Airport Sinks for Muslim Cabbies

A few days ago a routine update on changes at the Indy airport included
info about planned building of special foot bathing sinks were being added
in a new Cabbie restroom area, just for Muslims in a cleansing ceremony
that's performed several times a day before prayer.

Well this news was not recieved well by most people who heard about it
and made their feelings known publicly. Today this article appeared and
officials are already backing away from the plans to include them in the
new airport plans.I was a little supprised how vocal those against it were.

Does your airport make this accomodation for Muslim cab drivers?

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...OCAL/709220487

O'Hare has a non-denominational chapel. And prayer services are held there (I hear it announced on the PA system.)

That is on tax supported property.

Is it any different?

I'm not sure if Detroit does or not. I haven't been there in years.

Cabbies at Boston Logan are lucky if they can get your luggage out of the trunk before they get shooed out to make room for the next cab! I think they do most of their praying between speeding trucks.

Love, Columbine

Sara, the difference between the non-deominational chapel and the sinks is that the sinks are for a specific religion, and the chapel is exactly that. Non-denominational. As in not catering to a specific religion.

When I first saw the title of this thread, I saw "sinks" as a verb. I thought, "NOW what???"

oops! :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Sara, the difference between the non-deominational chapel and the sinks is that the sinks are for a specific religion, and the chapel is exactly that. Non-denominational. As in not catering to a specific religion.

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Not true! You can wash your feet in the sink if you like. I don't believe there is any restriction that you must be Muslim to do so.

And...according to my dictionary...a chapel is a place for Christian worship.

The chapels in airports usually hold non-denominational christian services, jewish, services, etc. The chapels on military posts are used for all religions, yet they are still called chapels.

The sinks are being put in SPECIFICALLY for muslims. Anyone can use them, granted, but if it wasn't a religious accommodation they wouldn't be there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

The chapels in airports usually hold non-denominational christian services, jewish, services, etc. The chapels on military posts are used for all religions, yet they are still called chapels.

The sinks are being put in SPECIFICALLY for muslims. Anyone can use them, granted, but if it wasn't a religious accommodation they wouldn't be there.

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I know many, many Jewish people...none of whom would worhsip in a chapel.

And the chapels in ariports are not religious accomodations??? For whom were the chapels installed??

They are religious accommodations, but they are not targeted to a particular religion.

Therein lies the problem....you start accomodating one religion...you must accomodate them all.

I suspect the chapels were not installed to accomodate the Atheists!

In which case you know no jewish servicemembers, as jewish services are held at the same building (AKA a chapel) as other religious services on military posts.

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgur...ctive%26sa%3DG

Kansas City airport has installed these 'sinks' (called washing benches), but now denies they are for any particular group - which is causing the usual brou-ha-ha.

http://worldnetdaily.com/images2/washbasin.jpg

Another view:
http://worldnetdaily.com/images2/KCwashbasin3.jpg

Prayer rug rolled up in one corner:

http://worldnetdaily.com/images2/KCprayerrugs.jpg

Quote:

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Mark VanLoh, director of the Kansas City Aviation Department. "This was the best solution, and those facilities were added without public money."

He added that cab drivers paid for construction through a one-dollar per-trip fee.

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Quote:

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Muslims are required to wash their feet and other body parts before praying to Allah five times a day. They often complain that public restroom sinks do not accommodate their needs. Floor-level basins and benches make it easier for them to perform their foot-washing ritual.

Muslim taxi drivers at KCI Airport pooh-poohed concerns about the wash benches, arguing they are not just for their use.

"The guys [sic] making a big issue out of it – it's not just for Muslims," said taxi driver Shareif El-Mahdi in an interview with KMBC-TV.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

In which case you know no jewish servicemembers, as jewish services are held at the same building (AKA a chapel) as other religious services on military posts.

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This is not about the military. However, you are wrong. I dated a Jewish marine for 7 years. And the stories he told would disagree with what you are saying.

This is about airports. Take out the chapels and I will have no argument about the foot baths.

Chapels are christian. Look it up in your dictionary.

Sara, I spent 20 years in the military. The same building at West Ft Hood that had the catholic and protestant services also held the jewish services. The same building at Ft Devens that held catholic and protestant services also held jewish services. and FT Drum, and Coleman Barracks, and FT Dix...............

And they were all labeled on the post maps as......(Drum roll, please)....








Chapels.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Sara, I spent 20 years in the military. The same building at West Ft Hood that had the catholic and protestant services also held the jewish services. The same building at Ft Devens that held catholic and protestant services also held jewish services. and FT Drum, and Coleman Barracks, and FT Dix...............

And they were all labeled on the post maps as......(Drum roll, please)....








Chapels.

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Only you could know more about being a Jew in the military than someone who was.... :rolleyes:

But ....AIRPORT......ARMY...different things!

Sara, the military came into this when you were getting in a huff about the definition of "chapel".

On military maps and on a military post a chapel is simply a religious building, no religious affiliation is noted by the chapel symbol on a map or the word in the post directory.

Well, I did find an answer of sorts about other airports accommodating
Muslin cab drivers in this article. They mentioned Kansas Intl. airport and
a Michigan Univ. as other places that had done this.I still think it's wrong
to do this as it's a violation of separation of chuch & state issue.


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...=2007709160457

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Sara, the military came into this when you were getting in a huff about the definition of "chapel".

On military maps and on a military post a chapel is simply a religious building, no religious affiliation is noted by the chapel symbol on a map or the word in the post directory.

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I spent this morning at Camp Pendleton...a large marine base a couple miles south of my home. I was there to participate in a fund raiser for the famiies of fallen officers and soldiers.

First thing I saw upon entering the base...a sweet chapel. White washed building with a steeple and...........a cross on top.

Few miles on a memorial chapel. White but in need of paint. A free-standing cross about 7 feet tall out front and a cross rising above the roof line above the front door.

There was a sign to another chapel...I couldn't see it from the road but I could read the list of services....all Lutheran.

I just find it a little hard to believe that a marine who is Jewish, Muslim, Kemetic, Buddist, Hindu, or Moon Worshiper is going to think those buildings with cross on them are there for the purpose of accomodating their religion.

I am not in a huff over the definition of the word "chapel." I looked it up in my dictionary. Saves all that huffing.

I just believe if you are going to get in a huff over accomodating one religion at a public facility...you should be in a huff about accomodating any religion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lizbud

I still think it's wrong
to do this as it's a violation of separation of chuch & state issue.

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An airport isn't a governmental function, though - they're businesses hired by the airlines (via airport fees) to give them a place to pick up & drop off passengers. They can have Bible shops, Buddha statues, Flying Spaghetti Monster mosaics, whatever they want to do to attract airlines whose passengers might appreciate the services and atmosphere they offer.

Love, Columbine

Airports are government owned, with very few exceptions. They then lease terminal space to the airlines.

I really don't think that anyone's god gives a rat's arse as to the name, style or accomodations of where services are held.

Me thinks he only cares that you show up anywhere and talk to him...


Semantics!

Peh!

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LOL

I think that more prayers are said inside the planes themselves..

"Please god, don't give the the effed up pilot....AMEN!" :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by columbine

An airport isn't a governmental function, though - they're businesses hired by the airlines (via airport fees) to give them a place to pick up & drop off passengers. They can have Bible shops, Buddha statues, Flying Spaghetti Monster mosaics, whatever they want to do to attract airlines whose passengers might appreciate the services and atmosphere they offer.

Love, Columbine

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As LH already stated, it is a governmental function.

INDIANAPOLIS AIRPORT AUTHORITY


Established as a municipal corporation by the General Assembly in 1962, the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) is responsible for owning, developing and operating six airport facilities in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The IAA is governed by a board of eight voting members appointed by the Mayor of Indianapolis and officials from Marion and Hendricks counties. The board also has three non-voting members representing Hamilton, Hancock and Morgan counties. IAA facilities include Indianapolis International, Metropolitan, Mt. Comfort, Eagle Creek and Hendricks County Airport - Gordon Graham Field airports and the Downtown Heliport. Indianapolis International Airport is served by 11 major and 19 national passenger airlines.


I'm thinking this would be just the first of many accommodations. first the
airport, then private businesses, schools,etc, etc. Just doesn't seem right
to me.

Liz, do you know what the population is of Indianapolis and how many Muslems we talking about?

I ask, because I do not know. Are these sinks being built for say 50 men (cabbies) vs 100,000?

Just curious.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lizbud

I'm thinking this would be just the first of many accommodations. first the
airport, then private businesses, schools,etc, etc. Just doesn't seem right
to me.

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Do you know Liz, if, like O'Hare, the Indy airport already has accomodations for religion observations (i.e. a chapel)?

This was my point before it got hijacked? :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gini

Liz, do you know what the population is of Indianapolis and how many Muslems we talking about?

I ask, because I do not know. Are these sinks being built for say 50 men (cabbies) vs 100,000?

Just curious.

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Well there are approximately 100 Muslem cabbies in Indianapolis , but I don't know how many state wide.

Population of Indy is approx 784,118 ( stats from 2005)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

Do you know Liz, if, like O'Hare, the Indy airport already has accomodations for religion observations (i.e. a chapel)?

This was my point before it got hijacked? :D

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As far as I know, we do not have a chapel at the airport. The only
infomation I found about it mentioned a "make-shift" chapel of sorts
that can be changed around to suit any religion. :confused:

http://www.pluralism.org/research/pr...?profile=74144

Thanks, Liz.

This isn't a question - just my thoughts.................

I wonder how many handicapped bathroom stalls are available in the same airport for those who need them - and on average - how many handicapped might go through the airport on any given day.

For the record?


I have a laugh, not at anyone, today.

My job took to the San Diego area and in Oceanside, right off of the Interstate, is a chapel facing the freeway.

It's white, has a cross on it and has been there for years....I remember it as a kid.

It is around Camp Pendleton, but I am not sure of the actual relation to the base.


THanks for the smile and reminding me that I have to post more often! :D


P.S. I didn't see anything happening on the inside! :confused: :(