Dallas-Fort Worth airport scraps plans for wudu facilities after Republican governor threatens to revoke state funds.<\/p>\n
The Council on American\u2013Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned Texas Governor Greg Abbott for opposing stations for Islamic pre-prayer ablution, known as wudu, at two airports in the state.<\/p>\n
The civil rights group accused Abbott on Monday of performing another \u201canti-Muslim political stunt\u201d with his outrage over the facilities.<\/p>\n
Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n
\u201cOf all the silly controversies<\/a> that [Abbott] has manufactured about Muslims over the past year, the airport washing station outrage might be the most ridiculous. And hypocritical,\u201d CAIR said in a social media post.<\/p>\n Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) scrapped plans for wudu stations after Abbott threatened to revoke state funding for the transportation hub.<\/p>\n \u201cLike all proposed projects, the airport ultimately considers the operational benefits, customer service impacts, operational risks and costs before approving them,\u201d the airport said in a statement, as reported by several news outlets.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile that evaluation was planned, the airport accelerated its review due to elevated public interest this week and has determined not to proceed with the project as it would not deliver the originally anticipated operational benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n Last week, Abbott ordered a review of DFW as well as at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, which already has wudu stations, \u201cfor possible revocation of active state grant funds\u201d. He accused the airports of religious discrimination.<\/p>\n The Republican governor also referred the two airports to federal agencies for investigation.<\/p>\n \u201cThese ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion. That is illegal,\u201d Abbott said in a statement on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth airports are government-owned facilities. The federal and state constitutions prohibit government from facilitating this sort of discrimination. Just as the government cannot favour the secular over the sacred, it also cannot favour one religious view over all others.\u201d<\/p>\n While the First Amendment of the US Constitution bans the government from adopting or favouring any religion, rights advocates say providing religious accommodations at publicly owned facilities does not violate the law.<\/p>\n CAIR noted that the wudu stations, consisting of sinks and faucets for washing feet, would be available for anyone to use.<\/p>\n \u201cWashing stations already exist at various airports and anyone can use them. They are no different than the interfaith prayer rooms or toilet bidets found at airports around the world,\u201d the group said.<\/p>\n \u201cMuslim travellers may use them most often, but they are open to all.\u201d<\/p>\n CAIR also noted that Abbott has signed a law forcing schools across the state to display the Ten Commandments<\/a> from the Bible in classrooms.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, the Republican-controlled Texas State Board of Education also made Bible stories required reading for public schools.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of wasting taxpayer resources on this latest anti-Muslim political stunt, Governor Abbott should focus on the state\u2019s real problems under his leadership, from harmful data centres to school shootings to economic inequality to the erosion of religious freedom,\u201d CAIR said.<\/p>\n Last year, Abbott declared CAIR a \u201cforeign terrorist\u201d organisation \u2013 a decision that the civil rights group is challenging in the courts.<\/p>\n Abbott\u2019s push against foot-washing stations at airports comes amid an increase in Islamophobic rhetoric, where politicians, including allies of President Donald Trump, continue to openly make anti-Muslim statements<\/a>.<\/p>\n Last week, Trump shared a photo of Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed<\/a> with his family, suggesting that the Michigan doctor should not be elected because his wife \u2013 a practising psychologist \u2013 wears the hijab.<\/p>\n