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rug

(82,333 posts)
Fri Aug 5, 2016, 06:35 AM Aug 2016

Muslim Woman Kicked Out of Dollar Store for Religious Garments (Video)

by Ronn Blitzer | 2:23 pm, August 3rd, 2016



“Ma’am, you need to take that off your face or you need to leave my store.” That’s what a Muslim woman in Gary, Indiana said the manager of a Family Dollar store told her, KGO-TV reported.

Sarah Safi, an Indiana resident originally from Texas, entered the store on Monday to buy charcoal for a family barbecue. She wears a niqab and a hijab, traditional Muslim coverings, as part of her religious practice. “I might have made it 10 steps into the store,” she said, and then the manager told her to remove her face covering or get out. At this point, Safi began recording the encounter on her phone.

Safi told the manager that she wears the garments for religious reasons. “I understand,” she replied, “but you have to understand too this is a high-crime area and we get robbed a lot. You need to remove that from your face or remove yourself from the store.” The manager said that if Safi didn’t comply, she would call the cops, so Safi left.

In an interview, Safi told KGO-TV that she is used to stares, but not outright discrimination. “I was born here, raised here all my life, and I’ve never been to an establishment and been treated like this.” She has covered her face for years. She said that she would like the store manager to apologize. “I would like to sit with her and speak to her about what I believe in, because maybe if she heard and really listened to what I believe, it would open her heart.”

http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/muslim-woman-kicked-out-of-dollar-store-for-religious-garments-video/

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/08/03/muslim-woman-tossed-family-dollar-religious-garb/88005130/

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Muslim Woman Kicked Out of Dollar Store for Religious Garments (Video) (Original Post) rug Aug 2016 OP
kick Angry Dragon Aug 2016 #1
I'm with the manager on this one. LuvNewcastle Aug 2016 #2
The store apologized. rug Aug 2016 #3

LuvNewcastle

(16,843 posts)
2. I'm with the manager on this one.
Tue Aug 23, 2016, 04:27 PM
Aug 2016

A lot of Family Dollar stores are in high crime areas. We have one in my shitty neighborhood. They have to deal with shoplifters all the time. If they can't make judgement calls about people wearing face coverings they will have to shut down stores like ours, and then we won't have a store around here. What would be stopping anyone from coming in dressed like that so they could rob the place? Safety trumps religion.

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
3. The store apologized.
Tue Aug 23, 2016, 08:03 PM
Aug 2016
“We deeply regret the incident that occurred recently at one of our stores in Gary, Indiana, and we are committed to taking steps to ensure that no customer is ever treated this way again. The conduct of the assistant store manager at that location was not in accordance with company policy and we are addressing this matter with her. We are also taking this opportunity to address with our workforce the importance of meeting the needs of a diverse customer base and providing a shopping environment that is respectful to all of our customers.”

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/08/03/muslim-woman-tossed-family-dollar-religious-garb/88005130/
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