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It seems over the last few weeks there has been at least one story a week about offensive behavior, especially to those of a certain religion. Many Christians are offended by Don Imus’ recent radio comments and rightly so. However, recent stories that have upset Muslims have caught my eye. Links follow below.
Last November, several imams who had traveled to
Minneapolis for an IMAM conference were observed praying, making Anti-American statements and otherwise exhibiting behavior that was deemed odd such as not sitting in their assigned seats, if not terroristic. After a passenger noted the behavior and concerns to a flight attendant the imams were removed from the flight. However, they contend they were unfairly discriminated against because of their religion and have since filed lawsuits against the airlines, attendants and even the passengers.
Second, Muslim taxi drivers that provide transportation from the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport have refused several passengers service based on their religious beliefs. Their beliefs against alcohol and other things have prompted these drivers to refuse passengers with any alcohol in their luggage, passengers with guide dogs and also a transgendered person.
Third, Muslim cashiers at Target stores refuse to ring up pork products due to their religious beliefs. The customer must wait for another employee to ring through the meat, similar to how underage cashiers must get an of age person to ring through alcohol. Target has reassigned these cashiers into other jobs that do not handle pork in order to appease both the Muslims and the general public.
Recently, a state technical college has proposed to install wash basins for Muslim students to perform their religious practice of washing their feet since a student injured themselves in this practice with the bathroom sink. I’d be interested in hearing the college’s response to the author’s question if they would install a baptismal font if a student hurt themselves with a sink?
All of these stories take place in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area which features the world’s largest Somalian population outside of . Many of them make their home in the Cedar-Riverside area and many are Muslim. I also have worked with Muslims and one of the employers has made accommodation for these coworkers so they can pray during their shift. During their break, the employee was allowed to find a quiet spot in the work area not used during their shift to pray. I think this is a somewhat reasonable accommodation as it allows the employee to do their own thing on their own time. I think that Target also accommodated their employees in a similar reasonable manner. However, I am bothered by those accommodations that promote Muslim (or any religion’s) practice over and beyond another’s or forces no separation of church and state. Let me explain.
If the state college will install basins for Muslims, then what will they do for Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, etc? What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If they accommodate one religion, then shouldn’t they have to accommodate all religions and equally (ie spending the same amount of funds, advertising the change, etc)? At one hospital I worked at, I was required to work one weekend a month and therefore had to miss Sunday church service. I wasn’t happy about it, but accepted it as part of the job requirements. I wasn’t happy about working Christmas Day my first year either or the three Easters I had to work (but I was able to attend another church’s sunrise service before work so I was a happy camper). I really wish they would have accommodated my wishes to report to work an hour or two later so I could attend a morning church service, but if that were the case, then they would have to accommodate Jews who wouldn’t work on the Sabbath, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hosanna and other sacred holidays. Add in all the days recognized by Pagans, Buddhists, Hindus, etc and you’d have a significant number of your employees off due to religious holidays. It seems like existing policies work fairly well, especially where there is paid time off or a floating holiday each month that a worker can use as they please.
For the taxi drivers, why work in a profession in which you don’t like it, it’s hostile, offensive, or otherwise? Why not work as a cashier at Target where accommodations can be made that don’t inconvenience you nor the public? Perhaps your talent as a driver might be better utilized for a medical transport company or other shuttle service where you are less likely to encounter issues with your religion? I mean how many Christians work at places that would be considered offensive to their religion? Know of any Christian janitors in a mosque or perhaps Christian workers in an abortion clinic? Most people choose careers in which they are happy not unhappy.
Lastly, with the imams, it seems they are making what appears to be a safety issue into a religious discrimination issue. I applaud the passengers who reported suspicious behavior to the attendants to decide if they are dangerous or not. What would have happened on 9-11-01 if the passengers on the United flight failed to act on their suspicions? Would that plane have crashed into the White House or the Capitol instead of a field in
Pennsylvania ? The terrorists were acting a bit suspicious as they took over the plane. I was on an overseas flight and a passenger was complaining about the lack of leg room. After he lunged at an attendant, he was taken down and handcuffed with plastic cuffs. He sat in the rear galley on the floor until we landed and the German Police escorted him away. Perhaps it was just a disgruntled passenger, but only God can tell what is in our hearts and heads. Others go by our actions and confession of what we believe and do. If these imams were making anti-American comments, then why wouldn’t one be concerned for their safety? It wasn’t like the passengers randomly picked the imams, made up a story and accused them of false behavior.
However, it seems like the imams are twisting this into a religious issue when it is not. Unfortunately the passengers also have suffered the back lash of a law suit. It seems it is part of their agenda to take this to court to get a judgment based on this incident. If a judge rules that there was discrimination (whether rightfully so or not), then the judge or other companies may also initiate antidiscrimination policies and further protection for further incidents. If Muslims are further protected from the government, how will this play out in their and our future behavior? Why do they deserve special protection? Why not other groups of people in the ? Where will it end?
I also try to think about these examples from a different perspective by flipping it on its head. Would those who have spoken about religious discrimination also speak the same way if it were a Christian being discriminated against? I mean perhaps it is my religious right or should I say freedom to transport a good bottle of wine or a good beer in my luggage. I travel a bit and do depend on public or private transportation when I travel to get me from the airport to the hotel. What if I needed transportation from one of these taxis? Wouldn’t it be reverse discrimination for them to deny me service since I don’t believe in their religion? When it is dependent on a state government to decide practices, which religious practice trumps, mine or the taxi drivers? Whatever one they rule against, isn’t that favoring that religion and discriminating against the other?
Discrimination doesn’t usually only affect one group. It gets back to a question I asked in a class of what is diversity? I mention this since discrimination, diversity, race, etc are usually mentioned hand-in hand. Why don’t we take a cue from the “Golden Rule” and treat our neighbors with love and respect as God made us all unique, so we are by nature diverse?
Edited on: April 13th, 2007 10:30 am
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