Quote:
Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor
I am stuck somewhere in the middle. They should have the right to pray but they should also be aware of the times and according to some witnesses they said:
Before passengers boarded, one became alarmed by an overheard discussion. "They seemed angry," he wrote in a police statement. "Mentioned `U.S.' and `killing Saddam.' Two men then swore slightly under their breath/mumbled. They spoke Arabic again. The gate called boarding for the flight. The men then chanted `Allah, Allah, Allah.'"
I could see how that might scare some people.
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Yes, they have a right to practise their religion. BUT, they should also be cognizant of the fact that, in traditional garb, in the USA, in an airplane, there is a high likelihood that the passengers as well as the flight crew will be alarmed and come to the wrong conclusion.
Now, if according to them and their religion, they have to pray at certain times, then I think it is up to them to find flying arrangements whereby they do not have to say their prayers during the flight.
I think it just comes down to mutual respect, not respect of religion, but just plain old mutual respect. There are some who will be upset and find it a disturbance if someone starts singing the Lord's Prayer during a flight as well. It just comes down to realizing that in certain situations, you respect the privacy and space of others, especially within close quarters such as an airplane.