Posted on 11/27/2006 9:27:09 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Imams, ministers and a rabbi staged a "pray-in" demonstration Monday at Reagan Washington National Airport and demanded an apology from US Airways for barring six Muslims from a Minneapolis to Phoenix flight last week.
The religious leaders called for an end to racial profiling, saying it was unacceptable in America.
"These things are troubling to us," said Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation. "Driving while black, flying while Muslim, traveling with a Torah or getting with Jesus."
Imam Omar Shahin, one of the six imams detained last Monday at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, said they hadn't done anything suspicious.
The imams, who were returning from a religious conference, had prayed on their prayer rugs in the airport before the flight. After they boarded the flight, a passenger, who was alarmed by their activity, passed a note to a flight attendant. The men were taken off the airplane, handcuffed and questioned.
"It was the worst moment in my life," Shahin said.
US Airways Group Inc. spokeswoman Andrea Rader said prayer was never the issue.
"Apparently, as they were boarding, one passenger overheard them saying what they thought were anti-U.S. statements," Rader said.
She also said the men got up and moved around the airplane, forcing the flight crew to consult with the airline about whether they might pose a security risk. Local law enforcement and the FBI thought they did, she said.
"We're sorry the imams had a difficult time, but we do think the crews have to make these calls and we think they made the right one," she said. US Airways plans to meet with the imams this week, Rader said.
On Monday, Shahin and a handful of other Muslims bowed down on rugs and prayed in Terminal A near the US Airways ticket counter. Jewish and Christian clergy also said prayers.
After the prayer session, Shahin and other religious leaders boarded a US Airways flight to demonstrate their determination to continue praying and flying.
Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP national office, called on Congress to pass legislation that would end racial profiling. The bill is necessary because airlines are unclear how to deal with racial and ethnic profiling, he said.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, four airlines accused of breaking federal anti-discrimination laws settled with the government. Transportation Department investigations found the airlines had unlawfully removed passengers because of their perceived ethnic or religious backgrounds.
Though the air carriers — American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines — admitted no wrongdoing, they agreed to carry out civil rights training for their employees.
The Homeland Security Department's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties said last week that it was investigating the US Airways incident.
U.S. Airway should BAN ALL MUSLIMS from all flights, UNLESS they appear to be normal well behaved Human Beings.
"These things are troubling to us," said Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation
I haven't seen any thing where they say the profiling being done by the Islamo-facist terrorists is troubling to them. These people have yet to come out against the terrorist acts of these thugs. Until they do, they can all just shut up. Profiling these thugs works, and should continue.
And when do Americans get to "DEMAND" an apology for 9/11? For the Cole bombing? For the bombings of our Embassies? For the beheading of innocent civilian employees? Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
These people can all go to the Hell God has prepared for them unless they speak out and fight against these Islamo-facist terrorists who've attacked this nation for more than a decade.
Interesting photo. If I may indulge in a little racial profiling, it looks to me like the protest group is made up of members of the "Fruit of Islam", with the possible exception of one guy on the back left. Personally, I see Farrakhan's group as "Islam lite" rather than the real thing. Although obviously, when it comes down to taking sides in a conflict, America will always be in the wrong with this group.
Follow the money - appropriate to investigate.
Ok... how's this:
"We are sorry that so many of your religious group want to kill non-Muslim's. It makes us sad (and wary) to see this happening all over the world. So please; accept our sincere apology that this unfortunate airport incident has distressed you so - it distresses us to have to do it to you; but we must be safe.
If non-rabid dogs are running in a pack of rabid ones, the 'safe' thing to do would be to shoot them all. Since you are NOT dogs, the safe thing would be not to allow yourselves to be in an unsafe place - namely one of our aircraft. As you know, "Let's Roll" has a special place in our National Lexicon now, and perhaps a group of non-Muslim passengers might, out of shear, ignorant fear, decide to neutralise a 'potential', perceived threat to their safety, and then you folks would have been even MORE upset.
So, to avoid future bad feelings between you and our airline, please accept these 10% off flight vouchers. They may be used on any OTHER airline than ours.
Again, we apologize for your delay and embarassment."
"The policy of the Know Nothing Party, during the 19th century.
They were talking about Roman Catholics. "
How many acts of terrorism were committed in the mid 19th by Roman Catholics in the name of their religion and how many priests were giving pro-terrorist sermons?
Only HALF????
Target rich environment
Does anyone else see the problem here?
Or....
No MORE snakes on a Plane!
I don't know. What does a Torah weigh?
UHhhh....
That didn't work on 9/11.....
Thanks Diogenesis for reminding us that the Imans's voices were AWOL at the podium.
So, why are they standing??? There's enough room for them to stick their butts in the air.
God help us from JessieJackIslamism. Next thing you know .....
Excellent Piont. Lets DEPORT ALL these SCUMBAGS & let them take the bus......In their OWN country !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for setting me straight.
Doing their "acts of righteousness" (in this instance, praying) before others....
They're free to do so, but their politicization of their satanic faith is obvious....
"The religious leaders called for an end to racial profiling, saying it was unacceptable in America."
What race are Muslims?
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