KSTP.com
Thursday, October 06, 2011
"To me she is a victim of the confusing somali post civil war system, where you have a country that is so messed up," explained Omar Jamal, who's been serving as the women's unofficial interpreter and assisting them with cultural matters. He also met last night with defendant Ali to convince her of the need to respect the court--and to stand when necessary.
"I explained to all of the Somalis that they're not standing up to the judge or anybody they're standing up out of respect to the system," he said.
Yet some of the supporters of the two women also failed to stand in court today. Outside the courthouse, one of them explained, "Our religion says don't stand unless for reason of Allah. You can't stand for the human being." She later added, "But some people if they are scared of the government you have no choice but to be standing but you are not a strong person."
Also today, in a show of respect, the presiding judge granted the defendants two afternoon prayer breaks during the court proceedings.
The same Somali supporter approved of that decision. "That point, I think he did good about that, because we must pray in our time."
Some other Twin Cities residents, who were born and raised in the U.S., had a very different opinion of this assimilation issue. Shahidah Siraaj, a Muslim woman who's lived in Minnesota most of her life said, "I think that's very fair to do (allow the prayer breaks). I mean the judge doesn't have to do that. so he was showing a courtesy that I don't feel this woman showed the judge."
And downtown resident Hank Thilmony said, "To what degree we can accommodate particular cultures and religions, I don't know, I think maybe we're taking it to an extreme."