Thread: Muslim woman cites gym after interrupted prayer.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 50368/1041

Okay, I don't know about anyone else, but I have heard enough! One more reason to crack down on immigration of any kind.

Muslim woman cites gym after interrupted prayer
Dearborn resident says her complaint to Fitness USA manager about patron went unheeded.

Gregg Krupa / The Detroit News

DEARBORN -- Fitness USA, a gym chain, is investigating an alleged civil rights violation involving a local Muslim woman who says her afternoon prayer was interrupted by a fellow patron, and that her complaint to management about the situation was rejected.

"The manager told me, 'You have to respect her (the patron), but she does not have to respect your God,' " said Wardeh Sultan of Dearborn. "I've had my membership for seven or eight years, and I've never had a problem with praying there.

"I told that manager, 'I can't believe you said that' " Sultan said. "Honestly, I feel humiliated and I feel ashamed, right now, to go back to Fitness USA."

Local representatives of Fitness USA, which operates branches throughout Metro Detroit and in two other states, referred all inquiries regarding the matter to their corporate offices.

"We will, as we will with any complaint involving our staff and a member, be doing a full and thorough investigation of the matter and take any appropriate action we need to take," said Jodi Berry, executive director of Fitness USA. "We want every member to get a good exercise experience every time they come to the club."

Berry said she learned of the complaint on Monday.

The allegations are among a series of recent complaints by Muslims who say they are free to practice their religion in the United States, until someone tells them they cannot. Recently, the same Fitness USA facility enacted a new dress code to allow Muslim women to wear more modest clothing, in compliance with some Islamic practices.

Two weeks ago, six Muslim clerics were removed from a U.S. Airways flight after three of them said their evening prayers in the St. Paul-Minneapolis International Airport.

Passengers and employees of the airline said later that their suspicions were aroused when the men were overheard making comments critical of the United States, and because the men had one-way tickets and no baggage.

The airline and the civil rights office of U.S. Department of Homeland Security are investigating that incident.

Imad Hamad, regional director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which lodged a formal complaint with Fitness USA on behalf of Sultan, said the recent spate of conflicts results from a growing intolerance of Islam and a growing restiveness among Muslims that their rights to speak freely and worship are increasingly at risk.

"They (Muslims) are resenting that they are to be suppressed from expressing themselves freely, like others," Hamad said.

"It's OK for a Christian fellow or a Jewish fellow to pray, and it would be regarded highly and respected. When it comes to a person of Muslim faith, especially if a woman is wearing the head cover or a man with a typical clergy outfit, yeah, it is becoming like something that is offensive to people and making them nervous."

Sultan said that, like all pious Muslims, she prays five times daily. She also wears a veil and a long dress, in observance of her faith.

Born in Jordan, of Palestinian descent, Sultan arrived in Detroit 17 years ago, before moving to Dearborn. She is an American citizen.

Sultan said she came to the United States to secure her freedom and to avoid intolerance.

"We're here in the great United States and for this happening, it truly breaks my heart," she said. "You know, things are starting to change backwards, instead of frontward. We need to keep this United States, our country, up on our shoulders. We don't want it to go down."

You can reach Gregg Krupa at (313) 222-2359 or gkrupa@detnews.com.

A little of subject but here is something I am going to do this year. During the next 16 days, every time I see someone that appears to be of the Muslim persuasion I'm going to make sure I wish them a: MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Good luck with that. I like your sense of humor though. If you live to tell about it, let us know how it went.

Originally Posted by Neese

Good luck with that. I like your sense of humor though. If you live to tell about it, let us know how it went.

Realizing you are new to our efforts. Remember, always be polite, but be firm, never let them think they are winning and always get there firstest with the mostest.

Originally Posted by Charlesoakisland

Originally Posted by Neese

Good luck with that. I like your sense of humor though. If you live to tell about it, let us know how it went.

Realizing you are new to our efforts. Remember, always be polite, but be firm, never let them think they are winning and always get there firstest with the mostest.

Charles.......I love your new avitar! Gives such a warm feeling.

Can you insert Ole Glory in it? On the back of the sleigh just like on motorcycles? Would be a nice touch, don't ya think?

.

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

Originally Posted by Charlesoakisland

Originally Posted by Neese

Good luck with that. I like your sense of humor though. If you live to tell about it, let us know how it went.

Realizing you are new to our efforts. Remember, always be polite, but be firm, never let them think they are winning and always get there firstest with the mostest.

Charles.......I love your new avitar! Gives such a warm feeling.

Can you insert Ole Glory in it? On the back of the sleigh just like on motorcycles? Would be a nice touch, don't ya think?

.

Sis,well I was thinking the US and MIA/POW flags wish I had someone good that could do that for me.

Originally Posted by Charlesoakisland

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

Originally Posted by Charlesoakisland

Originally Posted by Neese

Good luck with that. I like your sense of humor though. If you live to tell about it, let us know how it went.

Realizing you are new to our efforts. Remember, always be polite, but be firm, never let them think they are winning and always get there firstest with the mostest.

Charles.......I love your new avitar! Gives such a warm feeling.

Can you insert Ole Glory in it? On the back of the sleigh just like on motorcycles? Would be a nice touch, don't ya think?

.

Sis,well I was thinking the US and MIA/POW flags wish I had someone good that could do that for me.

Now you're on to something, Charles.
Let's see who can get er done for you

.

The allegations are among a series of recent complaints by Muslims who say they are free to practice their religion in the United States, until someone tells them they cannot.

I see nothing here to indicate that the woman's religious liberties were violated. That she has a right to pray does not supersede the rights of others. For example, a person would not have the right to have everyone else remain silent while she prayed, nor would she have a right to pray out loud during a play or in a movie theater if it disturbed other paying patrons. The fact is that she is not in her home one on her own property, but rather in a private business with other customers who are paying membership fees. She appears to be seeking to quash the other customer's right to free speech even as she presses for her imagined right to pray inside a private business. If the business had bylaws disallowing ANY prayer or religious observation on its premises, there would (or should) be no recourse, as businesses are allowed to set rules. The trick is that you don't have to be a member of any organization that does not suit your beliefs. You sure as hell don't have the right to force a private business or organization to change its own practices to accomodate those beliefs. What's next, Muslims suing Christian churches for not allowing them to venerate Muhammad during Christian services?

Crocket, that reminds me of a situation years ago when I worked with a couple of Muslims who were angry with our management at work, because they were not allowed extra time to pray. My boss told them that we all pray at work, we just keep working while we do it. LOL! As far as I know, tht was the end of it. If they don't like it, let them live in a predominantly Muslim nation.

Originally Posted by Neese

Crocket, that reminds me of a situation years ago when I worked with a couple of Muslims who were angry with our management at work, because they were not allowed extra time to pray. My boss told them that we all pray at work, we just keep working while we do it. LOL! As far as I know, tht was the end of it. If they don't like it, let them live in a predominantly Muslim nation.

Neese, it's a well-established fact that a company can go so far as to fire a person who believes in strict adherence to the sabbath, particularly to the correct Saturday sabbath, and refuses to work on a Saturday when such is required by the company. It appears that the only people who the courts feel should be granted exceptional accommodation for their religious beliefs are the Muslims.

There is a reason that the edict has come down from on high to accommodate the Muslims, but I already covered that elsewhere and won't repeat myself here.