Mass. School district to close tuesday for ISLAMIC holiday?!

If you let US muslims get their own holiday, what about other religions?

If this keeps up, we would be having holiday like half the month....

Does any muslim country allow.. um lets say... Yom Kippur?



If someone gets a piece of the cake, everyone will want a piece!

I'm 100% against Islam. I think it's a death cult.

That being said, I'm all for this. It's setting a precedent at this point. All the arguments that are being used to support this will be used for Christians and Jews to mandate a day off as well. If the Muslims get a sanctioned religious holiday, then it will only be fair to change "winter break" back to "Christmas break". If schools can decide that Muslims get a religious day off, and can pray in schools on Fridays, then other religions should get the same.

The 1st Amendment is clear. It says "CONGRESS shall pass no law" (key word...CONGRESS). That doesn't mean that if a Christian kid wants to say a Christian prayer at a school graduation that they should be barred from doing so. They should have that right. Same goes for the Muslim. If there is a Muslim valedictorian, then that person has earned the right to speak, and say what they believe were guiding forces in their success. It's "freedom of religion", not "freedom from religion".

[sarcasm] Besides, Islam is a great religion if you're a man. You get to rape, and then have the rape victim stoned to death for being raped. You get to beat your wife and kids. You get to have multiple wives like the Mormons, and at the end of the day, you can even eat bacon as long as you're lying to an infidel and eating that bacon to get close to them so you can kill them. It's a wonderful religion, isn't it? I think it should be promoted heavily by people! [/sarcasm]

reply to post by supine

The simple solution would be if you are this unhappy about the decision of the school district to do this, yank your kids out and put them in private school!

I bet you a thousand theoretical internet dollars that the OP doesn't have kids in that district, and probably doesn't live anywhere near that district. I'd also put a cool 10$ down saying the OP doesn't have kids, and doesn't even live in the state that this decision was made in.

My money is on the fact that the OP was sent this article via his anti-muslim mailing list, as many others are, and is merely railing against people being afforded the same freedoms and privileges he seems to feel entitled to.

What happened to separation of church and state? there never was a separation, and there was never intended to be a separation. what you do have is a set of rules and principles that state the government shall not favor one religion over another, and will not interfere with religious practices.

If kids get christian holidays off, and jewish holidays off, then it's only in keeping with the founding documents of America that muslim holidays be recognized.

It's either inclusive, or nothing. Either everyone is included equally, or remove all religious holidays from federal holiday status.

It doesn't matter that this was done logically and democratically. It doesn't matter that this falls completely in line with the intentions of the "separation of church and state" issue.

This has everything to do with Muslims.

The rest of us are willing to admit that bias, now I challenge the OP to be as honest.

Our founding fathers are turning over in their graves...

If we "Americans" were to move in masse to a deep Muslim Country, do you suppose they would begin to honor Western Religious rights and freedoms?

Would they allow all of their students a day off for Christmas, or 4th of July?

I find it odd that it is day of sacrifice when it is clear they want to sacrifice everyone who is not of their faith.

reply to post by antar

Originally posted by Carseller4
This is not about Muslims getting a day off for one of their so-called holidays.

This is about the silence of the ACLU and other Christian hating organizations.

If a school district decided to take the day off for say...The National Day of Prayer (not a national holiday), the ACLU would be all over it.

Guess what, public school means the public uses the school. Religion has no place being involved in any public school, because the general public is comprised of many different faiths.

Once again, if you don't like it, yank your kids out of public school and feel free to enroll them into any religious based school of your choice. The article says there is a large population of Muslims in this district. If a lot of the kids are not going to show up that day, there is no reason for the schools to stay open.

Originally posted by antar
Our founding fathers are turning over in their graves...

If we "Americans" were to move in masse to a deep Muslim Country, do you suppose they would begin to honor Western Religious rights and freedoms?

That's really neither here nor there. We're talking about America and this hypothetical situation that you described is of no consequence.

Originally posted by antar
Would they allow all of their students a day off for Christmas, or 4th of July?

Once again that is inconsequential (and unless the country was south of the Equator they wouldn't be going to school during July 4th).

Originally posted by antar
I find it odd that it is day of sacrifice when it is clear they want to sacrifice everyone who is not of their faith.

You're painting with a mighty broad brush there. Care to back up what you're saying or is it just a generalization based on bigotry?

reply to post by antar
Eh...

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

- Article 11, Treaty of Tripoli

The founders wouldn't have an issue with this. Political governments treating some citizens a certain way doesn't have much to do with US citizens having equal rights with their own faiths, or the states/cities working with those citizens as deemed appropriate.

I really don't get the big deal about muslims getting a day off to celebrate a holiday especially if the majority is in fact muslim. This is example off how small government works. Where I live during the fair week there's a day in which most kids missed school.It was a deal in which you could buy a bracelet and ride as many rides as possible for cheaper than any other day at the fair. Instead of school officials cracking down on the kids the district's realized hey they're going to miss that day anyways so just take it off. That's what this school district did.Seriously is the only reason you're taking offense with this is because they're muslim. That is pretty sad. Can't wait til america has a new group of people to be scared off because commies and muslims are just getting boring.

I have a question, does it effect you personally? Do you have kids in that school district?

Mean if it doesn't effect you who really cares honestly, never under stood that about people, ooh gay marriage bad, who the hell cares really, if the LGBT want to get married, and be miserable like the rest of us let em. I don't have to go to a wedding if I dont want to, I dont have to marry them if I dont want to, I'm not going on their honey moon, so who really cares.

Same goes for this, if it doesn't effect you why bother with it live longer that way, so they want to celebrate a holiday that isn't christian, in my honest opinion Americans and religious Americans at that are big bullies want everyone to do it their way or not at all. Everyone is wrong and they are always right, this right here some times makes me ashamed to be an american, hell it makes me ashamed to be a human being.

I was always the honorary white Muslim when Eid rolled around in my school days. Nothing like a free school holiday and a few hours partying in a limousine

Originally posted by antar
Our founding fathers are turning over in their graves...

If we "Americans" were to move in masse to a deep Muslim Country, do you suppose they would begin to honor Western Religious rights and freedoms?

Would they allow all of their students a day off for Christmas, or 4th of July?

I find it odd that it is day of sacrifice when it is clear they want to sacrifice everyone who is not of their faith.

The 4th of July is not a religious holiday. I'm sure exceptions would be made in schools with a high number of expats.

But to answer your question it depends on the country. Lebanon, for example, celebrates Christmas. To be expected as Christians make up a good 35% of the country.

In Pakistan Christmas is somewhat celebrated, and it's not uncommon to see festivities and celebrations by all the community.

In Iran the Christians celebrate Christmas

I think you would be surprised. While there's plenty of religious conflict and discrimination in Muslim countries, holidays are usually respected

We close our schools for Christmas. Christian holiday. Get over it. Cant pick and choose my friend.

IMHO we (USA) need school year round, no holidays. It might help with the intellect problem every one says we have.

Originally posted by ga-`tv-gi
IMHO we (USA) need school year round, no holidays. It might help with the intellect problem every one says we have.

I think you Americans are too hard on your educational system - It's generally very well regarded, at least at the higher levels(College and University).

Problem for America is a cultural problem as with every where else. Too superficial, intelligence is scoffed at and being well educated and decent just isn't "cool".

Getting people to care about school and education needs to start outside the school. It's the responsibility of parents, primarily. In truth we - those of us in the West - probably have it too easy. Countries with real struggle seem much more competent in stressing the importance of education and intelligence.

Now if you could fill American schools with the kids in the 3rd world who walk 10 miles a day for their education, then you'd be going somewhere. But all the best schools in the West seem to be filled with idiots who don't care.

Originally posted by AllUrChips
Hey, I got an idea, lets just take the whole year off, trade christmas with kwanza, and easter for some other countries liking. HOW ABOUT this is AMERICA and this is the exact reason we are losing our country slowly but surely, and I dont have to stand for it, you can, IM NOT!

dude, you're funny. in which country did kwanza originate?
as long as you keep it to the ATS forums, you can "not stand for it" as much as you like. but the moment you take this ludicrous hate speech out into public and actually "do something" I hope somebody like me is there to physically remind why the USA is AWESOME.
(hint: it's because we accept everyone and draw from the world's strengths in order to become something greater than any single nation could be relying only on one race or creed contained therein)

When will some of you get it in your head that we are not a Democracy. We are a Constitutional Republic. Democracy is Socialism. The ignorance of some of these so called liberals is really sad. Islam is not a religion. It's a cult.

Islam embraces all aspects of the society that it dwells in. Including government! I hate Islam but not Muslims. Muslims are used & manipulated like so many other people. Those of you in support of this had better be in full support of school prayer and creationism being taught in school. If you're not you're a bunch of hypocrites and you're a joke.

When I transferred to a hick school the first day of deer hunting season was a holiday and there was no school.....

Originally posted by AllUrChips
Also I noticed a show coming out on TLC called american muslim? Just the trailer really upset me the way they are trying to bring their sharia law to this country. Look, your welcome to immigrate here, or practice your countries ways as long as it falls within the peramiters of US LAW. Period!

edit on 7-11-2011 by AllUrChips because: (no reason given)

This statement I am about to make will more than likely upset many on this forum so here goes. First off Cambridge Mass. Is full of some of the most far left fruitcakes in the U.S. After all they educated our Muslim president. This being said it is also very big business orientated and is all about socialism and the New World Order.

The NWO is the brainchild of the satanists who are preparing the way for the return of their master and Islam and sharia law will be their tool of obedience and destruction. I find it only fitting that the freaks of Cambridge get the ball rolling in their direction .

Originally posted by Carseller4
This is not a federal holiday. What happened to the so-called separation of church and state?

Where is the ACLU?

We used to close for Christmas break when I was in school....Were you concerned about church and state then?

They still do. Now they just call it winter break....

Honestly, I say so what. A break from school is a break from school. As a kid I would not have cared of it was a break for some..... I don't know... satanic thing even....

it's a break from school.