Hawaii Legislature Passes Resolution Proclaiming "Islam Day"

Hawaii's House and Senate have passed and sent to the governor for signature House Concurrent Resolution 100, declaring September 24, 2009 as "Islam Day" in Hawaii "to recognize the rich religious, scientific, cultural, and artistic contributions Islam and the Islamic world have made since their founding." The Senate vote yesterday approving the measure was 22-3. AP reports that the two Republicans opposing the Resolution were concerned about radical Islamists and said other religions had no special day honoring them. The one Democrat voting against it was concerned about church-state separation. Some 13 "Whereas" clauses in the Resolution stress the contributions and values of Islam.