Ga. judge jails Muslim woman over head scarf

[dbackjon]

A judge ordered the arrest of a Muslim woman who refused to take off her head scarf at a court security checkpoint.

The judge ordered Lisa Valentine, 40, to serve 10 days in jail for contempt of court, said police in Douglasville, a city of about 20,000 people on Atlanta's west suburban outskirts.

Valentine violated a court policy that prohibits people from wearing any headgear in court, police said after the Tuesday arrest.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations urged federal authorities to investigate the incident as well as others in Georgia.

"I just felt stripped of my civil, my human rights," Valentine told The Associated Press on Wednesday from her home, after she said she was unexpectedly released once CAIR got involved. Jail officials declined to say why she was freed.

Municipal Court Judge Keith Rollins said that "it would not be appropriate" for him to comment on the case.

Last year, a judge in Valdosta in southern Georgia barred a Muslim woman from entering a courtroom because she would not remove her head scarf. There have been similar cases in other states, including Michigan, where a Muslim woman in Detroit filed a federal lawsuit in February 2007 after a judge dismissed her small-claims court case when she refused to remove a head and face veil.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081217/ap_ ... arf_arrest

[dbackjon]

I work with several Sikh's that do not uncover their head. Surely, a way can be found to accomidate religous beliefs as long as it does not affect others.

[HI54UNI]

"A judge ordered the arrest of a Muslim woman who refused to take off her head scarf at a court security checkpoint."

If a head scarf, hat, turban, whatever is removed and inspected at the security checkpoint let them wear it in court. If they won't take it off for inspection tough shit.

"When she turned to leave and uttered an expletive, Hall said a bailiff handcuffed her and took her before the judge."

I wonder too how much her fine had to do with uttering an expletive in the courtroom.

[dbackjon]

I wonder what she said...

And I wonder if there is a way for them to be inspected in private, or wanded, etc so as not to violate their beliefs?

[HI54UNI]

I wonder what she said...

And I wonder if there is a way for them to be inspected in private, or wanded, etc so as not to violate their beliefs?

I wonder that too but I also wonder how far do we have to go? Where do you draw the line on offending someone or violating their beliefs? I don't know the answer.

[dbackjon]

I wonder what she said...

And I wonder if there is a way for them to be inspected in private, or wanded, etc so as not to violate their beliefs?

I wonder that too but I also wonder how far do we have to go? Where do you draw the line on offending someone or violating their beliefs? I don't know the answer.

to me, it would be if there is a reasonable accomidation available.

I understand that in muslim countries, it is ok for a woman officer (doesn't have to be a muslim) to take the woman into a booth and then remove the scarf, search it, and then allow her to put it back on in private. Seems reasonable to me.