AZ Moderate.  

I think firstly understand that it was my perception, and my fear.  The worst thing was I felt "alone" in a crowded place.  I was very uncomfortable and felt afraid.  Perhaps you might call it paranoia, but to me it was justified.  Perhaps it was an emotional over reaction.  I don't know.   Again, no one harmed me or threatened me.

Friday I had my car stolen (mind you from the carpark at the Tempe Mosque) when I went to service.  Inside the Mosque where I worship, it is "customary" that all the women wear the same thing, the same colour, and not have anything on their person that distinquishes them (by class, rank or economic status) from each other.  So, I wore what is commonly called a prayer dress.  It is a simple robe, all white with a headscarf.  Some women slip on theirs before service, and slip it off after, but not anticipating that my car would be stolen, I wore my prayer dress to the Mosque.  

To make this pretty short, after I called the police and had them take my statement and a report, I decided to ride the bus home.  When I got on the bus, it was fairly empty and there was a seat.  As we progressed toward my destination, the bus got crowded to a point where some people were standing.  All the seats were full, except, although people were standing, no one sat in the seat next to me.  I felt alone, and I felt afraid, even in the crowded bus.  I got out before my destination, and walked the rest of the way.  I thought of home, when you rode the bus, it was always crowded, and people would talk to you, and certianly, the seats were always full.  I guess something came to me that I did not belong here. 

Well Zanyubiah,

         I can't say as I know you but I can say you have been decent with me. Your experience on the bus and your reaction would also have been my immediate reaction. For one, riding a public bus is the historical epitome of community as one of the most profound acts involving another person of different heritage happened on a public bus. I can imagine the sting you must have felt and since you mentioned there was standing room only it does shed a different light as to why someone, anyone would not sit beside you.

I don't think it can be easily dismissed as people having a bad day or anyone saying that people won't sit beside them either. That is just dismissing and invalidating what you felt at the time. As long as a person's behavior is not so radical as to be isolated from society and they obey the laws, then the culture or color of a person should be irrelevant.

 I still feel that wearing burkhas(always will), is degrading to women and makes them second class. Especially since simplistically, women are what make it possible for everyone to be what they can be. Unless I am missing something.

Unfortunately, there are too many people in this world that you can never be in their fold, because like the people on the bus they think they are intellectually superior and have one up on the rest of us, when deep down their so called perception of themselves as a class act is foolish.

I wish you luck.