A hurricane has strengthened to a dangerous Category 4 storm. As it moves toward and along the
Question:
A hurricane has strengthened to a dangerous Category 4 storm. As it moves toward and along the coast, the National Hurricane Center has indicated a high possibility of landfall near your city. They caution that it may reach Category 5 status, which involves sustained winds of more than 160 mph and gusts above 180 mph. The mayor has ordered the mandatory evacuation of all persons living within 10 miles of the coast. Travel out of the city on local highways is gridlocked, as people flee the coast. Residents and tourists with no other place to go have been moved into designated shelters. All shelters are at or above capacity.
You are the manager of one of these shelters. You have a capable and experienced staff with expertise in public safety, dormitory management, medical care, and psychological counseling. Due to weather conditions, you are unable to get extra staff or resources at your facility for the next 48 hours.
Your city is in a part of the United States that is primarily rural, white, and Christian. The population of your shelter, however, is rather diverse. There is a sizeable Muslim population in your shelter. Most of the occupants are strangers and have had little interaction prior to arriving at the shelter during the storm.
You are now one day into the hurricane response (and at least another day before staff or resources can be replenished). You are approached by some shelter occupants with concerns.
You are approached by a group who say they represent the Muslim occupants of the shelter. They have several requests, as they feel the current conditions in the shelter do not respect their religious rights. First, they ask to be provided with food that is "halal" (i.e., food that has been prepared according to Muslim law). Second, they ask for the provision of two clean, quiet rooms where they can pray during the day. Third, they ask that a female (vs. male) staffer be made available to provide healthcare services to the female members of their community. And finally, they ask that the bathroom facilities be cleaned more often and more thoroughly, as this is where they must wash themselves prior to prayer.
You are also approached by a group of white men and women who claim to represent the "American" occupants of the shelter. They request that you ask the Muslim occupants to leave. They claim to be frightened. They tell you how the Muslim occupants are often praying aloud, kneeling on the floor, and murmuring suspiciously. They have overheard these occupants saying "Allahu Akbar." They tell you that they know this phrase is something that jihadist terrorists yell before they attack, and they are concerned some of these individuals may have weapons. They say it is your duty to protect the American men, women, children, and elderly occupants. (You, however, know that the phrase "Allahu Akbar" means "God is great." You know it is a harmless phrase often used during prayer, as a greeting, or even when people wish to express joy or hope.) If you won't kick them out, they ask that you, at a minimum, search the Muslim occupants for weapons.
Please answer the following questions. Make sure your responses to each are well thought out, thoroughly elaborated upon, and clearly explained.
The task is to clearly explain the actions you would take.
(a) discuss and explain the requests you would prioritize,
(b) discuss and explain what requests you think have the potential for compromise if they cannot be addressed fully,
(c) discuss and explain what requests you would outright reject, and
(d) discuss and explain how you would go about talking to and phrasing/explaining your decisions to your shelter occupants. Please elaborate as much as possible.
Smith and Roberson Business Law
ISBN: 978-0538473637
15th Edition
Authors: Richard A. Mann, Barry S. Roberts