Target, located on Ford Rd. and John Daly in Dearborn Heights

DEARBORN HEIGHTS—
Last week a false and misleading article published by a right-wing website
titled “Target surrenders to Sharia law in this sickening way” caused
an uproar on social media.

The website
routinely relies on pro-Christian and anti-Muslim propaganda to attract
readers. The story published last week claimed that a Target
in Dearborn Heights had implemented a new policy that “specifically caters to
Muslim employees.”

The subject of the
article regarded Target management modifying their policies for Muslim
employees who refused to scan pork items.

“The retailer
notes that some Muslim cashiers had refused to scan products like bacon because
it would interfere with their religious beliefs,” part of the article stated.
“Reportedly, Muslim employees would ask other cashiers and coworkers to ring up
the purchases. Some even went as far as asking the customers to scan the items
themselves.”

The article also
quoted an alleged Target employee who claimed management moved Muslim employees
off cashier duties to comply with their demands.

“They told
all of us who don’t touch pork to go to the sales floor. They didn’t really say
why. They just said it was a new policy.”

The article also
allegedly quoted a Target spokeswoman who confirmed the policy change occurred.
However, according to our sources, that “spokeswoman” hasn’t worked for Target
for several years.

A local Muslim
resident who worked at the Target in Dearborn Heights was also photographed
without her consent for the website’s article. The woman told The Arab American
News that the story is fabricated and the photo used was taken years ago
without her knowledge.

She also said she
worked at the Target for a number of years and that neither she nor other
employees ever had an issue “scanning pork items.”

In a statement to
The Arab American News, Target corporation also denied that such policies exist
for Muslims.

“Based on
conversations with our team, we have no reason to believe the incident, as
described, took place,” said Evan Lapiska, a representative for Target’s Media
Relations department.

Despite the
over-the-top claims made in the online story, the article was shared across
social media and caused an uproar among conservative readers. Dearborn and
Dearborn Heights are already falsely believed by some to be following “Sharia
Law” in order to cater to its large Muslim population.  This latest false report added more fuel
to the fire.

Local Muslim
residents were also left confused by the story. The general consensus was that
the “Muslim employee” in the story overplayed the religion’s stance about
handling pork.

Local Imams told The Arab American News that
Muslims are allowed to scan and sell pork products if they work for an
establishment that requires them to do so. It would only be forbidden by the religion if it’s a
Muslim business owner who runs an establishment and serves pork products.