Western Resistance

« UK: Veiled Muslim With No Christmas Message | | UK: MCB Leader Claims Muslims Persecuted Like Jews »

December 16, 2006

US: Veiled Muslim Bus Woman Still Upset

On Friday December 8, the Rapid bus system in Grand Rapids, Michigan, announced that it would abandon its policy of banning travelers with face coverings. The reasoning for having the ban had been to do with security - particularly against individuals wearing Halloween-style face masks or ski masks.

The ban was rescinded as a result of an incident in July, when a Muslim woman wearing a full face veil was barred entry to one of its buses. Jennifer Kalczuk, spokeswoman for the Rapid bus company, said that her employers had apologized to the woman, and in future would rely upon closed circuit cameras mounted in vehicles to maintain security.

The Grand Rapids Press now carries more details on the original incident which led to the bus company's ban on face-coverings being lifted. The Muslim woman is called Tasha Douglas, and she is a 30-year old resident of Flint. She has worn the full veil on Rapid buses for the past three years, since she first adopted the attire. The incident took place on July 3.

The driver of a bus at South Division Avenue told Douglas that the system prevented him from picking up people with covered faces. Douglas said she was shocked and leaned into the bus and asked his to repeat his statement. The driver had repeated the comment.

Douglas saw a female bus driver who had allowed her to ride on the us earlier in the day, and waited for vehicle to make its return journey, and boarded it to go home. The female bus driver had told her she knew of what had happened because the male driver had called other bus driver by radio, informing them not to pick her up.

Douglas submitted a complaint on a comment card to the Rapid bus company, and since September has been represented by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union, who have negotiated with Rapid. The ACLU is focusing on issues of the company's policy and staff awareness of religious sensibilities.

Her own attorney, Miriam Aukerman, argues that Douglas, whom she says has a low income and is too traumatized to ride the bus again, should receive a cash compensation. Aukerman did not exclude the possibility of legal action against Rapid, but would give details on her negotiations.

Aukerman claims that the Rapid bus company did not offer any apology until the ACLU "explicitly asked for it".

Douglas was raised as a Muslim, but for the past three years has worn the veil "every time I leave the house, even if I'm going to the mailbox. Me coming outside without my face covered is like me coming outside naked."

Since the incident on July 3, Douglas has not been comfortable riding on a bus. She relies upon taxis and lifts from her family.

She said: "I cannot express enough how this has devastated me. I was hurt. I was humiliated. I wanted to cry. I didn't tell my family members. I didn't tell anyone at first. But I have a daughter and I don't want her to be ashamed to cover her face."

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at December 16, 2006 6:48 PM

Comments

Posted by: Celsius at December 16, 2006 7:08 PM

Posted by: Dinah Lord at December 16, 2006 8:58 PM

Posted by: pigtails not veils at December 17, 2006 2:27 AM

Posted by: StillFedUp at December 17, 2006 8:08 AM

Post a comment