Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Drivers License: Banning women from wearing hijab in pic

May Allah swt protect our sisters in Oaklahoma. The bill has already passed in the house, which is scary.
From ISNA website

The Oklahoma state Senate is considering a bill that has already passed the Oklahoma state House, HB1645, which is intended to amend the present law to prohibit Oklahomans from wearing head scarves or other coverings in driver’s license photographs. If passed, the law will violate the religious and constitutional rights of Oklahomans Muslim women who are required by their faith to cover their heads in public.

Wearing a headscarf is a religious duty for Muslim women, not merely a cultural custom, and legislating its removal from driver’s license photos would create an extreme hardship as it would force Oklahoman Muslim women to choose between applying for driver’s license and following their faith requirements. No American should ever be forced to make such a choice.
The US Constitution protects the free exercise of religion and ensures that religious practices and traditions are respected and accommodated. The Founding Fathers enshrined this inalienable right in the constitutional Bill of Rights and countless fellow Americans fought long and hard to ensure that people are able to enjoy the values of freedom and equality.
Action

Please call the leaders of the Oklahoma state Senate and ask them to protect the religious freedom of Oklahomans and to reject the ongoing attempt to undermine the civil liberties of Muslim Americans and other religious minorities.
Senator Charlie LasterDemocratic Leader2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 522 Oklahoma City, OK 73105(405) 521-5539
laster@oksenate.gov Senator Glenn CoffeePresident Pro Tempore2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 422Oklahoma City, OK 73105405.521.5799405.530.2304 (fax)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This doesnt make sence at all, muslim woman is not supposed to take hijab off when they take picture for their DL. It is same as asking another women to get naked when she is taking the picture for the DL. What also doesnt make sence is that, they are asking them to take the hijab off, but they know that even if they do this, when stoped by a police, they cant be asked to take them off so the police can recognize her. The police do not usually verify whether you are the person being subject to the DL or not.
Senator Charlie Laster Democratic has to think democratic and also get up to date with the time bieng we are living in, its 2009 and technology has to bo advanced, its a shame that people are still using pictures to be identified... Selam alejkum...