Posted on 07/19/2005 1:03:41 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
It's Saturday evening, the end of a hot day, and a group of women and children have gathered at North Seattle's Meadowbrook Pool for their monthly swim.
Most of the pool staff has left, except for two female lifeguards, who on this day will be on duty for the next two hours.
The women and children — all Muslims — have been swimming in private once a month at Meadowbrook as part of a program organized by the North Seattle Family Center.
Because Islam requires Muslim women to fully cover themselves in public, swimming in pools or the ocean is largely off-limits for many.
But across the Puget Sound area, that's starting to change as public and private pools at times are sending home their male staff members, covering up their windows and allowing women of faith to swim alone and in private...
Access to these pools is not free; the groups, like all others that use these facilities, pay a rental fee....
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
We'll just have to agree on disagreeing on this particular matter and move on.
Have a good day, M'dear.
:)
" I have been assured that what is beneath the habbiyah may be little or nothing, even in public."
OMG! You mean they really are ((( flashers ))) in waiting?!!
kidding ;)
Yep. So is our culture but we're the oppposite extreme.
Again, I have been assured that what they do at home is far different than what they do in public.
I have no problem with that.
They even have reserved areas in restaurants for families, no single males allowed.
Also there are family days and times when single males are not allowed at certain stores or events. It just makes it kind of hard for a single expat to shop or find entertainment on those days. My solution was plutonic dates. That also kept the female friend from being unescorted in public.
"Also there are family days and times when single males are not allowed at certain stores or events. It just makes it kind of hard for a single expat to shop or find entertainment on those days. My solution was plutonic dates. That also kept the female friend from being unescorted in public."
Geez, too many conditions and restrictions for this Freedom Girl. Like life isn't difficult enough. No thanks.
-----------------------------------
Gee, the article I read says: 'The women and children, all muslim..."
its the law of unintended consequences. with a diverse society any law or application of laws will have unintended consequences.
parsing the application of law is actually against the basic theory of American Law.....either there is equal protection under the Law, and equal application of the Law, or their isn't.
this is now destined to conflict with Islamic Law, which sets different stantards for men and women.
I still recall the Saudi Arabian girls who were not permitted to exit a school on fire in less than full covering and thus died.
I also remember fights over ID pictures on US driver's licences.
These people are simply incompatible with, and impossible to absorb into, western culture.
We're nuts to be trying.
Karen Fagerberg, associate executive director of the Everett Family YMCA, said that on a slow day they see four people, and on a busy day 30-plus. "The program is not just for Muslim women, but Christians and Jewish women, too.
"That's nice. It's not segregated but brings Christians, Muslims and Jews to socialize together and play together."
It's from the article. Always helps if you read it first.
"These people are simply incompatible with, and impossible to absorb into, western culture.
We're nuts to be trying."
Precisely. They intend to remain eastern and us remain western, of course there will never be any assimilation from either side. We westerners are foolish for being the only side that tries, is willing to absorb when they are not ever willing to meet us half way.
I read the entire article and the pool you reference is not the one that is the subject of the article, about which it clearly states, "all muslim". Try to keep it real.
But I don't see why anybody would want to bar a group from a particular church, mosque, or synagogue from signing up for the pool on a rental basis, just like any other group. Private use. Equal access. Freedom of contract. There have been dozens of posts making this point.
I really didn't mind it all that much. In fact, I could appreciate segregating families from the single men.
The long (loose) garb actually helps shield from the sun.
Be carefull what you ask for.....some of these are some fugly ol hairy women missing teeth.
ROFL
oh I get to pick and choose my playmates and I didn't mean to choose from this group.
And thus this discussion bottoms out...
I regret having offended your delicate sensitivities with a single, sarcastic line in a single post.
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