Chief Justice Rehnquist requests Indian woman take off head-wrap
Kabir Das
this country has always been racist and will always be.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/01/nyregion/01LOUI.html
> Subject: Chief Justice Rehnquist requests Indian woman take off head-wrap
>
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 14:36:58 -0800
>
> To Whom It May Concern,
>
> I thought you may want to know about this incident. I am a second year law
> student at UC Berkeley School of Law currently interning with the Legal
> Affairs Department at a major press organization in DC. I attend almost all
> Supreme Court arguements and had this incident today. Today some of, or a
> member of, the United States Supreme Court decided it could not stand to see
> a head wrap on a young Indian woman in the press corps section of their
> courtroom.
>
> The supreme court heard two arguements this morning, both on the free speech
> protections afforded by the First Amendment. As usual, I sat in the press
> area, taking notes. I wore a sober, navy blue suit, blouse andhead wrap to
> match the blouse. The head wrap was a personal preference, worn not for
> religious reasons, but for fashion and comfort. In the midst of the first
> 1st Amendement arguement, Chief Justice Rehnquist turned a stern stare
> towards me. He excused himself and, it seems, asked a security guard to tell
> me to take off my head wrap. The security guard made his way through a
> couple rows of press and requested that I take off the scarf. I was told it
> was "making some of the justices uncomfortable."
>
> At that moment i realized why Rehnquist had been staring at me so severely,
> he was so bothered by me-a young Indian woman in a suit and scarf, that he
> just couldnt concentrate.
>
> The Chief is known for his idiosyncrasies (he once admonished a lawyer for
> wearing a brown suit instead of a black or grey one), but this demand was
> too close to racism or xenophobia to be tolerated. His intolerance has so
> many hurtful implications for the Court and the American people-lawyers,
> clerks, clients of these lawyers-of different races and cultures.
>
> Imagine if a law student like me came to interview with such a Justice in my
> religiously required head wrap, doesn't such activity dictate that I would
> most certainly not feel welcome, much less get the position? What about a
> Sikh lawyer, would he be listened to as openly as a man without a turban?
>
> I am aware of the fact that these are stressful times for high ranking
> government officials. But if the Court cannot abide by people wearing head
> wraps, or any other such cultural items, they need to specify that in a
> notice to the public. The Court's public relations office says that my wrap
> covered enough of my hair to constitute a "hat" and that hats are not
> allowed in the court for anything but religious or medical purposes. Aside
> from that hogwash (my entire face was uncovered, only my hair was covered),
> the fact is that Chief Justice Rehnquist scowled at me for several minutes
> (during an arguement!) and personally picked on me.
>
> Even if I had been able to keep my wrap on for religious purposes, I would
> have felt just as bullied and ostrascized by the Justice(s). In addition, if
> my wrap were actually a hat, why didn't any of the numerous Supreme Court
> security guards-who are presumably well versed in the Court rules-ask me to
> take it off before I entered the Court?
>
> In short, the United States Supreme Court should not be allowed to single
> out individual members of the public or press in their courtroom in such a
> manner.
>
> On an interesting side note, one of the court artists chose today todraw me
> into the Court scene. So, if needed, I have a professional sketch of me with
> my head wrap in the foreground of the justices.
>
> There will be a small piece on this incident in the Washington Post
> tommorow, February 27, 2002. It should be in a column section called "The
> Loop," a couple pages before the editorials.
>
> You may use this email address for any further questions. Please forward to
> anyone who may be interested.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Roopa Singh
Marc Sylvestre
"Kabir Das" <sin...@indiatimes.com> wrote in message
news:11b3909.02030...@posting.google.com...
> Now we have racists at the helm of this countries law and order. Sorry
> this country has always been racist and will always be.
early in Renquists carreer he was one of those folks that blocked minorites
from voting by stopping them and trying to enforce "literacy tests" before
they could vote.
Renquist is a racist who acted on his racism. He shouldn't be judging dog
contests, let alone sit on the SCOTUS.
He is the archtype of conservatives, totally against the rights of anyone
that is not a con.
CUE - CARD BUSH
Tell Chief Injustice Rehnquist to shove it right up his activist,
goose-stepping, shriveled up ass.
C_S
=============================================
*~ America ' s Second Choice ~*
http://gwbush.com/floridubya.jpg
=============================================