While the man is being denied his First Amendment right, this situation is conflicting. If I were in the locker room getting ready for my work out or just returning from my work out and getting ready to go home, I would feel uncomfortable if a woman was sitting in the same room as me praying. If she were simply sitting down and silently praying, this would not disturb me, but if she were singing or praying aloud, I would feel awkward with her partaking in prayer while in a public locker room. I believe that a gym or recreational facility is utilized for the specificity of physical activity. I would not go to a church or temple and do burpees or run laps. While I do not think the man in this article should be banned from L.A. Fitness, I do think his praying could have been done in his car, at his place of religious practice, or in the privacy of his home.
Some people who practice other religions may feel violated if the Muslim man were to pray in the locker room. While the L.A. Fitness managers may not mind if the man partakes in prayer in the locker room, they may be concerned about patrons who are uncomfortable. This could result in patrons leaving L.A. Fitness and signing with a different gym due to awkward interactions in the locker room. I think that the managers had a wide variety of intentions when they asked the man to stop praying.
Do you think the managers crossed boundaries when asking the man to stop praying? How would you feel if someone were praying in a gym locker room that you were in? What could the managers or L.A. Fitness as an entity done to handle the situation differently and ethically?
Kali Morgenstern
References:
Iyengar, R. (2015, February 24). Man Sues L.A. Fitness for Banning Him From Praying. Retrieved from http://time.com/3719885/la-fitness-ohio-lawsuit-muslim-prayer-ban/
While the subject of religion is a very touchy one, the thing that confused me most about this story was one smaller detail. Why was it necessary to have three LA Fitness employees approach the praying man in the locker room? That to me is unnecessary and definitely an overwhelming situation to be in. So I do not think the staff at the fitness club handled this correctly. One manager should have approached the man in the locker room and informed him that the company policy did not allow religious prayer in the public locker rooms.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel as if the managers crossed a line IF the policy of LA Fitness did not allow for public prayer at the facility. However, if they approached him just because it made them uncomfortable, then that is a different story. If someone was praying in a locker room that I was in, it wouldn't bother me. I am in the locker room to change, drop my bag off and then I'm walking out to start my workout. It is not my business if someone wants to pray beforehand/afterward.
-Alexx Klein
Alexx,
DeleteI wondered the same thing as you - why did it take 3 managers to ask this man to stop praying and/or leave the facility? That seems to convey a sense of threat - i.e., as if the managers and/or facility were under 'threat' from this Muslim man.
Dr. Spencer
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This is a tough situation because I'm my opinion it seems the managers were simply concerned with the mans praying being a disturbance to other members and did not want it to affect business. It does not seem that they had a personal issues with the matter. I think the only way they could have handled it better would have been to pull the man aside into an office and away from the public and simply went over the rules as it pertains to the interests of the business. Personally I would care less if I saw someone praying in public, however, I guess it depends on to what extent. If it was overwhelmingly invasive I could see myself feeling uncomfortable althought I would not complain nor would it affect my decision to continue working out there. Again, they could have made the situation less confrontational, making the issue strictly about the interest ls of the business. This doesn't necessarily mean the man would not have still filled a lawsuit but I think the chances of making a good case are more in their favor even if he decided to do so.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Roninson
Robinson
DeletePraying is something I find really relieves a lot of stress for me so I have no problem if someone else does it. Now on the other hand praying before I workout is something totally different. I listen to music and pump myself up because I hate working out but I refuse to let my older years run me down. In this case it’s a bit difficult to tell someone you can’t pray but in a locker room is a place, I would find it hard to pray. I’m interested to know how people feel about this because I wouldn’t take a person’s first amendment but there are levels to this plus other questions. Was he disturbing other people or was he quietly doing it? I need more before I can answer that question because me simply saying if the managers were right or wrong is tough right now. I can see it both ways based off the reading.
ReplyDeleteVincent Marshall
I think this topic is quite controversial, because it involves religious belief, so it is hard to judge which side is right or wrong. But from my perspective, I do not think the action of L.A. Fitness managers crossed the line. My family believe in Buddhism, but we will never chant in public, because I know chanting in public may disturb or embarrass other people, especially when they believe in other religions. In addition, prayer may also affect the business of L.A. Fitness if somebody feels uncomfortable with the prayer. Hence, I think managers should stop the man not from praying in the locker room.
ReplyDeleteAs for myself, I will not feel any uncomfortable feeling if someone were praying in a locker room that I was in, but I will change my clothes quickly and walk away. In addition, I think managers could have informed the man with less tough words. They could just tell the man it is inappropriate to pray in the locker room. I also think managers do not need to forbid the man from entering into the gym if he does not stop praying.
---Veeco Zheng
This is an interesting article and situation to hear about. Frist amendment rights are something that should not be infringed upon in any situation. My major issue with the topic is whether or not prayer in a public locker room is actually against L.A. Fitness’ corporate policy. If these actions are laid out in the policy then the steps taken by management were justified; but if the prayer simply offended or made people uncomfortable but did not break any rules, management did not have a legal right to approach the L.A. Fitness patron.
ReplyDeleteThe patron’s prayer routine may offend people but at the same time, talking loudly on your cell phone offends me. If talking on a cell phone is not banned in the company policy, essentially nothing can be done. I could complain, I could ask them to stop…but it is their right to do as they please if they are not breaking any rules.
Looking at this case from an ethical standpoint and potentially facing an issue like this in my current position, I would have to make decisions quickly and rationally. If I were the manager at L.A. Fitness faced with this dilemma, I would be sure to consult the contract and policies set forth by the company to see if the prayer was violating any rules. Then, I would carefully approach the patron to address the prayer and possibly suggest another place for him/her to do that.
Personally, I would not be offended if I were using a locker room in which someone was praying. It is his/her prerogative to do as he/she pleases. If it is not putting my life in danger or obstructing my ability to do as I please, I do not care, nor do I have a say in how people choose to live their lives and where they choose to pray.
Marissa
If it is an LA Fitness policy to prohibit public prayer, in principle, I can understand why the man was approached and asked to stop. That being said, as long as he is not causing a noticeable disruption, I personally really do not see an issue with him praying in the locker room.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if as his attorney claims, the man had been praying in the locker room since he began using the gym, I have to wonder why he was suddenly approached. I also find it odd that not one, or two, but THREE employees approached him about praying in the locker room. To me, it is reasonable to question—even if it is gym policy to prohibit public prayer—whether this man was on some level discriminated against because of his faith.
I think that this whole situation is just a question of what is uncomfortable. For me if someone were to pray in front of me in a situation like at LA Fitness I would probably at first be in shock but then I’d keep it moving. There’s no reason to judge or question anyone about how they go about their religion. It’s America and there are plenty of people out there who are different and have different beliefs. I’m sure it was awkward for the Muslim man to hear the managers of LA Fitness tell him to stop because he believes that he isn’t doing anything wrong. I do maybe suggest next time he should’ve gone to a peaceful part of the facility or even go to his car and pray to avoid conflict or awkward situations. But in my opinion I think the Muslim man should win this case.
ReplyDeleteJasmine Matthews
This is an interesting situation. As many of our peers have stated, this situation comes down to policy. The issue is whether or not L.A. Fitness has a policy that prohibits public prayer in their facilities. Once that key detail is retrieved, then we can better label right and wrong. I personally think the managers crossed the line for asking the man to stop praying, rather it was policy or not. The man was in the locker room. This is his sacred ritual of choice, so I think he should be allowed to pray in peace. The part that troubles me is the fact that 3 managers approached the man. Does it take 3 people to “enforce a policy?” 3 people can turn a simple rule explanation into a hostel situation. If 3 managers approached me, I would feel like I was being attacked. Is there a deeper issue here? Was he approached because he was Muslim? Did the managers/and or patrons feel threatened because of prejudices? I feel L.A. Fitness could have handled this situation better. I would not be bothered if someone was praying in our outside of the locker room.
ReplyDelete-David Sims
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