City of Dearborn asked to close on Muslim holidays

AP ^ | 4.15.04

[ambrose]

City of Dearborn asked to close on Muslim holidays

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) - Good Friday and Christmas are city holidays. Now, with a large Muslim population living in Dearborn, local leaders of the faith are asking: Why not shut down for our holidays as well?

The western Detroit suburb of 88,000 has been a magnet for immigrants from the Mideast for decades and has one of the nation's largest concentration of Arabs.

Nearly 40 percent of Dearborn public school students are Muslim. The city also serves as a cultural and religious center for the estimated 300,000 members of the Arab-American community in southeastern Michigan.

The two major Muslims holidays in question are Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the monthlong Ramadan fast, and Eid al-Adha, which marks the annual completion of the pilgrimage to Mecca. The dates of the holidays change each year because they are determined by a lunar calendar.

"You do have a large Arab-American population in the city of Dearborn, and it is time for people of the Muslim faith to feel equally important," said Ahmed Chebbani, chairman of the American-Arab Chamber of Commerce.

The American Muslim Society on April 6 asked the City Council to make both days city holidays. The council referred the request to the city's legal department. Each of the Muslim holidays last for several days.

One city councilman expressed doubt.

"The city of Dearborn will follow the state and federal holiday calendar, and until that changes, that's where I stand," Thomas Tafelski said.

[SJackson]

Cities with a lot of Jews as students or teachers sometime close on Yom Kippur, on the grounds that lots of people would be absent anyway. Some cities close on Good Friday afternoon for the same reason,...

Are you sure the "cities" close, not the schools. I'm familiar with a number of schools that close for Good Friday all day, and hold institute days on the Jewish holidays, since a drop in attendance on those days costs state dollars. None of the municipalities close though.

[oldcomputerguy]

"Nuke Dearborn!!! "

Wait till I leave, I am flying out on Saturday!!

[Truth29]

As we get more and more religious and ethnic groups, should we close for each of their holidays? Maybe we should only provide a personal holiday for individuals who identify as a member of a specific group. The problem is the growing number of nonproductive holidays which hurts the US's competitive standing against other world producers.

[brownsfan]

They won't be happy until every American male is bowing down to Mecca 5 times a day and every woman is in a full length abayya and veil.

You forgot one more condition of them being happy... those that refuse to do what you stated are dead.
I'm convinced, Muslims are a cancer on any society. I won't be happy until they feel so uncomfortable here that they get out and go back to the Middle East.
These are not hollow words, I would gladly take up arms against these cowardly, baby killing, neanderthals!

[Vigilantcitizen]

Well lookee here, it's the coward that posted these keywords on the thread about Private Michelle Witnmer's death in Iraq...

To: simply marvelous

The keywords you posted to this thread were pulled as being inappropriate. If you have comments to make, make them on the thread.

consequences simply marvelous 04/13/2004 12:53:33 AM CDT Y
nosympathyhere simply marvelous 04/13/2004 12:54:46 AM CDT Y
getwhatyougive simply marvelous 04/13/2004 12:54:46 AM CDT Y
livebythesword simply marvelous 04/13/2004 12:54:46 AM CDT Y

144 posted on 04/14/2004 11:35:18 AM EDT by Admin Moderator

[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

You're a gutless, worthless coward that desecrated our war dead. You're not wanted here. Go away.

The keywords you posted to this thread were pulled as being inappropriate. If you have comments to make, make them on the thread.

consequences simply marvelous 04/13/2004 12:53:33 AM CDT Y
nosympathyhere simply marvelous 04/13/2004 12:54:46 AM CDT Y
getwhatyougive simply marvelous 04/13/2004 12:54:46 AM CDT Y
livebythesword simply marvelous 04/13/2004 12:54:46 AM CDT Y

[who knows what evil?]

One city councilman expressed doubt.

Within a few years, Muslims will control the council, then you'll see some REAL changes.

[SJackson]

Thanks for reminding me, our compassionate Canadian ally and friend. I'm still grateful for their help in Afghanistan, and mourn their war dead.

[Atomic Vomit]

Yep, kneel on your prayer rug and bray to mecca!

[mtbopfuyn]

Why not shut down for our holidays as well?

Because this country was founded on God and Christian beliefs.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

They commit suicide with bombs, we do it with indifference.

Wrong.

They commit MURDER with bombs.

Islam worships murder.

[Skooz]

They won't be happy until every American male is bowing down to Mecca 5 times a day ...

We just built a home last year. For some reason I did not think to have the toilet situated in such a way as to be able to take a leak in the direction of Mecca. Dang it.

[SJackson]

Since the topic came up.

Michelle embodied the values we in Wisconsin hold dear — courage, commitment, a deep desire to make life better for others and a willingness to sacrifice, including the ultimate sacrifice in service to the people of this state and nation
Gov. Jim Doyle.

Michelle worked seven days a week like all of our soldiers in Iraq. She pulled the third shift in some very tough sections of Baghdad. This would have brought most of us to our knees. Specialist Witmer died doing what she believed in. She was very proud of her contribution as a woman, a soldier and as an American
Gen. Kerry Denson

[Bikers4Bush]

We don't celebrate muslim holidays here. If you want that crap move to the middle east.

[itsahoot]

Now they want to bring their wonderful culture here. I don't think so.

And just what do you see preventing this? The soon to be Mexican majority may fight them off, but we never will. Welcome to the Brave New World Order.

[itsahoot]

We don't celebrate muslim holidays here. If you want that crap move to the middle east.

Or New York City, where the public schools supply prayer rooms and flexible schedules for the muslims.

[HitmanLV]

Michigan has been trending this way for about 2 decades...

[Moleman]

real school rivals involve burning cars
Well I'm an MSU fan, we burn couches :-)

[mrsmith]

"If the facts in this case are similar, I see nothing intrinsically wrong with it. "

Whole cities? I've seen institutions and busineeses do that, but not whole cities.
But I haven't seen everything. :-)

It would depend on the relationship between the state and city too. In some states cities are creatures of the state and in some they are more independent.

In general though you're right. If it's not done to coerce religion upon people it's ok.

[Monty22]

Well, except coercion is all this is about.

[mrsmith]

Closing for Christmas is coercive?

Most people like a day off.