Mark Rienzi, assistant professor, law, wrote a Feb. 17 New York Times op-ed about secular reasons to mark religious days. To view the full article, click here .
Secular Reasons to Mark Religious Days
From: New York Times Date: Feb. 17, 2013 Author: Mark Rienzi In 1870, an Illinois representative introduced to the House of Representatives a bill to declare several days federal holidays. The bill's language was approved by the House and the Senate, and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in late June 1870. It included Jan. 1, July 4, Thanksgiving Day and Dec. 25 as holidays. Congress acknowledged that Jan. 1 is "commonly called New Year's Day" and Dec. 25 is "commonly called Christmas Day." Thanksgiving, presumably, was identified by its name because its date changes from year to year.
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