polar bears, white lights, etc.," for this time of year."Penguins? This is dangerous territory. What about those of us who were traumatized by Danny DeVito's performance as Oswald Cobblepot in 'Batman Returns?' Skis? What about the poor who can't afford to go skiing? How elitist and insensitive!" he wrote in his department's "Bulls-Eye" website column.His sarcasm continued: "The Task Force managed to avoid any reference to Santa Claus, AKA St. Nick, but one would assume the jolly old gentleman would be banned due to the association of saints with religion."Alderden, the Larimer County sheriff for decades and a veteran of handling hostage situations, forest fires and other life-threatening situations, was ticked by the recent work of the city task force, headed by an ACLU volunteer, which recommended white lights and secular decorations for the city, because other decorations such as red and green lights fall among the items that are too religious for the city to sponsor."Some symbols, even though the Supreme Court has declared that in many contexts they are secular symbols, often still send a message to some members of the community that they and their traditions are not valued and not wanted. We don't want to send that message," Seth Anthony, a spokesman for the committee, said earlier.He said the recommended language does not specifically address Christmas trees by name, but the consensus was that they would not fall within acceptable decorations.What will be allowed are white lights and "secular" symbols not associated "with any particular holiday" such as icicles, unadorned greenery and snowflakes, the task force said. .
