Feds to Imams, "Did not discriminate"

[ALS]

MINNEAPOLIS — The U.S. Department of Transportation says US Airways didn't discriminate against six imams when it removed them from a Phoenix-bound flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in 2006.

Imam Omar Shahin, who ran the Islamic Center of Tucson from 2000 to 2003, was one of the men removed from a US Airways flight before it departed Minneapolis for Phoenix. They were seen praying at the airport gate, unnerving fellow passengers who complained to the pilot.

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tucson citizen

[-JD-]

The story is thin on details, but from what I see there, IMO that stinks.

Religious freedom was a founding principal of this country. The PEACEFUL and unobstructive exercise of which should be left the hell alone.

Grow up Americans and stop fearing everything that is not familiar. And for the cowering ninnies who say you can never be too careful, think about it for a minute. Are you so stupid as to think that they'd advertise if they were really up to no good ...

[Dannytheman]

As I have been following this in the news, I am happy so far with the outcome! I equated this to yelling "Fire" in a crowded movie theatre. Something that immediatly relates to fear in the larger contingent of people has to be looked at closely. Saying prayers to one self is not the same as chanted and rolling out your carpet facing Mecca!!

There are chapels in almost every major airport. Feel free to go there and chant whatever religiously free dribble you want!

I truly believe this was porposely done to evoke a response.

My BS meter will continue to follow this as it progresses!

[dc dalton]

So I guess now the right to free speech, choice of religion and way people dress are now flushed down the toilet too?

I can't see how any freedom loving American can applaud this, this is nothing more than attack on personal liberties and freedom of movement.

To anyone that would agree with this ruling I would ask "What happens when they start singling you out for this type action"

Maybe your NRA hat scares people so they throw your ass of the plane.

Maybe your tattoos or piercings scare people so they throw your ass off the plane.

This ruling is dangerous in more ways than first come to mind ... if you really think about it it should scare the hell out of you.

[-JD-]

As I have been following this in the news, I am happy so far with the outcome! I equated this to yelling "Fire" in a crowded movie theatre. Something that immediatly relates to fear in the larger contingent of people has to be looked at closely. Saying prayers to one self is not the same as chanted and rolling out your carpet facing Mecca!!

There are chapels in almost every major airport. Feel free to go there and chant whatever religiously free dribble you want!

I truly believe this was porposely done to evoke a response.

My BS meter will continue to follow this as it progresses!

And so if a group of nuns was sitting in a group and openly praying the Rosary before boarding you'd say ...

[Dannytheman]

And so if a group of nuns was sitting in a group and openly praying the Rosary before boarding you'd say ...

Let's add to that, shall we?!?!?

If a group of nuns, which coincidentally match the description of nuns that had previously overtaken planes and crashed them into building killing over 3000 innocent people, were in a circle saying the rosary?
I would turn them into the airlines and ask them to bring them to the chapel for their religious freedom to be exposed in private.

But that's just me.. (I still flinch when I say "nun", I had them beeting me for 12 years)

[dc dalton]

Let's add to that, shall we?!?!?

If a group of nuns, which coincidentally match the description of nuns that had previously overtaken planes and crashed them into building killing over 3000 innocent people, were in a circle saying the rosary?
I would turn them into the airlines and ask them to bring them to the chapel for their religious freedom to be exposed in private.

But that's just me.. (I still flinch when I say "nun", I had them beeting me for 12 years)

AHH so anyone that looks Muslim and prays in an airport is now classified a terrorist in your book?

Wow, that thinking is about as one dimensional as it comes

[ALS]

This was a group of people that intentionally were causing a scene to get the reaction that occurred. This wasn't a group of innocent people minding their own business that were racially profiled. They brought the attention on themselves by their intentional loud praying. They figured US Air and the Federal Government would fall all over themselves apologizing and offering millions of dollars for them to go away. It didn't happen and their intimidation tactics didn't work this time.

I live around many Middle Eastern immigrants and the type of people I deal with everyday and the types of people such as CAIR screaming discrimination are two completely different animals as they say. The neighbors I have around me came here to make a life for themselves and their families. Pleasant and friendly and want to assimilate into the American Society.

You should have been over at my house during the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl. There wasn't a mill hunky in Pittsburgh that was screaming louder for the Steelers than than the people at the party next door. Everyone at that party was probably carrying a Green Card or Visa.

[-JD-]

Let's add to that, shall we?!?!?

If a group of nuns, which coincidentally match the description of nuns that had previously overtaken planes and crashed them into building killing over 3000 innocent people, were in a circle saying the rosary?
I would turn them into the airlines and ask them to bring them to the chapel for their religious freedom to be exposed in private.

But that's just me.. (I still flinch when I say "nun", I had them beeting me for 12 years)

The problem is to keep the analogy closer, it wasn't a bunch of nuns that had overtaken the the planes, but just a bunch of radical Catholics from a hyper-conservative sub-sect out to purge liberal/secular America. And it wasn't nuns praying, but priests. Then what?

[DISCLAIMER - I can't believe I'm saying this - This is a hypothetical analogy. I am not suggesting Catholics are in any way disposed to do anything of the sort. This is a thought exercise. Please feel free to substitute an easily identifiable religion of your own choosing.]

[-JD-]

How do you get

This was a group of people that intentionally were causing a scene to get the reaction that occurred. This wasn't a group of innocent people minding their own business that were racially profiled. They brought the attention on themselves by their intentional loud praying. They figured US Air and the Federal Government would fall all over themselves apologizing and offering millions of dollars for them to go away. It didn't happen and their intimidation tactics didn't work this time.
...

from

They were seen praying at the airport gate, unnerving fellow passengers who complained to the pilot.

?

Devout Muslims (Imams or not) pray 5 times a day at specified times, pretty much wherever they are at the time if they can't get to a mosque.

Last fall, I was at the Air & Space museum annex out at Dulles. A few guys got out their prayer mats out of their car, laid it out, and did their thing. Uncommon, yes. Threatening no.