SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR MUSLIMS IN U.S. PUBLIC FACILITIES? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS!

During my six years of residence in a Muslim country, I neither expected nor demanded any type of special consideration to benefit my status as a Westerner and a Christian.  For example, during my first year, the toilet facility in my quarters was an "Oriental toilet, " which was simply a hole in the floor with an adjacent hose.  As for recreational opportunities, there was a swimming pool on my university compound, with sexually segregated times for men and women and very stringent regulations on bathing attire.  I simply avoided the swimming pool and learned how to avail myself of the toilet.

But, fast-forward to 2013 and the U.S. and one encounters bizarre requests and demands being made in the name of Islam for the special use of public facilities. Remarkably, many of these demands across the country have been granted.  In Portland, Oregon, the Somali Women's Association has petitioned the city to provide special women-only hours, staffed by female lifeguards, for city-owned swimming pools.  In Dearborn, Michigan, the University of Michigan at Dearborn has constructed special restroom facilities (taxpayer cost: $100,000) to accommodate Muslim requirements for washing prior to salah (prayer time). In Seattle, Muslim women use brown paper to insure their modesty against lecherous looks that might come through adjacent windows during their special "splash time.".  Meanwhile, at Rutgers University (a publicly-funded university) in New Jersey, Muslim-only swim times are available. Similar concessions have been granted in venues such as Washington, D.C. and Houston.

Reacting to threats of violence, the Minneapolis Community and Technical College finally caved and installed facilities for Muslim ablutions. Even in public airports, such as Indianapolis, Phoenix and Kansas City, special Muslim washing facilities have opened.

PREPARING FOR SPECIAL SWIM TIME IN SEATTLE

In a Chicago suburban school, a Muslim teacher who had been employed for less than one year applied to leave her teaching duties for three weeks, in order to participate in a pilgrimage to Mecca. Her request denied, she left her position and eventually complained to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which found in her favor and ordered the school district to pay $75,000 in back pay and damages.

MUSLIM STUDENT WASHES UP BEFORE PRAYER

At Fordson High School, once again in Dearborn, Michigan, when football practice conflicts with the month of Ramadan, practices take place from midnight to 4 AM.  Also in Dearborn, the public schools provide Halal foods, although they cost 30% in excess of what is afforded at most public schools. Accordingly, Dearborn schools provide 5 different menus each day, ranging from a normal menu to a Halal menu and a Halal menu without nuts.

A STATE-ISSUED DRIVING LICENSE!

During last year, after more than 2 dozen state legislatures had debated banning Sharia law,  the Islamic Circle      of North America, in response, undertook a 3-million-dollar campaign in behalf of Sharia.  Couching the campaign's rhetoric in "religious freedom,"  the group hoped to appeal to American sensibilities having to do with fair play.  It is, of course, too early to gauge the success of the effort, but the general pulse of the nation would seem to suggest that special treatment for religious groups would not be at the top of the priority list for most Americans.  After all, how many Americans would like to pay more taxes and to be inconvenienced in their use of public facilities, simply to confer special privileges on a religious minority?  Remember that the next time you stand in a long TSA line at your friendly neighborhood airport!