Eating lunch banned, don't want to upset the Muslims

[BrunoPuntzJones]

http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/16309

Monday August 13,2007
By Tom Fullerton

DOCTORS and health workers have been banned from eating lunch at their desks - in case it offends their Muslim colleagues.

Health chiefs believe the sight of food will upset Muslim workers when they are celebrating the religious festival Ramadan.

The lunch trolley is also to be wheeled out of bounds as the 30-day fast begins next month.

But staff and politicians branded the move political correctness gone mad and warned that it was a step too far.

Bill Aitken, the Scottish Conservative justice spokesman, said: ?This advice, well-meaning as it may be, is total nonsense.

?It is the sort of thing that can stir up resentment rather than result in good relations.?

The new guidance comes in the wake of the failed terror attacks on Glasgow and the death of suspect Kafeel Ahmed, 27.

Health chiefs in Lothian and Glasgow will give all employees time off to pray and to celebrate Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan.

But Greater Glasgow and Clyde as well as Lothian NHS boards also issued the advice, warning workers not to take working lunches, and said all vending machines should be removed from areas where Muslims work.

One senior consultant said: ?What next? Are we going to have advice on how to deal with Catholics during Lent?
?This kind of thing does more harm than good.?

The guidance, which was sent round many organisations, was produced by Glasgow consultancy Meem, which advises on Muslim issues and counts the Scottish Parliament among its clients.

Na?eem Raza, a senior consultant with the firm, said he was thrilled that the health boards had formally adopted the guidance.

He added: ?The idea is to get faith in the workplace out in the open.

?In the current climate, people need to understand where communities are coming from and what people are feeling.

?After the Glasgow attack this is very important. This is about educating people and making them more aware and more confident when dealing with issues surrounding the Muslim community.

?People have stopped talking over the garden fence and we need to break down the barriers so that people can talk comfortably to each other.

?It would never stir up resentment. Faith is an important issue. Why not have guidance on all of the issues that affect us, including different faiths??

Health chiefs defended their use of the guidance and said it was important to promote a positive and tolerant culture at work.

A NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokesman said: ?As a large organisation we recognise that many of our staff, patients and visitors will be participating in Ramadan.

?We have therefore made information available to our staff to raise awareness of Ramadan and help to answer any questions they may have.?

NHS Lothian said: ?We have recently agreed a quality and diversity strategy and as a responsible and pro-active employer we will continue to promote a positive culture which recognises and respects diversity both in our workforce and in the people we serve.?

Breaking down barriers? Sounds like pissing off fellow co-workers, not building bonds. I'm sure someone trotting in with a ham will get fired for insensitivity.

And I would think doctors would have better things to worry about than where they can eat lunch.

 

[halik]

somehow I knew after reading the headline that this will be in england...

Sheer idiocy; I happen to have worked with a Muslim colleague and this was obviously a non issue. People that are not muslim will eat during ramadan and people that are muslim will not.... exactly where this will offend anyone involved is absolutely beyond me.

 

[Darthvoy]

screw that I would take out my pork sandwich and eat it in the cafeteria.

 

[dahunan]

These fvckers make people hate religion

I would hire a mobile barbecue truck and roast pork all day long and sell pork sandwhiches etc out in the parking lot

This is INSANITY...

 

[michaels]

Stupid, asinine political correctness running wild.

 

[waggy]

pfft. i would be eating at my desk. fuck them if hey have a problem with it.

 

[Hacp]

Originally posted by: dahunan
These fvckers make people hate religion

I would hire a mobile barbecue truck and roast pork all day long and sell pork sandwhiches etc out in the parking lot

This is INSANITY...

Why would you aggravate the situation? What are you going to accomplish by taunting Muslims?

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: Hacp

Originally posted by: dahunan
These fvckers make people hate religion

I would hire a mobile barbecue truck and roast pork all day long and sell pork sandwhiches etc out in the parking lot

This is INSANITY...

Why would you aggravate the situation? What are you going to accomplish by taunting Muslims?

Tell me what you are going to accomplish by constantly accomodating them and catering to their every need and desire

Why should our society HAVE TO FEAR THEM

 

[Hacp]

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: Hacp

Originally posted by: dahunan
These fvckers make people hate religion

I would hire a mobile barbecue truck and roast pork all day long and sell pork sandwhiches etc out in the parking lot

This is INSANITY...

Why would you aggravate the situation? What are you going to accomplish by taunting Muslims?

Tell me what you are going to accomplish by constantly accomodating them and catering to their every need and desire

Why should our society HAVE TO FEAR THEM

So you're just going to taunt them to no end? The actions you proposed were childish "get backs".

 

[michaels]

Non-Muslims have every right to eat whatever in the hell they want..they need to piss off.

 

[Drako]

Next thing you know, they will want all the pubs closed down. Then the shit will hit the fan.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: dahunan
This is INSANITY...

Let us vote in people who recognize it as such, and who will not abandon our Judeo-Christian heritage in the act of adopting Sharia abuse of human rights in the name of tolerance and understanding.

 

[yllus]

I'd keep in mind that this is more likely to be the brainchild of some non-Muslim who's aching to prove how open and accomodating he is than a nefarious plot by Muslims.

The guidance, which was sent round many organisations, was produced by Glasgow consultancy Meem, which advises on Muslim issues and counts the Scottish Parliament among its clients.

Someone needs to blacklist this firm from ever getting work again from the government or its agencies.

 

[Engineer]

My daughter (7 at the time) was barred from an after school snack because of the same reason and that it would be unfair for the little muslim girl to see the other 50 (yes, 50) kids eat an after school snack while waiting up to 3 hours for their parents to arrive.

IMO, this is forcing someone else's religious beliefs upon my child...and it's bullshit!

 

[imported_Shivetya]

Originally posted by: Hacp

Originally posted by: dahunan
These fvckers make people hate religion

I would hire a mobile barbecue truck and roast pork all day long and sell pork sandwhiches etc out in the parking lot

This is INSANITY...

Why would you aggravate the situation? What are you going to accomplish by taunting Muslims?

because if they are tolerant as they claim, a religion of peace, they will go on their merry way and asking Allah to forgive the antagonist.

alas, I don't think turn the other cheek is in their vocabulary.

 

[michaels]

Originally posted by: Engineer

IMO, this is forcing someone else's religious beliefs upon my child...and it's bullshit!

Exactly right

 

[kage69]

Now that's some grade-A horseh!t right there...

The Brits really take their desire to apologize too far at times, more Saxon less Norman is needed here IMO.

When I lived in Qatar pretty much all expats, be they British, American, French, German, whatever, were very respectful of Islamic custom - Ramadan in particular.
Wherever you are, it's rudimentary politeness to be conscious of your hosts sensitivities, be they religious or cultural. Why is it wrong to expect foreigners to conduct themselves likewise? This is definitely a case of Political Correctness running afoul of common sense, mixed evenly with a limp-wristed conciliatory gesture.

What cracks me up as both my mother and my sister avoided wearing short sleeves and shorts in public for years in a '>95degree on average' country. That's saying something seeing as how my family's mostly comprised of freckled, pale as hell New Englanders. Skipping lunch outdoors for awhile is small potatoes.

I wonder what some British muslims think about this, I get the impression they weren't consulted.

The senior consultant bringing up Lent is bang on the money, even moreso considering Scotland's Catholic history and constituency. Heh, my parents best friends are native Glaswegians (wait, did I get that right?) , I shudder to think of their reactions to this story. :laugh:


Edit: And btw, too many of you either didn't read the article at all or just weren't paying attention. This was not done due to offended Muslims in the lunch hall, as least not according the article.

 

[Aimster]

It's UK

Nobody is forcing squat on anyone unless you live in the UK. Stop nagging. U.S and UK are not the same country.

Their backward twisted immigration policies that brought in the dirt has nothing to do with our immigration policies that brought in mainly educated and open-minded Muslims.

Let them dig their own graves. Serves them right for bringing in idiots who are most likely most wanted fugitives in their own home country.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: michaels

Originally posted by: Engineer

IMO, this is forcing someone else's religious beliefs upon my child...and it's bullshit!

Exactly right

Exactly, and it's time to yell out and put an end to this in our nation before we slide as far down into insanity as Europe has.

 

[jjones]

Why don't they just tell people to leave their faith at home and concentrate on work?

 

[1prophet]

Originally posted by: Engineer
My daughter (7 at the time) was barred from an after school snack because of the same reason and that it would be unfair for the little muslim girl to see the other 50 (yes, 50) kids eat an after school snack while waiting up to 3 hours for their parents to arrive.

IMO, this is forcing someone else's religious beliefs upon my child...and it's bullshit!

Was this in the United States?

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: 1prophet

Originally posted by: Engineer
My daughter (7 at the time) was barred from an after school snack because of the same reason and that it would be unfair for the little muslim girl to see the other 50 (yes, 50) kids eat an after school snack while waiting up to 3 hours for their parents to arrive.

IMO, this is forcing someone else's religious beliefs upon my child...and it's bullshit!

Was this in the United States?

Yes. Went on for about a month or so (whatever the fasting period was).

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: Aimster
It's UK

Nobody is forcing squat on anyone unless you live in the UK. Stop nagging. U.S and UK are not the same country.

Many here idolize and advocate Europe's method of being assimilated by their immigrants.

Their backward twisted immigration policies that brought in the dirt has nothing to do with our immigration policies that brought in mainly educated and open-minded Muslims.

This is why we need to build every public building with footbaths to accommodate 1 religion, why cab drivers refuse passengers who carry alcohol and thus do not adhere to their religion, why they REFUSE to sell us items like Pizza (due to pork contents) at our targets due to their religion?

You idea that they are open-minded seems hallow.

Educated, like the DOCTORS in London who wanted to blow the place up? You?ll find the radicals ARE the more educated.

Let them dig their own graves. Serves them right for bringing in idiots who are most likely most wanted fugitives in their own home country.

Are we to ignore the lessons therein, of Europe?s suicide and just permit ourselves to blindly follow them along the same path? We need to recognize the problems of being assimilated and stop the process now. We need to act, for our own good and for our nation. We can let them dig their own graves, but we MUST NOT dig our own by pretending we do not face the same problems here at home.

 

[michaels]

If this happened in the U.S. the ACLU wouldn't say a peep.

 

[umbrella39]

Interestingly enough in a city like Dearborn, MI which has 30K+ Arabs this is not a problem. Imagine that.