Posted on 08/07/2007 4:21:21 AM PDT by Pharmboy
Fabrizio Costantini for The New York Times
A footbath has been installed in a corner of a unisex restroom at the student center at Eastern
Michigan University in Ypsilanti. The University of Michigan-Dearborn has installed footbaths
in an effort to accommodate Muslim students.
DEARBORN, Mich. — When pools of water began accumulating on the floor in some restrooms at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and the sinks pulling away from the walls, ... some were washing their feet in the sinks.
...the university announced that it would install $25,000 foot-washing stations in several restrooms.
...it created instant controversy, with bloggers going on about the Islamification of the university, ... or unconstitutional government support for that religion.
But after a Muslim student at Minneapolis Community and Technical College slipped and hurt herself last fall while washing her feet in a sink, ...double standard — stopping a campus coffee cart from playing Christmas music but taking a different attitude toward Islam.
“After the column, a Christian conservative group issued an action alert to its members, which prompted 3,000 e-mail and 600 voice messages to me and/or legislators,” said Phil Davis, president of the college.
On her Web site, Debbie Schlussel, a conservative lawyer and blogger in Southfield, Mich., posted, “Forget about the Constitutionally mandated separation of church and state ... at least when it comes to mosque and state.”
The American Civil Liberties Union says the footbath issue is complex.
“Our policy is to object whenever public funds are spent on any brick and mortar component of religion,” said Kary Moss, director of the Michigan Civil Liberties Union. “What makes this different, though, is that the footbaths themselves can be used by anyone, don’t have any symbolic value and are not stylized in a religious way..."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Well then, I guess the biology lab can dissect pigs in the foot baths, huh?
Prolly one of those old timey urinals, that stretches out half a meter along the floor. Some pee, others footwash. What’s to complain about.
woops, that’s before i saw the picture. shoot why not make it a shower.
that’ll be the question. But I think I’d rather have the foot baths than having somebody wash his feet where I have to brush my teeth.
It would be terrible if an occasional random turd found its way in there.
Looks like a low-walled urinal to me. I know if I were there, that’s what I would use it for. Daily.
OTOH, wet floors are a hazard to everyone using the facility.
Easy to fix. If they want to support one religion over others, take away their federal funding. Simple. BTW, pressure on the ACLU may be effective here.
Maybe we need more militant Christians, too.
Try to separate the religion aspect from it.
On the other hand, at one company I worked for I got tired of walking into the mens room and finding some jackass washing his feet in the sink. I suppose it’s as much for our sanity as it is for their convenience.
Actually, they are showers for toddlers.
Or, as in the case of the Muslim cabbies at KC airport, the shower stalls are so they can fill up buckets to clean their cabs.
Why? Do they wash their feet in the sink, too?
Yep, good enough to “let some water”.
It's a good thing the coffee was still brewing when I read that. LOL!
I demand that the college put holy water fonts in classrooms for Catholics. They can be made such that they “can be used by anyone, don’t have any symbolic value and are not stylized in a religious way.” I also demand that they install kneelers (prie dieux) in libraries and various locations so they can kneel and pray. These also can be made such that they “can be used by anyone, don’t have any symbolic value and are not stylized in a religious way.”
It looks like some urinals I’ve seen. Maybe it will be used that way - accidentally, of course.
“As Muslim students point out, the school calendar already accommodates Christians, with Sundays off and vacations around Christmas and Easter.”
What is this country coming to? Accommodating the Christians? What next? My answer to those who think we OWE them and their Muslim religion something else: LEAVE.
If a piece of feces were found in there, you can bet that Muslims on the campus would take it as a religious affront and disprove the ACLU’s own argument.
Why accidently?
I've known a few folks (male) that use the sink to pee it. It all connects together anyway and it uses a LOT less water to rinse out!
If you knew anything about the suppression of non-Muslim religion on our campuses, Mr. Latif, you would fully understand the "hate mail."
Now we know where the ACLU stands: A Nativity Scene can be viewed by ANYONE. ANYONE can put presents under a Christmas tree. Christmas carols can be sung by ANYONE.
This situation is “different” because Muslims blow up things like airplanes and night clubs and Christians don’t.
Bathroom cameras?
Try to separate the religion aspect from it.
I did. I would use the footbaths--excellent way to cool down on a hot day. And I have bum feet that ache, sweat & go stinky.
Looks like a nice place to piss. On a more serious note, many of those in power in the west better wake up quickly. Europe is getting close to being a lost cause as is the UK. If the US doesn’t wise up, Islam may eventually take over here too. Its a weed.
But what would happen if someone was grooming a 4-H pig and washed their hands there? Would they go to jail?
I like it!
Christians at these universities need to turn up their evangelistic steam toward the Muslims. Win them to Christ.
Guess public funding of tile, grout and plumbing are not like brick amd morter to the ALCU.
Everyone could use an Islamic prayer rug as well. But they don’t.
What I would like to know is how muzzles wash their feet when they are walking in the desert? Do they carry water? Or do they have a dispensation if the situation is difficult?
So, why can’t the students just do whatever the guys in the desert do with out inconveniencing the rest of us or damaging our sinks? Because the whole idea of this kind of thing IS to draw attention to their “special needs.” This is because they want us to realize islam is superior.
“Oh, I’m am sorry. I thought those were some new-fangled urinals... My bad”.
Is that one of those female urinals?
What are observant Moslems even doing in a "unisex restroom." (I'm assuming this means a multi-sex restroom, rather than a men's room or ladies' room.)
Actually, if there was a foot bath in the ladies' room of a facility I frequented, I'd use it to wash my feet, too.
Anyone can sing Christmas songs too. It’s a free country. Or at least it used to be.
This stuff is nothing more than deliberate testing of the limits and pushing the boundaries of cultural intimidation and appeasement.
Actually, it’s a Japanese squat toilet.
I finally figured it out... if you crap in a hole in the floor while standing, you will need to wash your feet.
LLS
You nailed it.
When the "flying imams" did their schtick I said that the probing started and lawsuits will follow.
Christians should demand baptismal pools, suitable for dunking.
No love lost here when it come to the ACLU, but, it is not the problem. Unfortunately, the problem is much bigger than the ACLU.
It seems that Muslims have learned how to manipulate our political system. Although by current estimates, Muslims make up only about 2% to 3% of our population, they (Muslims) have learned how to consolidate their numbers so to achieve maximum influence within local, state, and federal governments. I am not sure why Muslim populations are so large in Minnesota and Michigan but nevertheless, their numbers are sufficient to influence various institutions within these two states to do their bidding. The remaining 48 states should pay heed to what’s happening in Minnesota and Michigan and beware. On the federal level, we as citizens need to start voting asap for candidates that will support some enlightened discrimination concerning allowing Muslims to immigrate to this country. In other words, we need officials that will “walk their talk”. Time is of the essence or we will soon loose the ability to do this. Take France, Netherlands, England as an example, the Muslim populations in these countries are about 10% plus or minus a few points and that is enough to cause their legislatures and government officials to do as they wish. So, unless we wake up, we (U.S.0 will be in the same fix that western Europe is in.
Exactly. So when they pop up in my community, I hope no one will mind that I squat in them and use them as bidets. They also seem to be perfect places to wash the bacon grease from my skillet.
Oh, wait. I guess once I do that, they suddenly WILL have religious significance, and I'll be facing a HATE CRIME.
Why stop at their feet: these animals needs to wash every part of their body.
I was just enjoying the twists and turns the ACLU had to put itself through tocome up with that gem of reasoning. But, of course you are correct, as other posters above have also stated.
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