June 18, 2004
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June 9, 2004
Mother Was Told She Must Remove Religious Garb or Leave Young Children Unattended
OMAHA -- Lubna Hussein, a Muslim woman, took her three children, ages 9 and under, to the Deer Ridge municipal pool in Omaha, only to be turned away at the gate after informing city employees that she could not wear a bathing suit without violating her religious beliefs.
She was told by pool employees that she could not be in the pool area in her street clothing, even though she observed other people in the pool area who were not wearing bathing suits. Officials told Mrs. Hussein that her children could enter but that she would have to remain outside and observe them from the other side of the pool fence.
“On the one hand, she could follow her religion and stay outside the pool in her observant clothing and risk endangering her children because she was not close enough to supervise. On the other hand, she could ignore the tenets of her faith."
In following her religion, Mrs. Hussein is required to keep all of her body covered except her face and hands.
Each time that she tried to enter the pool, Mrs. Hussein observed other individuals who were allowed inside without bathing suits.
-ACLU
Comments (10)
....always the world is unfair..
ignorant pool people.
Lovely.
Her religion? Or her home countries' cultural interpretation of it? Come to think of it, is there a difference? I'm all for fairness and live-and-let-live but there is the cliche When In Rome.... assimilation is what America is built on.
I read the paper every day and hadn't read anything about this... amazing all the stuff that goes on under the radar.
America is built on assimilation? In what alternate universe? America is built on religious and cultural tolerance and the idea that people don't have to give up their customs and beliefs just to fit in here.
Why can't we all just play nice??
Yes, I am also tempted to say: Can't we all just get along?
People can be such dicks. Oh and I think your both a little right. People came here for the freedom of cultural expression and religious tolerance...but it's a matter of degrees. Not as accepting as some, more accepting than some.
technically...no assimilation. Practically however? 'nother story.
You're birthday's in 4 days! ^__________^
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