Posted on 01/10/2006 12:40:42 AM PST by Stoat
Airline bans Bibles to avoid offending Muslims Carrier to Saudi Arabia also precluding crucifixes, teddy bears Posted: January 9, 2006 11:20 p.m. Eastern
A British airline banned its staff from taking Bibles and wearing crucifixes or St. Christopher medals on flights to Saudi Arabia to avoid offend the country's Muslims. British Midland International also has told female flight attendants they must walk two paces behind male colleagues and cover themselves from head to foot in a headscarf and robe known as an abaya, the Mirror newspaper of London reported. Teddy bears or other cuddly toys also are not allowed. Airline officials, who have sparked outrage, the paper says, explain the Islamic kingdom's strict laws enforced by religious police prohibit public practice of Christianity and figures of animals. BMI spokesman Phil Shepherd said: "In providing air services people want, demand and use, we have an obligation to respect the customs of the destination country." An airline employee who asked not to be named told the Mirror: "It's outrageous that we must respect their beliefs but they're not prepared to respect ours." The employee said his grandmother gave him a crucifix shortly before she died that he wears at all times. "It's got massive sentimental value and I don't see why I have to remove it," he said. The airline's staff handbook says: "Prior to disembarking the aircraft all female crew will be required to put on their company issued abaya. It will be issued with the headscarf which must be worn." The employees' union wants staff members to be able to opt out of the flights, but the airline says the only option is to transfer from overseas staff to domestic flights, which could mean a loss of about $30,000 a year in wages. About 40 staff members have filed complaints since the route began in September. Some of the male members who are homosexual have called in sick, because they are afraid of traveling to Saudi Arabia, where homosexual activity is punishable by flogging, jail or death. |
You won't get any arguments from me.
Let's see, it's now 2006 and the September 11 attacks were in 2001. Before that, we had numerous Islamofascist attacks during the Clinton (shudder) years, with no tangible response from us.
Soooooo....since, say, the mid-1990's we are now ten years along, and I haven't seen ANY American flags flying proudly on poles outside of American mosques. Have you?
How long does it take to erect a nice, tall, quality flagpole? An afternoon?
I don't think that it's out of line at all to ask American muslims where their loyalties lie.
Well, walking two steps behind me would put you in position to do so, wouldn't it?
This does not directly address your question, but I can tell you that anyone showing up in Saudi with a bible, cross, or liquor is going to jail ... period. I have spent a great deal of time overseas and can tell you that it is best to follow local laws wherever you are or just stay the hell home. They really don't care how we do it here.
I suppose that means no cold Bud and pork rinds during the beverage service either.
Be careful what you wish for...
Yeah..now THERE is an unbiased opinion...NOT
AMEN!
Islam-list
If people want on or off this list, please let me know.
Thanks for the ping--this truly is one of those "you gotta be kiddin' me" kinds of stories--alas, they're not kidding.
But they can play with dolls, right?
If Abdul will pray, to a glowing crater.
Our local rag had an award winning picture of a Mooslum fisherman pulling in his dinner, a crab in a pot. Either the reporter was ignorant, or the fisherman was an infidel.
"Jihad Joe"?
The crux of the problem in a nutshell.
Some of the male members who are homosexual have called in sick, because they are afraid of traveling to Saudi Arabia, where homosexual activity is punishable by flogging, jail or death.
I wonder if some of them are Cindy Sheehan supporters.
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Thanks, you saved me from typing the same thing.
British Midland and Fraudi Arabia can go kiss my Dixie tailpipe!
I think they are overestimating the intelligence of the Saudi's. After Desert Storm I was flying out of Jeddah. We just arrived and the Saudi customs guys were going through our bags. I started to sweat when I realized that in the top of my bag I had about 4-5 copies of the Jerusalem Post! To make a long story short, "dumb and dumber" opened my bag, looked through the papers, and had no idea what they were! I figured the Israeli flag on the cover of one of the issues would have clued them it, but thankfully it didn't.
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