Minnesota resident's Christmas light display shamed for 'harmful impact' to community in anonymous letter

[Drosselmeyer]

Minnesota resident's Christmas light display shamed for 'harmful impact' to community in anonymous letter

The letter asks the resident to 'respect the dignity of all people.'

By Lucas Manfredi | Fox News       12/08/2020

An unidentified St. Anthony, Minnesota resident has received an anonymous letter on Monday chastising them for their Christmas light display.

"The idea of twinkling, colorful lights are a reminder of divisions that continue to run through our society, a reminder of systemic biases against our neighbors who don't celebrate Christmas or who can't afford to put up lights of their own," the letter, shared by Crime Watch Minneapolis, reads. "We must do work of educating ourselves about the harmful impact an outward facing display like yours can have."

The letter then challenges the resident to "respect the dignity of all people, while striving to learn from differences, ideas, and opinions of our neighbors."

"We must come together collectively and challenge these institutional inequities," the letter concludes. "St. Anthony is a community welcoming of all people and we must demand better for ourselves." 

The letter has received pushback on social media, with former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Derek Anderson replying "Saw this coming a long time ago. “If I can’t have it nobody can” or “ if they have it we all deserve it” that’s not life."

Source:   https://www.foxnews.com/us/minnesota-residents-christmas-light-display-shamed-for-harmful-impact

[Black Hills Santa]

I love the hypocrisy: respect all people but not the homeowner. Classic hatred being spewed by someone who can do nothing but see bad in everything and seeks to destroy anything or anyone they do not like. If I received this letter I would put up more lights. If this was my neighbor who got the letter I would put up more lights. Meanwhile I would now blast Xmas music in the neighborhood. Chastise me for celebrating Christmas?  Kiss my mistletoe!

Edited December 8, 2020 by Black Hills Santa

[Jeff Hillyard]

Yikes, I seem to lean more left than a lot of people in the Santa Community but even I think whomever wrote that letter is out to lunch.

@Black Hills Santa hit the nail on the head, quite hypocritical to shame someone for putting up Christmas lights because someone else may not celebrate Christmas. Quite the stretch.

[Rob Thompson]

Well this calls for my spin on John Lydgates classic quote,

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.” 

'And some people refuse to be pleased'

Absolutely ridiculous, and not even the decency to pen their name. I think coal is in order here

[Tommy]

This letter seemed to preach tolerance and yet it is intolerant.  To me it says, you need to be accepting of everyone just as they are yet we don't/won't accept you as you are.  It screams "you need to change to suit me/us."  This is an interesting letter and reveals many things about the writer as well as the current thinking of some in society today.   Another thing, what could represent inclusion better than different colored lights, side by side, all together working on a single electrical string to provide beauty and happiness?  Just my two cents.      

[Michael Morrissey]

Reading the letter  I am amazed at what bothers some people,  with all that goes on in the world they take the time to write about twinkling lights.  

I really like Tommy's comment though,

what could represent inclusion better than different colored lights, side by side, all together working on a single electrical string to provide beauty and happiness