Originally a part of the semana santa leading up to the Easter celebration of Christ's resurrection. However, in today'smodern politically correct world we can't mention anything remotely related to a religion practiced by the majority.
But, hey with a name as generic as Good Friday who can complain?
After all, it's almost perpetually a day off; reason enough to be called good.
Unfortunately, the governor has previously given students a taste of their own medicine, procrastinating the announcement to the last minute. My freshman year, we were lucky enough to find out the night before that Ann Richards had given us the day off. Other years, the news doesn't make it until midway through the day. (Just great for thos e of us who have already gone through a day of morning classes.)
Luckily, this year it actually made it on the University calender under the obsequious title of "Reading Day."
Finally they've found a way around the politically correct stance.
Just give it another name and all minorities will be happy.
A few years back, rock stars boycotted Arizona because it didn't have a Martin Luther King Day. All they had to do was rename Columbus Day, and everyone would be happy. Maybe if we changed Thanksgiving to Greenhouse Effect Day, we could get Pearl Jam to play here.
Do the common people really care what the day is called?
No.
They're just happy to have a day off.
Thus holiday naming becomes more a matter of appeasing those that raise the most fuss. Thus we have Martin Luther King Junior Day marked on the TAMU calendar as a holiday. (Even though it takes place before classes start.)
However, president's day doesn't even show up. (Translation: NAACP is a much stronger lobbying organization than the American Heritage League.)
The Good Friday renaming could form great model for future holiday identification. Instead of named holidays, the government could give us ten (or more) generic holidays per year. We could even reemploy the tea-tasting commission to decide on the actual dates.
They'd also need a good acronym; something like GATO (Government Authorized Time Off). Add a few numbers and create a Federal Vacation Commission to certify the days. By filling out a little form, any cause could have its name attachedto a Holiday.
Thus, on GATO #9875A-3, patriots celebrate George Washington day. Sports fans celebrate Jesse Owens day. Even homicidal maniacs can pay homage to Charles Manson.
Changing the name might appease a large politically correct croud; however, for me Good Friday will always be Good Friday.