GA. Muslim Jailed over Hijab
 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28278572/

This is insane...I don't even know what to think. Especially since it happened in my state. I mean techinically, they didn't do anything illegal. But it's still wrong.

I'm not quite so sure.

Yes, it's a religious obligation (from culture, not from text) to wear the headscarves, but she wasn't asked to remove it simply because they disliked her. There were reasons that happened, were security reasons she should've removed it.

I find it difficult when people say 'different faiths shouldn't be treated differently', and yet when something is in breach of various laws, or health and safety, for people to then turn around and say 'that's ridiculous! it's a mark of her religion!'

I'm not sure about Muslims, but one of the basic laws of Christianity is to follow the laws of the state. Simple as. This reminds me of the issue where a woman got suspended from BA for not removing her necklace, which had a cross on it. She claimed she wanted to keep it, as it was a religious symbol, and BA said that she could wear it as a badge, but not as a necklace - and she either quit, or continued to wear it and was suspended - I can't quite remember.

Essentially, there are rules/laws in place for a reason - and I'm talking in a decent, rational state - before anybody mentions something like 'oh, well should the Jews have walked happily to their deaths, since it was a law of the Nazi state!', and I don't think it's right that people should be exempt from that based on a belief.

I don't think it's wrong at all. It was a security issue and everyone is treated the same. I would've been asked to take off a hate if I was wearing one.

She disobeyed a basic safety measure. No one was disrespecting her religion or telling her she wasn't allowed to practice her faith or have her beliefs.

Obviously other peoples cultures and/or religions should be respected, but it does not and should not mean they are exempt from the rules and laws of the state in which they reside.

Could they not solve the problem by taking her off to a room with a woman security guard to remove it to show there is no security issue there, then put it back on when she leaves the room? So far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong) it's having the hijab off in front of men who aren't related/married to them?

This.

What I took objection to was not her taking it off while she was being searched, but the fact that from what I understood of the article that she would not be allowed to wear it in court at all. In Georgia, you are not supposed to wear any kind of head ornament in the court (hats, etc). And I've been to court before. While the security guard is there, he doesn't really search you. The whole not wearing hats indoors thing is really just a courtesy thing. It's considered disrespectful in the south to wear something on your head indoors.

Tax money well used, I feel safer already.

It says at the end about her being arrested She was going to leave?
And just because she swore she was arested?
Or have i grasped the wrong end of the stick?

Alice
xxx

Swearing can get you arrested, especially if you are in a court. Usually you would get told to watch your language and get given a warning but he was probably within his rights to take her before the judge.

Ohh i see.
So if she had just left would she have been fine and like er not arrested?

Yes, I think if she had just left without the swearing she would have been fine.

But from a Muslim point of view perhaps it would be more disrespectful to appear without a headscarf?! So if she had taken it off she would have been disrespecting the court...

It made me laugh in churches in Russia because there men have to take off their hats, but women have to have their heads covered! Not sure that's really God's rules, more like crazy humans with such contradictory views of what's 'respectful'

Most older churches used to have that rule. Our local church, which was built in Saxon times, still has the sign made in, like, the 1600s, saying that women have to wear hats.

Also, if you go to a (orthodox) Jewish synagogue, men have to have their heads covered.

There are various quotes and suggestions in the Bible/Torah as to why people should/shouldn't have their heads covered, but as you said, it's more of what was considered respectful at the time that particular church was formed, or was developing.

40 days for a bit of cloth?
Unbelievable.

Jewish women usually wear a scarf or something too - especially in orthodox surroundings, and they have a special veil to wear every sabbath whilst saying the prayers before dinner.

it's covering the crown of the head... would a jewish man be asked to remove his skullcap?

what about barristers... are they allowed to wear their wigs?

i think if it's a security issue then the individual should be understanding and comply - even if it means going into a room with someone of the same sex. we try to understand their culture, and i feel security checks are a part of western culture and they should try understand.

if a person wants to live in an area then they should comply with the rules of that area - or go elsewhere where they are happy with the laws.