Free Republic

For World War II veteran Sam Stia, a legislative proposal that would cease requiring New Jersey schools to teach about Veterans Day and Memorial Day can be summed up in two words. "That's wrong," Mr. Stia, 83, said from his Hamilton home, where he flies an American flag at half-staff to honor fallen soldiers. "We're just giving our flag away and our patriotism away." Mr. Stia and other veterans are steamed about the proposal, which state lawmakers unanimously passed last month. It now awaits action by the governor. It was included as part of a larger measure designed to help...

Muslim politicians in Norway are lobbying for establishment of a new national holiday to celebrate the end of a month of fasting. They think the holiday should be recognized along the same lines as Christmas. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a feast, like that covering this table in Oslo. PHOTO: KNUT SNARE "The best would be to get Eid-al-Fitr (most commonly called "id" in Norway) on the calendar as a public free day for everyone," Yousef Gilani, a city politician in Drammen, told newspaper VG. Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Fast of Ramadan, was celebrated on...

French to Protest Lost National Holiday By JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press Writer Sun May 15, 5:41 PM ET PARIS - A French government plan to scrap an annual springtime holiday in favor of a "Day of Solidarity" with the elderly seemed like a good idea when the law was passed — and the extra work day was far in the future. ADVERTISEMENT But the end to a coveted day off — which would normally fall on Monday — has not gone down well among the leisure-loving French, and now a spectrum of workers across the country was preparing to stay...