Thursday, May 14, 2009

Religious Symbols Getting Unequal Treatment

Islamic insistence on wearing their religious garb (turbans, head scarves, chadors etc.) in western nations while not allowing western women who are in Islamic nations to wear what they wish is controversial, to say the least. But a recent case involving a British Airways employee has brought the concept of unequal application of dress code to the front. What happened, you may ask?
Well, a British Air worker has lost her fight against the airline's ban on her openly wearing a Christian crucifix necklace because the crucifix is said to violate the company dress code, which says that religious items can not be worn if visible. This ruling tends to be seen as hypocritical by some because Muslim employees are allowed to wear their religious headdresses and Sikhs their turbans since "it is not practical" to conceal those beneath their uniforms. Hmmmmmmm Strange logic. Does this mean if that employee had worn a 3 foot long crucifix instead of the necklace, that "it would not be practical" to conceal it as well? That would mean a 3 foot crucifix fits into the airline dress code but a small crucifix necklace does not.
How absurd. It seems to me it is just another example of western patronization of Muslims. To say that a turban or head scarf to a Muslim is more important than a crucifix is to a Christian, defies logic and fairness. British Air is a company that resides in a nation that has been formed and sustained with the cross symbol, not the Islamic garb British Air seems to feel is more important.
In fact, British Airways patronizes the Islamic employees by giving them freedom form the company dress code in order to avoid their complaints, complaints that would damage the image of the airline in the minds of the fair minded passengers who sue the airline. British Air should hang its head in shame....or perhaps hide itself with some of the Islamic headdresses it allows in violation of its own dress code.
Want to eat something unique and healthy? Then try the restaurant in Beijing named Guolizhuang. It serves mostly dishes made from various animal penises and is attracting discerning (weird customers) who claim the penis dishes give them health benefits.
Yep! According to the restaurant, eating sheep horse, ox and seal penis is good for the circulation while donkey love muscle improves the skin. And what penis is best for potency? It is the snake's.
Well, I guess we should give Restaurant Guolizhaung and "A" for both entrepreneurial spirit and imagination.

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