After six years of litigation, Orange County settled a religious discrimination lawsuit filed on behalf of a Muslim woman who was forced to remove her traditional head scarf while she was in a courthouse holding cell, the ACLU announced today.
Orange County officials will no longer require Muslim women in custody to remove their head scarf, known as a hijab, said attorney Mark Rosenbaum of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.
Said plaintiff Souhair Khatib of Anaheim: "I praise Allah and thank Him that I live in a country where I can practice my religion freely. While not everyone understands Islam or what it requires of me, I'm grateful that the U.S. government protects my right to fulfill my duty to Allah, whether at work, on a public street or, yes, even in a sheriff's holding facility."
Law enforcement officers will be trained about ordering Muslim women to remove hijabs, and the county will pay $85,000 in damages, fees and court costs.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department issued this statement:
"The Orange County Sheriff's Department respects the constitutionally guaranteed religious rights of all persons. As agreed to in the settlement, we have implemented new policies and conducted training with our personnel specific to the wearing of religious head garments. These changes will ensure the security needs of our custodial facilities are met and at the same time respect the religious freedoms of those held in our custody.
"In addition, the department has established a quarterly meeting with our religious volunteers from the various faiths, including Islam, to ensure our personnel are sensitive to the needs of our inmate population and to find ways to enhance the services they provide.
"Maintaining the balance of Constitutional guarantees with the safety and well-being of those entrusted into our custody is a dynamic undertaking and we will continue to work with our community partners to meet that challenge."
Sheriff's deputies had Khatib remove her hijab twice while in a holding cell at the North County Justice Center in Fullerton. They wanted the scarf removed, because it could be considered a weapon.
The lawsuit was filed in 2007 and came before U.S. District Judge David O. Carter in Santa Ana, who sided with county officials.
A panel of federal appellate justices agreed with Carter in May 2010, but in December 2010 the full Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 11-0 to reverse Carter's ruling.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the case in October 2011.
"It's a landmark settlement," Rosenbaum told City News Service.
"It means religious freedom doesn't stop at the courthouse door. Muslim women inside the facility will be allowed to honor their religious views without having to sacrifice them to the security concerns of Orange County law enforcement."
Rosenbaum commended Orange County officials for settling.
"It's a terrific victory, especially a post-9/11 victory for Muslims," Rosenbaum said. "It's another way of saying we're all equal under the Constitution."
- City News Service
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENTS
Are you in favor of the county's new police allowing for hijabs in courtroom holding tanks?
The brits are way too polite. I would never survive over there. I am an all american boy, born and raised on a corn, potatoes and beef diet. If I smell a big steaming pile in the next room I will shout out "That smells like ****!!!" And if someone takes offense to that - it's their problem - not mine. I am honest as the day is long. And that is imbedded in me like the spots on a leopard. And I say screw England. I am glad we became independent of them centuries ago. Otherwise I would probably be housed in reeducation camp up in the mountains somewhere today. Let the Muslims conquer England. I couldn't care less. I am worried about the mexicans and the central Americans conquering us. Now THAT is a REAL CONCERN, whether some want to acknowledge the truth or not!!!
You're so disingenuous it's unbelieveable, Professor. About .00005% of all illegals in America pick any kind of produce, let alone strawberries! hah. Most of them work construction jobs, assemblyline jobs, landscaping jobs, jantitorial jobs, truck driving jobs - traditional jobs that Americans have always done. They are STEALING jobs from America's underclass and increasing the poverty rolls!!! And you appear too stupid to understand such a simple concept. " Most people of Mexican decent I know have two jobs and are not on food stamps." Oh, good. Naturally we are discussing ILLEGALS here so the people you know are STEALING 2 jobs from the American underclass? I bet you love them for it too!!! hah. Quite a citizen you are, Avery! "The largest group of people on food stamps, welfare, unemployment, i.e., The Dole, are white people in the Southern States" Yeah, because they had their jobs stolen by illegals. Stop being so willfully ignorant, Professor! "Yeah, I was an academic. You love to scorn us because?" Because the academics have been polluting our kid's minds with socialistic psychobabble for over 30 years now and are one of the main reasons that America is going down in flames. Liberal academics started the fire and poured tons of gasoline on it. Going to an American university today is almost like visiting Russia in 1962.
By the way, the English pound is worth 2 of our dollars. Always has been and always will be. In other words, these days the folks in Northern Ireland no longer come here looking for a better life; they come to shop and then go home. And, yep, it's the red states who are bringing us down. High unemployment, low literacy rates, high teen pregnancy, high crime, high welfare, low math and science scores, high poverty. German auto companies refer to the American South as the new China.
Trust me, Avery. My accomplishments in life would make you look like you were a career fry-basket boy @ Burger King. heh. And I would no more choose to work in an Ivory Tower like you did than I would choose to shovel cow manure in a barnyard for a living. heh. Smoke that. "By the way, the English pound is worth 2 of our dollars." Yeah, but their price for goods and services are 3x's higher than ours too, Professor. Obviously, you never taught economics or did much traveling in your tenure. What did you teach, btw??? Interior design or the culinary arts??? heh. "German auto companies refer to the American South as the new China." That's only due to dolts like you who promote the saturation of America with illegal indigents from banana republics. heh. You promote during America into a 3rd world nation and after it happens you trash America for being uncompetitive on a global scale!! heh. Honest to God, are you really a former college professor? Please tell me where you taught so I can avoid it at all costs and warn all my friends. hah! :^)
I've traveled quite a bit actually. And you're wrong about the price of English Goods. What costs $80 here costs 80 pounds there. Which explains why the Irish fly to New York to buy things and then fly home. It's half price for them. Just like Japan used to be for us. When you travel these days you don't get deals if you're from the U.S.; not like before Bush II. He weakened the dollar to an obscene level. I taught English. You know, how to comprehend what you read and then communicate your analysis of it. Which is why you crack me up and I take shots at you. It's completely obvious you have no idea what you imply most of the time, or even what you're actually saying. You have no idea just how badly you come off to anyone who got a B or better in any Freshman english class. By the way, that's I also know you're lying about accomplishments. In the first place you would have told us exactly what they were in specific details if you had any because you are clearly a braggart without a molecule of humility. Anyone who has read half of one your your swaggering comments knows that much about you.
Okay, so you claim that there are 2 pounds to every USD. And so you claimed it stands to reason that therefore the pound is the stronger currency and that England is in better financial condition as a result. And then you claimed that: " What costs $80 here costs 80 pounds there." So things in England are 2x's more expensive as they are here (YOUR CLAIM). So how does that make England more consumer friendly than in America? And I don't believe your 2x's analogy, btw. I say that goods and services in England are 2.5 to 3x's more expensive than they are in America. Food items in particular. Anyone who has traveled over there knows that. Europe's transportation system is heavily subsidized which explains their relatively cheap public trans costs. "I taught English." That in itself would bring down a comedy house. "By the way, that's I also know you're lying about accomplishments." That's quite an assertion you made there, you brain stem. I don't go bragging on myself or my life accomplishments on an on-line comment board. I am not cut from your cloth, thank God. But my accomplishments run circles around your ivory tower experiences and showing people how to cross t's and dot i's where to puncutate a sentence. heh. What a major achievement! heh. :^)
Your logic is that you don't believe me therefore you are correct. That is in a word, stupid. I've spend quite a bit a time in England, Scotland, and Ireland over the years. For us things are twice as expensive there. Because our money is worth half what there is. That's within a few pennies. It fluctuates which I'm surprised you didn't mention as that would have been a much more sound counter-argument than your idiotic "And I don't believe your 2x's analogy, btw. I say that goods and services in England are 2.5 to 3x's more expensive than they are in America. Food items in particular. Anyone who has traveled over there knows that." There is absolutely zero substance in your arguments because you rely on the overly generalized statement. Look up the exchange rate, bubba. You'll see you're wrong. Today it is 1.55 dollar to 1 pounds. Anyone who actually travels over there figures it to be about twice. Your 2.5 to 3 ratio is completely ignorant of the facts. And your description of teaching English on the college level proves my point that you don't read well. Instead of thinking you opt for a cheap shot that is clumsy. What you should have done is consider that I said because I've forgotten more about interpreting writing that you've ever known. And if you don't see yourself as an egotistical arrogant braggart, then you're blind. I know exactly how arrogant I am. Especially when I'm finding an intelligence that is halfway formed like yours.
That is one ignorant and bigoted statement.
Yes, folks. I am an engaged citizen who loves to discuss the topics of the day. Apparently that makes me a bad person to some people, even to some attorneys who took sworn oaths to encourage people to exercise their unalienable rights. We live in a strange world for sure. "He is simply trying to engage anyone who will listen as he apparently has nothing else better to do but show off his deep intellect and education." I am not really deeply intellectual. In fact, in some ways I'm rather stupid. And I will be the very first to admit it. But I do believe in 'justice for all' and the truth. I love the truth. And some people hate me on account of that. There's is nothing I can do to control them though. So I will continue to love the truth regardless if they hate me for it. And while I have some education, yes, I am self-educated in the most important things in life. The things we are never taught in school. Am I proud of my education? Not so much my formal education. I am much prouder of my informal education. So there. But I am not an intellectual. I was the jock. Not the intellectual back in my formative years. I don't even wear glasses. How could I be an intellectual? "Don't engage this guy. It is like speaking to a wall (that talks back)." People who are intimidated by the truth that I espouse generally either attack me or avoid me. I would rather you avoid me so I don't have to embarrass you.
Yes, folks. I am an engaged citizen who loves to discuss the topics of the day. Apparently that makes me a bad person to some people, even to some attorneys who took sworn oaths to encourage people to exercise their unalienable rights. We live in a strange world for sure. "He is simply trying to engage anyone who will listen as he apparently has nothing else better to do but show off his deep intellect and education." I am not really deeply intellectual. In fact, in some ways I'm rather stupid. And I will be the very first to admit it. But I do believe in 'justice for all' and the truth. I love the truth. And some people hate me for that. There's nothing I can do to control them though. So I will continue to love the truth regardless if they hate me for it. And while I have some education, yes, I am self-educated in the most important things in life. The things we are never taught in school. Am I proud of my education? Not so much my formal education. I am much prouder of my informal education. So there. But I am not an intellectual. I was the jock. Not an intellectual back in my formative years. I don't even wear glasses. How could I be an intellectual? "Don't engage this guy. It is like speaking to a wall (that talks back)." People who are intimidated by the truth that I espouse generally either attack me or avoid me. I would rather you avoid me so I don't have to embarrass you in front of others.
Seriously, David, you are a God because you got the troglodyte to admit "I'm rather stupid. And I will be the very first to admit it." He's spent a considerable amount of time responding to me with how intelligent he is. When I write my blog post on "Internet Fools That Won't Shut Up" I'll use his response and compare and contrast what he's said elsewhere. Nothing like using someone's own words to prove what a liar and, thus, coward he is. And I'm completely shocked by his admission of being uneducated. It shows for sure, and it's a central point in my discussion of these fools and what passes for debate in America these days, but to have one of them admit it in writing? Priceless. Thanks, David.
"Seriously, David, you are a God because you got the troglodyte to admit "I'm rather stupid. And I will be the very first to admit it." And that simply substantiates my honesty. Only someone stupider than I am would fail to recognize that use it for the purpose of ridicule, which only bolsters all my previous opinions about you, Dan. heh. "And I'm completely shocked by his admission of being uneducated." Where did I say that I am "uneducated"? Show me that quote. If you can't you are a liar. I never said that I am "uneducated". As matter of fact, I am quite the opposite of "uneducated". Trust me. I only said I am prouder of my self-education than whatever I learned in school. So you're stupidity is showing again, Dan. It always seems to pop up in the most likely places. heh. :^) Btw, David. Thank you for enticing Dan to make an appearance under this blog heading and to show us more of his stupidity and his inability to be honest by misquoting me. Kudos.
Dude, you are predictable. I gave you a clear choice real debate or name-calling. You chickened out on the first and just engaged in the latter. I did say I would write a blog post about you and then flog it relentless on social media. I clearly explained that I would take days to craft this piece. What I neglected to tell you was I was accepted into both the number one and number two writing programs in the country in the graduate level. I chose to attend the number two program because they offered me more money and the weather is better in Irvine than in Iowa City. You think I've used ridicule? Dude, I write these things super fast. It's my D game. Now I am going to show you my A game. Hey Beavis, great thinking on your choice.
It sounds like you got some major butt-hurt, pal!!! Go soak it in epsom salts. I not only ruffled your feathers as a commenter, you seem to have lost all sense of professionalism by your indication that you will attack commenters in your biased blogs. HAH! Now that is hilarious. No idea why anyone would bother reading your stuff based on what you've written as a commenter. But no one has to take an IQ test to be a blog reader. If a Rhesus monkey could afford a computer and the hookup charge he could read your blogs too!! :^) Knock yourself out, Professor. You really amuse me . Thanks for the entertainment.
Actually you moronic twit, it's an idea I've been kicking around for quite a while. It's a post about how the Patch will never achieve it's goal of promoting meaningful discussion in a community, because there are uneducated baboons who think because the first amendment exists whatever they think is therefore valid. You, sir, are their poster child and I've been collecting quotes from you to serve as evidence. Quotes I'll then deconstruct like I did today in that other thread. Ridiculing you is just one of those "perks," that comes with my job of being a writer. A real one, mind you and not some self-appointed "expert" who is nothing more than a puff of smoke who will disappear shortly. In other words, I have the credentials, you don't. It's clear to me you don't read anyone, period. You simply parrot whatever you hear on fox news. You're a parrot JustUs. And nothing more. Parrots repeat what they hear but they don't understand. Bye for now. The cartoon head I sculpted to use to represent you as a graphic for the post has finished rendering. Time to start crafting the language.
"Can't We All Get Along"? In the words of William Bonney, "Justice Comes outa the front of a Gun".
Now The Dumb and the Willfully Ignorant are unemployable so they spend their days comment on the Patch. Even when the article deals with topics they know nothing of; they live to spew their ignorance and hatred. They don't use their real names because they claim speaking your mind can be dangerous. Tell that to Martin Luther King, Jr. Malcolm X, Nathan Hale, Thomas Paine... They are cowards and like all cowards they bully if you point out their complete lack of logic. They ruin online communication and any chance we may have had to learn from each other. They will continue to do so until we stand up and shout them down.
And that makes them the worst entity in the US? Really?
I did not know you could read a person on the internet! Do u work for CSI? Any degree in physc?
You should look up the word "libel" and then find a good attorney. I am not fooling. You crossed the line and I'm coming for you.