Wed, Aug 06, 2008
Good news, Bad News
Posted to Current Events category
Sometimes it seems like every time there is evidence of civilization in this country, it comes along with evidence of bigoted idiots.
Acording to a link on Language log the union at the Tyson Foods poultry plant in Shelbyville, Tennesee recently signed a new contract that provides 8 holidays including Eid-al-Fitr, the last day of Ramadan (the eighth holiday was previously Labor Day. The other holidays are New Year's, MLK, Memorial Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the employee's birthday). There are only 250 Muslims among the 1200 members of the union, so I think that union includes some nice civilized people: the new contract was approved by 80% of the members.
On the other hand, the Executive Director of "English First" denounced the contract as "multiculturalism run amok".
Hmmm. I wonder if the union knows that because Muslims don't use a leap month like the Jewish and Chinese calendars, Eid-al_fitr should happen 13 times in 12 Gregorian years? I wonder if Tyson knows?
In other news, according to John Scalzi on tor.com, scientists have found a lot of lowland gorillas in a previously unexplored swamp in Africa.