Hijab for police officer- beginning of Islamization?
Reader comment on item: Pipes' Dreams

Submitted by Athena 1040 (United States), Jul 21, 2002 at 22:47

A Muslim American female police officer was recently won the right to wear an hijab while on active duty as a law enforcement officer. I believe the police force involved was located in Florida. I am not sure whether this was taken to a court for a full legal debate or if it was resolved within the police department. FOX TV recently did an interview with the officer and her attorney.

I find it a distressing precedent. I haven't served in the military or in law enforcement but it would seem to me that uniforms are an important part of the tradition and discipline of police officers. It disturbs me when a religious exception is carved out of an established and reasonable secular standard. No one has a right to be a police officer and if the uniform of a police officer is inconsistent with Islamic dress then the woman should choose another occupation. I very much want to maintain a secular legal system which applies the same law to all citizens. I don't want the United States to become like India which has a dual legal system, Muslim and non- Muslim.

I would very much enjoy Mr. Pipes comments on this issue, as well as the parallel issue of the Muslim woman who wanted to have her driver's license picture taken with a veil covering half her face.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".