03/10/2009 10:15 am
POV
Bank Cites Headscarf for Asking Muslim Woman to Leave Line
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The last two times Kenza Shelley visited her credit union in Southern Maryland, she was thoroughly embarrassed.
The 54-year-old Muslim day-care operator says she was publicly asked to leave her place in line at the Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) not once — but twice — because of her hijab. The Washington Post reports that Shelley, who has been a customer of the credit union for 10 years, says she was told her scarf went against the bank’s "no hats, hoods or sunglasses" policy. The second time it happened, Shelley refused to leave the line, saying she wanted to be served like everybody else. Officials at the credit union are defending the policy, saying they’re trying to prevent armed robbery and identity theft. These kinds of policies aren’t isolated to NFCU; many banks around the country are reportedly implementing similar rules to combat crime.
"This is a policy that applies to everybody in the branch. She wasn’t singled out," Tom Lyons, senior vice president for security at NFCU, told the Post. "We tried to accommodate her and help her with her transaction and move on."
NFCU told the Council on American-Islamic Relations that it would remind employees that the bank’s policy does not prohibit Muslim customers or staff from wearing hijabs. A Muslim woman at a San Diego, CA, branch of NFCU was also denied service for not removing her headscarf last month. Perhaps the union should start distributing those memos, for their inaction perpetuates injustice, say activists.
"We’ve been dealing with Navy Federal over a past [California] case and unfortunately, they’re unwilling to modify their policy to take into consideration religious attire or sunglasses on the visually impaired or head scarf for say, a cancer survivor. So all these people apparently are going to be singled out for this policy," CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper told wOw this morning.
Hooper said pressure should be applied to the banking associations, which he says are pushing banks to implement the "no hats" policy.
"We’ve asked the banking association to deal with this issue because even if one bank changes this policy, it’s going to pop up in other banks around the country."
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When American women visit Muslim countries they are cautioned to wear something on their head as that is the custom in those countries. If I were visiting one of these countries, I would make certain that I had a scarf to cover my head and a shirt with long sleeves. I would not wear shorts or a revealing outfit in respect for their customs.
Because this Muslim woman is living in the United States, she should abide by our customs. If the bank rule that "no one" should wear hooded shirts,etc. then that rule should apply to her. When she approaches the teller window she should drop the drape across her face so that she can be identified as one of their customers.
When people from other countries live in the United States they must realize that it would be beneficial for them to speak English and abide by our rules. After all, it is about security and safety within our bank branches.
"I would make certain that I had a scarf to cover my head and a shirt with long sleeves." and "Because this Muslim woman is living in the United States, she should abide by our customs. "
Yes the countries customs are important. If you want to be part of that country you need to follow the main stream of society.
What if that person is an American who happened to be a Muslim?
It is amazing how we feel so obliged to assume all others are like us! You made that comment obliviously unaware as to why women of the Muslim faith wear hijabs (head covering). A hijab is not like a hat created for the simply placing on and off according to leisure. It is a REQUIREDcovering that serves two purposes: 1) Protect a woman through modesty and 2) to identify a woman who calls herself a Muslim. Removing her hijab is forbiddenand is punishable by God (and the demands of God is more important than the wants of man).
How ironic! A bank serving American military personnel (and their families) who serve and fight for a country which states "with freedom and justice for all", cannot find an understanding for the various races and cultures that live within their borders. Imagine how it would feel to the Muslim women whose children, husbands, and relatives are off serving overseas. God Bless the Muslim women who have had a love one killed serving their country and have to be harassed by uninformed rules that justly apply to everyone—oh, except followers outside of a Judeo-Christian religion. Guess what, if a person wants to rob a bank, they will do it with or without a hat/mask/scarf/hooded shirt.
When you said: "When people from other countries live in the United States they must realize that it would be beneficial for them to speak English and abide by our rules. After all, it is about security and safety within our bank branches," your statement almost instantly takes on a "them vs us" tone. It makes one wonder if you have a deep resentment that you are attempting to supress. Besides, what does one’s speaking English have to do with bank security? Please, if America is supposed to be strictly English speaking Judeo-Christians then please stop allowing immigrants in.
Deber B, when people say things like "Just take off the scarf" to Non-Christian women who choose to follow the doctrines of their religion it creates an understanding of how little people understand each other. deber B your comment: "she should drop the drape across her face so that she can be identified as one of their customers" proves that you are passing judgement on a person, a faith, and a custom that you know very little of. Proof: You called her face covering, properly called a niqab, a "drape". And if you have true knowledge of what women of the Muslim faith should do when we enter the bank, then tell me what should Muslim women do if the teller is a man? To show our hair is vanity and lack of modesty and is forbidden. So now what do we do? Close our account and bank somewhere else? That simple?
If you truly respected Islamic/Muslim customs as an AMERICAN with AMERICAN RIGHTS, then you would really take time to learnand understand why we Muslim women cover our heads and support our freedom of religion and not retreat in the blind theory that by stating what you would do is the justified answer and proper solution. The simple fact is that you would not ask a Nun to take off her habit…? Why? Because you trust her more…? Do you understand her more…? Or is it because she is a Christian…? Well, just as she has her head covered, guess what, a believing, God fearing Muslima has hers. WITH AN EQUAL RIGHT TO WEAR HER HEAD COVERED WITHOUT HARASSMENT.
Z****you are right. If customers aren’t pleased with the rules of a business, then take your business to a place where you will feel more comfortable. I don’t think this topic has anything at all to do with the way Americans may or may not feel about Muslim people. The problem in America is that we’ve gone overboard with racism and religious rights. This is our country and we make the rules. If people from other countries don’t like it they can go back to their own countries. I have to believe that many are here because this is a much safer environment for them.
caj p, I believe you may be missing the point entirely. It is about covering the face. Wearing the same hats as other people is amusing but doesn’t make sense.
We are talking about bank robberies. We are talking about people who cover their heads with hoods, masks and scarves.