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TSA policy change on Islamic scarf welcomed
Most Muslim women should no longer face secondary screening at airports
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 20, 2007 - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today welcomed a policy change by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that would no longer mandate that Muslim women wearing religious head scarves go through secondary screening at airports.
To view the old policy, introduced August 4, go to:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1037.shtm
Following discussions with community leaders of several faiths, including a representative of CAIR's Dallas-Fort Worth chapter, TSA officials have accepted a proposed modification to the August 4 policy. According to the updated policy, Muslim women who wear a head cover that is attached to the contour of the head, with no space between the scarf and the head, should not be subjected to a secondary screening. That style of cover is worn by the majority of Muslim women who wear scarves.
A fact sheet outlining the policy modification will be distributed to airport security personnel nationwide."
"We welcome this positive move by the TSA and hope that similar changes can be made to accommodate the religious attire of other faiths," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
Hooper said CAIR urges airline passengers of all faiths to educate themselves about their legal rights.
SEE: Know Your Legal Rights as an Airline Passenger (CAIR)
http://www.cair.com/CivilRights/KnowYourRights.aspx#8
Daily Utah Chronicle – September 27, 2007
Utah: Non-Muslim student wears hijab for a day
Parker Williams
Minu Gandhi is not Muslim. But for one day, she found out what it was like to be a Muslim at the U. In cooperation with the U's Muslim Student Association, Gandhi wore the hijab -- the head covering worn by Muslim women -- for a day.
Gandhi, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering, said her Muslim friends have discussed the reactions of people on campus when they see someone who is wearing the hijab. Her friends said they are often stared at and complete strangers have approached them to ask if they were forced to wear the hijab. "I thought it would be fun to see if that really happens," Gandhi said.
To show that people who wear the hijab are treated differently, the MSA wanted a non-biased and therefore non-Muslim student to experience wearing the hijab.
Gandhi works as a research assistant in the Kennecott Building on campus and shares a room with several other doctoral students. Although she is well acquainted with those in her department, many people did not recognize her when she wore the hijab.
Besides surprising a few of the people with whom she works closely, Gandhi said, it was amusing to see the reactions of casual acquaintances. People wanted to ask about the hijab but felt uncomfortable doing so, she said.
To gain an even broader understanding of a Muslim student's experience, Gandhi accompanied her Muslim friends to the Union Building where many Muslim students go to say their daily prayers.
For Gandhi, this was not the first time she went out of her way to understand the beliefs of others. Gandhi was raised in New Delhi, India, a country populated primarily by Hindus. In 2003, she enrolled at Brigham Young University to complete her master's degree. While there, she met with missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so she could better understand friends' Mormon faith. "At BYU, I became more open to different religions -- just taking things in that were common," she said.
Jumana Abu-Khalaf, a fellow mechanical engineering doctoral student, supplied Gandhi with the hijab. Abu-Khalaf has worn the hijab since she was 16 years old. "The whole idea is to encourage modesty," Abu-Khalaf said.
Even though many think Muslim women are forced to wear the hijab, Abu-Khalaf said that this perception is not true. Many people overlook the fact that depictions of the Virgin Mary almost always portray her wearing some type of head covering, she said.
http://media.www.dailyutahchronicle.com/media/storage/paper244/news/2007/09/27/News/Behind.The.Veil-2995485.shtml
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