always late

Is it really too much to ask that muslim events start on time?  Or even within 15 minutes of their scheduled time?

A local muslim student group brought a nationally known muslim event to the twin cities this weekend.  It was scheduled to run from 7 until 9.  We arrived right at 7, and I was stressed about being late.  No worries.  People kept on rolling in, and rolling, and rolling, and rolling.  The clock was getting dangerously close to 8 p.m., and people were still arriving.  The organizers kept putting off the start of the program so that they could find more chairs to accommodate the late comers.

Finally, a 7:55, our friends decided they’re rather see a movie.  AbuS, who’s nerves were being grated raw by the pack of teenage hijabis swearing a blue streak sitting all around us, decided he’d rather go have tea then wait any longer.

So we left, and so did several other adult members of the community.  Students got in free, adults had to pay.  So they lost a lot of money.

As we walked to our car at 8:05, people were STILL arriving.  More than an hour after the program was scheduled to begin!

Now, I can see a program starting 15 minutes late.  Heck, I even expect muslim run programs to begin a little on the late side.  But more than an hour late?  That’s stretching it.

Muslim organizers:  Please start programs on time.  If people arrive late, have them wait outside, or stand in the back until there is a break in the event, and then seat them.

Muslims:  Please arrive on time, or at least within the first 15 minutes of an event.  I can understand if bad weather delays you, or if something extraordinary happens to keep you from arriving on time, but honestly, this happens every single time, and it’s getting a little tiresome.

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