Today is Good Friday, the time of year when Christians commemorate the execution of Jesus Christ. Most New Yorkers look forward to Good Friday because it often means a day off from work or school. The city’s financial markets are mercifully closed today (and will not likely see a miraculous resurrection come Monday), which means I have the day off.
Recently, Muslim groups have asked for the New York City school calendar to be amended to allow days off for Muslim students on holy days. I agree with Mayor Bloomberg in opposing this. Adding more religious holidays to a school schedule that already has days off for Christian and Jewish holidays would send us on a slippery slope to infinite sectarian squabbling. New York taxpayers already make enough allowances to religious holidays and exemptions, probably more than we should. If you want to keep your children out of school for a religious observance, fine. Don’t expect the rest of the city to put everything on hold for you. That goes for Orthodox Christians and Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and any and all other superstitious kvetchers.
Infidel and heretic that I am, I spent today at home, avoiding work. Did I inadvertently participate in a religious observance? I don’t know, but it won’t keep me out of hell.
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