Should Diwali be a national holiday?

[Anonymous]

Diwali or Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year in autumn in the northern hemisphere (spring in southern hemisphere).[3][4] It is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana, India,[5] Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and recently Sindh Province in Pakistan.

[Anonymous]

No. And neither should Christmas be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Diwali or Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year in autumn in the northern hemisphere (spring in southern hemisphere).[3][4] It is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana, India,[5] Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and recently Sindh Province in Pakistan.

No.

[Anonymous]

Diwali is a lovely holiday. But, we get no religious holidays in the federal government, except Christmas Day. And that is officially because they can't get coverage to keep offices open on Christmas, and not because it is a religious holiday. Not even Easter Monday or Good Friday. Seperation of Church and State. So, sadly no.

State and Local Governments do their own thing.

[Anonymous]

There's a religion forum for you, op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. And neither should Christmas be.

I agree with this in principle, but TBH, Christmas as a national holiday doesn't bother me that much, given that a large majority of Americans do actually celebrate some form of Christmas.

No, according to the US Census, only 5% of Americans observe a non-Christian faith,* and half of that number are Jews. It doesn't make a lot of sense to have a national holiday for a religious holiday that only a handful of Americans celebrate.

*18% are agnostic/atheist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. And neither should Christmas be.

I agree with this in principle, but TBH, Christmas as a national holiday doesn't bother me that much, given that a large majority of Americans do actually celebrate some form of Christmas.

No, according to the US Census, only 5% of Americans observe a non-Christian faith,* and half of that number are Jews. It doesn't make a lot of sense to have a national holiday for a religious holiday that only a handful of Americans celebrate.

*18% are agnostic/atheist

It's not about numbers it's about the principle of the government not establishing any particular religion.

[Anonymous]

Nope it should not. (FWIW, I'm Indian)

[Anonymous]

Only in HB1 visa sweatshops

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. And neither should Christmas be.

I agree with this in principle, but TBH, Christmas as a national holiday doesn't bother me that much, given that a large majority of Americans do actually celebrate some form of Christmas.

No, according to the US Census, only 5% of Americans observe a non-Christian faith,* and half of that number are Jews. It doesn't make a lot of sense to have a national holiday for a religious holiday that only a handful of Americans celebrate.

*18% are agnostic/atheist

Fed here. And even Christmas probably shouldn't be a federal holiday. But, if the government is open, mail has to be delivered, social security offices have to be open, etc., etc. And it is just not possible to provide minimal coverage when everyone wants off. Besides that though, no religious holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. And neither should Christmas be.

I agree with this in principle, but TBH, Christmas as a national holiday doesn't bother me that much, given that a large majority of Americans do actually celebrate some form of Christmas.

No, according to the US Census, only 5% of Americans observe a non-Christian faith,* and half of that number are Jews. It doesn't make a lot of sense to have a national holiday for a religious holiday that only a handful of Americans celebrate.

*18% are agnostic/atheist

It's not about numbers it's about the principle of the government not establishing any particular religion.

Yes, which is why I said in bold above: I agree with this in principle. See, we agree.

In practice it doesn't offend me that Christmas is a national holiday, since well more than 75% of the nation's workers would want the day off if it wasn't a national holiday.

[Anonymous]

OP looks like you have a clear consensus answer on this one.

[Anonymous]

No. And I am Indian and Hindu.

[Anonymous]

Most people want Christmas off, even if they're not religious. So I'd be okay with it if there's a demand similar to the levels for Christmas. I doubt there will be anytime soon because I doubt most Americans even know what Diwali is.

[Anonymous]

In December 1999, the U.S. District Court, in the case Ganulin vs. United States, denied the charge that Christmas Day's federal status violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution, ruling that "the Christmas holiday has become largely secularized", and that "by giving federal employees a paid vacation day on Christmas, the government is doing no more than recognizing the cultural significance of the holiday"