Our Choice City

It is true that Northern Colorado does not offer much in the way of diversity?

Fort Collins likes to claim that they are the “Choice City,” but what choice is there? Apparently being in Fort Collins requires you to be Christian or accept the fact that they are not open to diversity of any kind and to be happy with the idea of a Christmas tree as a secular decoration. The idea that a Christmas tree is secular is absurd. The city’s attorneys claim that a menorah is religious, but in fact it is a Jewish symbol of history and triumph, really has nothing to do with religion. Just because Mr. Kastein is comfortable saying “Merry Christmas” doesn’t mean we all are. Our community needs to realize that there are others living here who do not celebrate Christmas. Displaying a menorah would help in raising awareness of other cultures that live in this society and perhaps lessen the ignorance that many in our community have.

There are Christmas trees and Santas displayed all over town. Is it really too much to ask for a symbol to represent a miraculous time in history? It is time for Fort Collins city council members to open their minds just a little and realize we are not living up to our slogan of being the choice city, but more fittingly, the city of exclusion.

Carmody Leerssen

junior

English composition

Students should properly represent CSU

As a 30-year Fort Collins resident, parent of two CSU graduates, CSU supporter and Kansas State graduate, I looked forward to last Saturday’s match up.

What my wife and I were subjected to was the very boorish behavior on the part of a horn player in the pep band. When the announcement concerning sportsmanship was made before the game, he must have been at the concession stand getting another beer. If this young man had looked around, he might have noticed the frowns and shaking heads of his fellow supporters. His actions greatly diminished my experience. He also displayed a lack of basic basketball knowledge.

I believe that students, faculty, athletes and administrators should be ambassadors for their institutions, not embarrassments. Since it seems that this behavior if not condoned by the CSU administration, athletic department and the pep band is at least tolerated. If that is the case, I will be reassessing my support of CSU financially and otherwise. I have exalted in CSU’s triumphs and suffered along with my CSU friends during the hard times, but maybe no more.

Although I have always been partial to CSU, I will always bleed Wildcat purple.

Mike Gary

Fort Collins resident