American Thinker

by Denice Gary-Pandol

As a nation, the essence of who we are as a People is rooted in our Judeo-Christian values and principles, dating back to the Magna Carta. This shared moral vocabulary has shaped Western thinking since America’s founding. Why, then, would any State in the Union formally endorse or incorporate into our educational and other public institutions a religious doctrine with practices antithetical to the belief system

    AB 2017, introduced by Progressive Democrats Assemblyman Matt Haney and Senator Aisha Wahab, proposes adding Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast) and Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) to California’s recognized holidays. If enacted, the bill would do the following:

• Authorize public schools and community colleges to close in observance of these holidays
• Expand the list of excused absences statewide
• Establish formal recognition of Islamic religious practices within taxpayer-funded institutions

    What must be noted regarding this legislative proposal is the historical foundation in American law and government. What America’s Founding-era figures openly and in writing acknowledged is that our Judeo-Christian moral beliefs, not Islam, influenced the foundation of our system of government and legal system.

    The Jews introduced monotheism into the earth realm and gave us the Holy Scriptures, including the Ten Commandments, which, since the Birth of our Nation, have been displayed on numerous public buildings as a “foundational” historical document. In truth, such documents were once taught in our finest schools and universities alongside Scripture and the Hebrew language.

    These Judeo-Christian beliefs include deeply held concepts such as the inherent dignity of man, God-given Natural Rights, and the Rule of Law—all grounded in ethical and moral accountability.

To underscore this historical influence, note a letter from President John Adams to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp in 1809. He wrote,

    I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation. If I were an atheist and believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing nations ... [and] ... I should believe that chance had ordered the Jews to preserve and propagate to all mankind the doctrine of a supreme, intelligent, wise, Almighty Sovereign of the universe, which I believe to be the great essential principle of all morality, and consequently of all civilization.

    Consider, too, the obvious lack of justice in codifying a Muslim holiday. It has been Jewish Americans who have contributed so much to the exceptionalism that is America, and they are a people who never thought to fly planes into American buildings in order to kill thousands. Instead, Jewish Americans have made profound and numerous contributions to American society in the areas of medicine, science, technology, and our national security, without receiving state holidays in their honor.

    Indeed, at the start of the American Revolution, approximately 2,500 Jews were living in the colonies. As part of their support for the Revolution, many individuals, such as Haym Salomon, were financial pillars of the war.

    Not only did Saloman support the Patriots by providing rather large financial services, but he, like so many others, risked his life as a member of the Sons of Liberty, leading the British to arrest him repeatedly on espionage charges. Furthermore, other men, such as Colonel Isaac Franks, served as George Washington’s aide-de-camp and were personal friends.

    If California passes legislation that formally recognizes Islamic holidays, would it also extend the same recognition to Jewish holidays, Hindu festivals, Sikh holy days, Buddhist observances, and/or Jain religious events, none of which are officially recognized  What is the limiting principle  Where would this precedent end  Should multiculturalism extend so far as to require equal recognition of all religious systems  This is neither practical nor sustainable. And note, the Jewish population exceeds the Muslim population by nearly 2 to 1.

    In addition, the cultural and ethical implications of making Eid al-Fitr, the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” and Eid al-Adha, the “Festival of Sacrifice,” holidays will set an unholy paradigm. Why  Because Eid al-Fitr is a celebration following Ramadan, which means great persecution and suffering against Christians and Jews, particularly in Muslim countries. (See, e.g., here, here, here, and here.)

    And Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, involves the ritual slaughter of animals as a religious act. Around the world, this practice includes the mass slaughter of sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes, camels, and other animals. Publications report Eid al-Adha as “the saddest day of the year” for animal lovers. In 2017, news outlets photographed “rivers of blood” and a photo of a little girl dressed in her best clothes, standing in a “river of blood.”

    For many Americans—especially animal welfare advocates—this raises serious ethical concerns. Is it appropriate for the state to endorse or normalize such practices through official recognition  No. Once more, such an outcome would be multiculturalism run amok.

Religious asymmetry also raises concerns. Under Islamic law, celebration of non-Islamic religious holidays is forbidden for adherents to Islam. This raises an important question: Why should a society rooted in religious pluralism extend recognition to a religious/political belief where celebration of a non-Muslim holiday is unlawful and a punishable offense

    And from a security and public policy perspective, consider the following: There are active threats to the homeland. In California alone, there are 16 active ISIS or Islamic State-related investigations. These investigations are in addition to the ongoing Islamic terrorist threat from Islamic Palestinian, Hizballah, and other groups.

    In recent testimony from U.S. intelligence leadership at the U.S. Senate’s Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community on March 18, 2026, FBI Director Patel made clear that in December of last year alone, 4 Islamic terrorist attacks or mass casualty events were averted, including a “bombing campaign” in Southern California. Moreover, Christians and Jews continue to be tortured and/or murdered for their faith in Muslim countries.

    This debate on Muslim holidays in California is about policy, precedent, and principles.

•     Islam is a religious as well as a totalitarian (political) belief system. Islamism has been compared to both Communism and Nazism. It is not a race, nor is it an ethnicity.
•     Critiquing public policy decisions is not intolerance, nor is it racist.

    In conclusion, California—and the nation as a whole—faces a fundamental question:

• Do we continue to expand official recognition of religious observances across an ever-growing spectrum
• Or do we preserve our foundational values, our legal traditions, and the integrity of our public institutions

    AB 2017 would erode the very nature of who we are as a People, what America stands for, our very culture and way of life.

    If you’re a California voter, you can act by contacting your own representative or by contacting Assemblyman Haney at 916.319.2017 and Senator Wahab at 916.651.4410 to SAY NO TO AB 2017.