Tyson Foods Axes Labor Day Holiday for Muslim One

[Nick Danger]

Please spread the word --

Tyson Foods has eliminated the paid Labor Day holiday and replaced it with a Muslim holiday. This is a copyrighted page from WSMV Nashville / Shelbyville, TN, so I am having to publish the link instead of the article's text. I find this quite appalling!


http://www.wsmv.com/news/17063986/detail.html#-

[TheTed]

From the moment I saw this I knew it'd be prime fodder for all the right wing radio hosts/websites.

I don't see the big deal here.

There are a lot of Muslim workers at said plant (700 out of 1200 total workers). The union and plant agreed to it.

It's not really my concern what the union and plant agree to.

There are many different religions represented in this country. We need to do more to accommodate our differences.

[Red Arrow]

quote:Originally posted by TheTed

From the moment I saw this I knew it'd be prime fodder for all the right wing radio hosts/websites.

I don't see the big deal here.

There are a lot of Muslim workers at said plant (700 out of 1200 total workers). The union and plant agreed to it.

It's not really my concern what the union and plant agree to.

There are many different religions represented in this country. We need to do more to accommodate our differences.

I might understand exchanging religious holidays, say Christmas or Good Friday for a Muslim day but not something so secular as Labor Day. For a Labor Union to get rid of a day celebrating American Labor doesn't make sense. What's next?  Trade the 4th of July for a Buddhist holiday?  How about Memorial Day for a Jewish holiday.  Martin Luther King Day for a Native American belief. I sure this forum can arrive at some more equally divisive substitutions. Some holidays are a part of our culture.  What is happening to the American melting pot? Are we becoming the Disunited Cultures of North America?

[rwarn17588]

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

Originally posted by TheTed



Are we becoming the Disunited Cultures of North America?

Becoming?

America has *always* been a nation of varying cultures. To assume that we ever were just one culture is presumptuous and just plain incorrect.

If you don't believe me, ask the Indians.

[Nick Danger]

Why did they not just add another holiday? Or do like some companies do, and declare a "diversity day" like some large companies? This would enable the employees to take the day of their choice.

I really don't think they would be open to this if it happened to them in their country. It seems like we just bend farther and farther over to appease this group. I also believe the further we bend over to accommodate them, the more divisive the issue becomes.

[Red Arrow]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

Originally posted by TheTed



Are we becoming the Disunited Cultures of North America?

Becoming?

America has *always* been a nation of varying cultures. To assume that we ever were just one culture is presumptuous and just plain incorrect.

If you don't believe me, ask the Indians.

I am aware that not everyone has become part of the melting pot.  I am aware too that "our culture" is made of many, see "melting pot".  Hopefully most US citizens think of themselves as (United States of) Americans first and allow their ancestory be a proud part of the past.  A past not to be forgotten, just not the prime mover of their daily existance.

[we vs us]

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow



What's next?  Trade the 4th of July for a Buddhist holiday?  How about Memorial Day for a Jewish holiday.  Martin Luther King Day for a Native American belief.

Cats and dogs, living together!  Mass Hysteria!

[rwarn17588]

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

I am aware that not everyone has become part of the melting pot.  I am aware too that "our culture" is made of many, see "melting pot".  Hopefully most US citizens think of themselves as (United States of) Americans first and allow their ancestory be a proud part of the past.  A past not to be forgotten, just not the prime mover of their daily existance.

You're tripping over your contradictions.

You honestly expect anyone to just throw away their religious beliefs with both hands once they enter this country?

Funny ... I didn't see the Irish and Italians tossing away their Catholic faith when they emigrated here in the 19th century. I don't expect them to, either.

You want immigrants' "past not to be forgotten, just not the prime mover of their daily existance {sic)." That's a given when you come to America, which is a more secular society.

It's apparent you want only certain people to be part of the melting pot (whatever that is) but not everyone, which would pretty much no longer make it a melting pot.

Did it ever occur to you that a "melting pot" culture would expect longtime Americans to partially meld with the newcomers' culture as well? It seems to me that's exactly what Tyson is trying to do.

So, I'm not sure what you're complaining about.

[Red Arrow]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

I am aware that not everyone has become part of the melting pot.  I am aware too that "our culture" is made of many, see "melting pot".  Hopefully most US citizens think of themselves as (United States of) Americans first and allow their ancestory be a proud part of the past.  A past not to be forgotten, just not the prime mover of their daily existance.

You're tripping over your contradictions. Wouldn't be the first time.

You honestly expect anyone to just throw away their religious beliefs with both hands once they enter this country? No, but I don't want them throwing it in my face either. I didn't see the Vietnamese (sp?) and other orientals demanding we adhere to their customs. I'm sure there are areas in the US were this has happened however due to the local population. For the most part they became "American".  

Funny ... I didn't see the Irish and Italians tossing away their Catholic faith when they emigrated here in the 19th century. I don't expect them to, either. They met with plenty of discrimination because of it.  Not the correct thing to do.  They probably had it easier than the Muslims since they were still "Christian". The Irish and Italians and Poles, Spanish, French and many others became Americans first, Catholics second. I believe that is the difference.  Ok, a lot of people celebrate St Patrick's day.  More US Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo than Mexicans (according to a Hispanic friend). The difference is that they are not asking to trash a celebration of something especially (US) American for something from the "old country"

You want immigrants' "past not to be forgotten, just not the prime mover of their daily existance {sic)."I am soooo glad you called attention to my spelling error. If I called attention to all the grammar errors I have seen on this forum, I could have 5 stars next to my name too. That's a given when you come to America, which is a more secular society.

It's apparent you want only certain people to be part of the melting pot (whatever that is) but not everyone, which would pretty much no longer make it a melting pot. Faulty assumption on your part.

Did it ever occur to you that a "melting pot" culture would expect longtime Americans to partially meld with the newcomers' culture as well? It seems to me that's exactly what Tyson is trying to do. I expect newcomers to bend a bit more than the existing population.  You imply this same thought when you state that longtime Americans partially meldwith the newcomers.

So, I'm not sure what you're complaining about.  I think what offends me is that "they" are taking a traditional "American" secular holiday and trashing it for a religious holiday.  "They" are throwing their religion in our face. I don't care for that whatever the religion, including Christians.  Christmas has become more of a secular holiday in the US (much to the disappointment of Christian fundamentalists, also a slight contradiction to an earlier statement about religious holidays)so I don't particularily consider it a religious holiday. It is more of a spending season for Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza (sp?) and maybe more. I think many places do not get Good Friday and Easter Monday as paid holidays anymore. When I was a kid, Spring Break was "Easter Vacation". Not so anymore and rightly so.  So what "they" are saying to me is "America Stuff It". That's what I don't like. /red]

edit: tried to make the red text show as red in the last paragraph
edit 2: it didn't work. Start at the 2nd sentence.

[Red Arrow]

quote:Originally posted by we vs us

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow



What's next?  Trade the 4th of July for a Buddhist holiday?  How about Memorial Day for a Jewish holiday.  Martin Luther King Day for a Native American belief.

Cats and dogs, living together!  Mass Hysteria!

We have 3 dogs and a cat living in our house. They do fine. Better than many humans.  My attempted point is that some of our holidays are distinctly American. They should be part of your new life if you are a newcomer. If you would rather celebrate something else, why do you want to live here? (That should generate some responses.)

[deinstein]

Tyson Foods are a bunch of terrorist!

[Conan71]

Yeah, well don't buy Tyson's chicken nuggets and certainly don't buy anything from Little Debbie.  Buncha crazy Seventh Day Adventists those folks at McKee Foods are.  They don't let anyone work in their plant on the Sabbath.

If the majority of workers were Muslim (anyone else think that's an odd concentration to be working in a slaughter plant in Tenn.?) they should have asked for their religious holiday, and Tyson should have allowed for Labor Day in addition.  

Now they've got a PR problem with every xenophobic red neck in the country.  It's the Obamatizing of America. [}:)]

[deinstein]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71


If the majority of workers were Muslim (anyone else think that's an odd concentration to be working in a slaughter plant in Tenn.?)

I don't think 700 Muslims live in the entire state of Tennessee, much less working at a Tyson factory.

But who am I to question demographics?

[YoungTulsan]

Mike Tyson is a Muslim, isn't he?

[HoneySuckle]

Hey, bite your tongue Red Arrow[]  No one is taking Christmas day from me.  Good Friday is not a national holiday.

So we won't have a Labour Day, but instead a Muslim holiday?  It's still a holiday, so who cares?  But why can't they give another day as a holiday?

The Puerto Ricans have it made.  They have their holidays + ours, so they have lots of fiesta time[]