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Two Muslim Holidays to Become Official California State Holidays

Susan Quinn
@SusanQuinn
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I just can’t accept this news: two Muslim holidays will be recognized in California AB2017, as proposed by California State Assembly member Matt Haney (D-San Francisco). The bill would designate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as state holidays. And according to Mr. Haney, this act would ensure that Muslims are “seen, valued and treated with the same dignity as every other community in our state.” (I wonder how he figures that will be an outcome.)

Mr. Haney believes that since they are one of the largest religious groups in the country (that’s reassuring), they should get the same recognition as Christianity, such as Christmas or Easter.

By the way, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) cosponsored the bill.

Does anyone really believe that these observances will increase the status of Muslims in the community? CAIR-CA Legislative & Government Affairs Director Oussama Mokeddem assures us it will: “This is a historic moment for California’s over one million Muslims. The climate of heightened fear and anti-Muslim hostility in our country remains a daily reality.”

For the record, there are just over 500,000 Muslims in CA (not one million).

There is no magical way for Muslims to improve their image in this country. Giving them holidays off will not send any helpful signals to the larger community, except that they get time off. I wonder if they will also begin to teach Islam in the CA schools; after all, we’d want the other children to know about their holiday observances, right?

There are too many signs that Muslims are making substantial inroads into the governance of our country. This country was founded on Judaic-Christian principles, and as a result, we honor the two major holidays that come out of that tradition.

I don’t believe that Muslims have earned that honor.

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Discussion (129)

  • Stad@Stad

    How many Jewish holidays does California have? If none, maybe making some that would allow Jewish citizens to be “seen, valued, and treated with the same dignity as every other community in our [Califonia] state” . . .

  • Susan Quinn@SusanQuinn
    ReplyingtoStad

    Stad (View Comment):

    How many Jewish holidays does California have? If none, maybe making some that would allow Jewish citizens to be “seen, valued, and treated with the same dignity as every other community in our [Califonia] state” . . .

    Oh, I'm sure that would go over really big!! A little dignity would go a long way, but I don't think the Jews would expect it in CA. Thanks, though, Stad.

  • Barfly@Barfly

    This is wrong in too many ways to list. Even well meaning people don't get that Islam is different, it's supremacist and single minded. Not that Mr. Haney is well meaning.

  • Miffed White Male@MiffedWhiteMale

    Mr. Haney believes that since they are one of the largest religious groups in the country (that’s reassuring), it should get the same recognition as Christianity, such as Christmas or Easter.

    They should get the same recognition.

    It was sometime in the late 1980s or early 1990s when the State of Wisconsin STOPPED giving its employees a half-day holiday for Good Friday.

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