August 5, 2016

This is another in a series of responses to my conservative relative’s forwarded emails. If you’re interested, you can read more about how this all started.

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Received Jul 14, 2016 at 7:37 AM, in 24 point font:

American Co. Eliminates Labor Day

American Co. Eliminates Labor Day to show support for their 700 Muslim employees…working in Tennessee.

THANKS! SO glad they have their name on all of their products. That will make it much easier to eliminate picking up one of their products by mistake. The takeover continues, slowly but surely. Tyson Foods eliminates Labor Day in favor of a Muslim Holiday.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you take over America ? One American at a time. Tyson chicken anyone? We all need to heed this message.

Tyson Food in Shelbyville, Tennessee has eliminated Labor Day as a paid holiday in favor of the last day of Ramadan because they have 700 Muslim employees. Tennessee is the newest Hot-Bed for Muslim immigration. According to the 2010 Government Census more Muslims are flocking to Tennessee than any other state in the union.

I will no longer purchase any Tyson products. It’s just one more little chunk of America that’s been bitten off. If you wish to join me, then let your e-mail friends know this. If we don’t stand up for something we will fall for anything. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

*And the best way to send them the message that they made the wrong decision is to not buy Tyson chicken products!*

Ahlahu Akbar, my ***!

This was verified:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2c2933%2c397645%2c00.html

 

My response:

Not true

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/tyson.asp

 

Her response:

So what I read was…. IT WAS true, but they thought better of it and changed their minds due to the stir it caused.
I don’t like that it WAS true for even ten seconds!!!!!!!!!!
What happens when we’re outnumbered?????
It won’t be us- not you or me- It will be [my son] and [my nephew] and [my nephew] and [my nephew].

 

My response:

Sorry… nope. I completely disagree.

First off, let’s recognize that this is a story from 2008 – eight years ago! It’s not like this is some recent issue that has ANYTHING to do with (overblown) fears about ISIS, refugees from Syria, etc.

Second, based on the facts of the story, there was one particular plant in Shelbyville, Tennessee. About 25% of their unionized plant workers (250 of 1,000) were Somali refugee immigrants who are Muslim. The union, in their contract negotiations, requested that their employees get Eid Al Fitr off instead of Labor Day. That contract was agreed upon and was voted in by over 80% (800+ people) of their union members at the plant.

Ultimately this was changed, probably largely due to the story getting picked up nationally and the (in my opinion, unnecessary and ridiculous) outrage it inspired, so that the employees could either take off Eid or their birthday.

In 2008, when this came up, Eid was being celebrated at the beginning of October, so it was still an early Fall holiday. A swap with Labor Day seems pretty logical, timing-wise.

So, a union at a particular plant had a large enough Muslim membership that they asked for one of their holiest holidays off, it was agreed upon by all parties, and ratified by the union membership. What’s wrong with that?

Third, let’s examine what happens during the celebration of Eid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Fitr). It’s the holiday that ends the month of Ramadan. Some of the general rituals involved are:

– Donating to charity
– Showing happiness
– Walking to a Mosque
– Engaging in Prayer Services
– Enjoying fine food/festive meals

Specifically, in the US (quoting from the Wikipedia link above):

Most Muslims in the United States offer the Eid prayer in big-city Islamic centers, convention halls or open parks. Muslims from different cultures with multi-national customs get together for prayers and celebrations. In some cities, prayers are done at multiple times to accommodate the large number of attendees. Generally, Muslims visit each other’s homes on Eid or hold large feasts in mosques or community halls. Sometimes, mosques rent parks for Muslims to pray in.

During the 3 days of Eid, many Muslims join big parties sponsored either by a community mosque or Islamic center or by a wealthy Muslim in the community. Children receive gifts, and all participants enjoy sweet, spicy and other flavorful delicacies. Many Muslims also donate money to those less fortunate. Sometimes, Muslims reserve amusement parks, skating rinks or other activity centers for an entire day of fun.

Sounds like a wonderful holiday.

Starting in 2016, New York City public schools will be closed during Eid. This reminds me of various towns, cities, and states that were lobbied when I was young to close schools during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, once their Jewish populations got big enough. I wonder if there were residents complaining about the special treatment that “those people” got when that happened, too…

As far as “being outnumbered”, let’s not go overboard here. According to recent estimates (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/01/06/a-new-estimate-of-the-u-s-muslim-population/), there are about 3.3 million Muslims of all ages in the US. That represents only 1% of total US population. That number is expected to double by 2050 – in 34 YEARS. I hardly think we’re in danger of being “overrun” by Muslims in the US.

What’s more, most Muslims in the US (like most other immigrants) tend to integrate well into American society, as they aren’t marginalized and ostracized in the same way they often are in Europe (that’s not to say that they don’t face discrimination here; they certainly do, as evidenced by emails from 2008 that still get circulated to scare people).

In the case of this particular story, you’re talking about a group of Muslims who were refugees from Somalia, came to the US and settled in Tennessee, got jobs, joined the union, and ultimately petitioned their employer to allow them to have a day off to celebrate one of their holiest holidays. If that’s not how we want immigrants to behave in the US, I don’t know what is.