New York City Okays Muslim Holidays in Schools, Catholics Stonewalled

I testified before this very same committee requesting equal rights for Catholics.

NEW YORK (Catholic League) - Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the news that the Education Committee of the New York City Council has approved two new Muslim holidays, Eid Ul-Fitr and Eid Ul-Adha, to be added to the school calendar:

"On January 14, I testified before this very same committee requesting equal rights for Catholics: Jewish and Islamic religious symbols are displayed in the schools every December, but Christian symbols are banned.

"With the exception of Councilman Tony Avella, and a few others, the Education Committee showed no interest in appeasing Catholics.

"But its members are apparently capable of demonstrating great sensitivity to Muslims.

"Speaker Christine Quinn, who was raised Catholic--and who has shown no interest in the push for parity that the Catholic League wants--is now urging all City Councilmen to vote for this new round of Muslim rights.

"What's at work is the politics of multiculturalism: tolerance for some, intolerance for others. But this fight isn't over yet."

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The Catholic League is the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. Founded in 1973 by the late Father Virgil C. Blum, S.J., the Catholic League defends the right of Catholics – lay and clergy alike – to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination. It is led by its' President, William A. Donohue, Ph.D.