German Minister proposes introducing Muslim holidays sparking backlash...

Muslims perform Friday prayers on Skalitzer Strasse (street) in Berlin September 19, 2014

via Reuters.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has upset fellow members of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc by proposing that Germany introduce Muslim public holidays.

Germany is home to around 4.5 million Muslims, many of whom have a Turkish background. Many of the more than a million migrants who have arrived in the country from the Middle East and elsewhere over the last two years are also Muslims.

Speaking on the campaign trail ahead of an election in the northern state of Lower Saxony due on Sunday, de Maiziere - a member of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) - said he was open to certain regions of Germany having Muslim public holidays.

He pointed out that All Saints’ Day was only a public holiday in Germany’s Catholic regions and added: “In places where there are many Muslims, why can’t we think about introducing a Muslim public holiday?”

Story here. 

When I read the title my reaction was "This shit is outrageous"!

Then I read the entire article and I found myself modifying my position.  They have Catholic holidays in certain regions?  Is it asking too much for a Muslim holiday?

I'm not sure.

Then I brought this home to the good ole USA.  My thinking was that eventually this is gonna find its way here so how do we head it off at the pass? How do we prevent another divisive issue from ripping apart anymore of the melting pot/social fabric?

My solution might seem brutal and I'm sure a bunch of racists would endorse it but at the end of the day I think it's the only real solution.

Any holiday based on race, sex, religion or nationality needs to be banned on a national level and the decision sent to the states to determine.

What does that mean?

No more federal holidays for black history month (hit my particular demographic).  No more hispanic month, gay month, pacific islander etc....

I hear ya saying it.  What about Christmas?

Sorry but every rule has its exceptions.  Christmas remains.  The non-Christians will call it Happy Holidays but the consumerism that flows from that day must be continued for the benefit of the country.

Would Federal employees lose holidays?  Nope.  They would still get the same days off but it would simply be called a holiday and not a celebration of a certain group.

I say again that this is far from a perfect solution but this issue will migrate to the US simply because nonsense that originates in the EU always comes this way.

Better to reach a sensible solution that punishes all rather than a fight that will further divide.