The line between property rights and civil rights has caused much debate in American politics over the years and the debate is alive and well in Arkansas, where one gun range is taking some heat over its decision to ban Muslims. Range owner Jan Morgan made the controversial decision when some “suspicious” customers arrived. She says their behavior and their “Allahu Akhbar” cellphone ringtones tipped her off and caused her to take a closer look at the range’s policies.
Morgan justifies her decision by saying that, because they’re dealing with lethal firearms they have to be extra cautious. “I’m not going to let a Nazi shoot in here, or a Ku Klux Klan member in here, either,” she said.
Another controversial layer to this story is the way in which Morgan deems a person to be Muslim. Religion is never even discussed at the range. Morgan makes her determination based on the person’s name. That’s why two Hindus were recently banned from the range. According to FOX News, a man recently Tweeted, “My dad and I just got kicked out of a Muslim-free gun range. I’m not Muslim, I’m just brown.”
It’s now five months after the decision and not only is Morgan’s business booming but the threats from civil rights groups to file lawsuits have not materialized. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is one of the groups that didn’t take too kindly to her decision. They contacted Attorney General Eric Holder and asked him to review the case. The ACLU also got involved, claiming it’s a violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Still, Morgan stands by her decision, comparing allowing Muslims into her shooting range to the training of 9/11 terrorists at flight schools in the United States.