Universities will provide Muslim footbaths

[guyser]

The footbaths are going in because the Muslims asked for them. Had they not asked for them, they would not be going in. How much clearer do you need it than that?

Well, -presumably- since the article does not specify who asked for what. And what I understand as clear , you fail to grasp and that is the Muslims were going to pay for the improvements. People are changing facts to fit their agenda , and then they ask how much clearer does it need be?

Imagine for a second that Christians had asked for some ridiculous religious custom to be catered to by the university...do you think for a moment it would have been granted, much less paid for?

I deleted the "bomb" garbage .

I would have to imagine that because that simply did not occur. Imagine that bacon was 2Cents a pound. It would be great , albeit totally unrelated to this scenario.

If the Christians asked for something , and offered to pay for it through fundraising I would have no problem with it. If, as in this case, they asked for X and the Univ decided to improve Y and include X, as they did in the UofM case ,again, no one should have a concern.

And exactly why do you pick a word like "lemming" to describe those who are against this? You're the Dhimmi. You're the lemming.

I picked that word as I thought it apt to describe the running over the cliff by scaredy cats that follow and project all the crap that is posted here. Stick with facts and there would be no need to label some lemmings.

I suppose no one has a problem with the diaper changing stations or the infant nursing stations ? No one wants to pick on those? Why not?

I know why, because the Univ said "the school trying to make its bathrooms safer and improve its plumbing — not endorsing religion or promoting Islam"

But that wont stop some from being scared and creating a bogeyman where none exists.

Edited August 9, 2007 by guyser

[scribblet]

For years the public schools didn't serve meat on fridays because of the Catholic students. Did you complain about that the way you are halal food? I don't see public schools having to worry about providing Muslim prayer rooms; there is nothing to indicate that. Nothing like projecting problems that don't exist to provide an argument against something entirely different. U of M provides for the needs of all the students, of all religions. If they didn't meet the needs of Muslim students, THEN they would be treating Muslims differently.

I've no idea what public schools served, none I went to served meals, we brown bagged it or went home.

The problem exists, you choose not to see it; some folks in Europe feel the same way, although I guess freedom of assembly/speech only applies to some groups.

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2007/08/...f-brussels.html

Thursday, August 09, 2007

From the Office of the Mayor of Brussels

by Baron Bodissey

Below is the press release issued earlier today by the office of the mayor of Brussels, announcing the refusal of a permit for the SIOE demonstration on September 11th.

Many thanks to Mr. Resident for translating it from the Flemish:

The Mayor of Brussels forbids anti-Islamic protest march

BRUSSELS 09/08 (BELGA) — The mayor of Brussels Freddy Thielemans forbids a protest demonstration against “the rise of Islamic customs”. He decided this on Thursday after a meeting with the police and other services. Thielemans fears this protest will lead to incidents between demonstrators and Muslim parts of the population of his city. Thus has been learned from Thielemans’ spokesman.

On the 11th of September, the organization “Stop the Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) wants to stage a protest in front of the European Parliament in Brussels, exactly six years after the attacks on the WTC towers in New York. The organizers deny any link with extreme right wing movements, but want to stop the “invasion of Islamic customs” in Europe. The organization is against Islamic law, which, according to them, clashes with democracy and equality, which are highly-rated European values. cont....

[jbg]

The Mayor of Brussels forbids anti-Islamic protest march

Europe is, and has for a long time been a cesspool. Ever wonder why their best and brightest are here?

[jbg]

This timely article in The Province (link) on the University of British Columbia's abandnment of the liberal view of separation of church and state, and squandering of public moneys (nominally raised from tuitions) to meet the special pleading needs of a small segment of its student body shows the extent to which we are pandering to a homophobic, militaristic, violent group of people.

First, one must doubt whether footbaths are used in the arid lands from which Islam sprang. How often did Muhamed get a footbath? I want to know. Equally to the point, why is one religious group being accomodated to the exclusion of others? Are they now considering Islam on a par with having a "disability"?

Are we turning our secular, public universities, long dedicated to academic and personal freedoms, into feudal religious enclaves? Should we subcontract their administration to the Taliban?

Excerpts below:

August 15, 2007 Edition

Muslim students to get footbaths at UBC

Feet in sinks kind of awkward at moment, so UBC agrees to provide a solution

Muslim University of B.C. student Hesham Alsalaman hopes the days of cleansing his feet in the small washroom hand basin near the university's prayer room are numbered.

"As you can see, washing your feet is very difficult," said Alsalaman, president of the Muslim Students Association of UBC.

"Washing your feet in a high sink you end up splashing water around," said Alsalaman, an engineering student from Saudi Arabia. "That can create a hazard and we've had complaints."

************

"We approached [the Muslim students association] to ask them what their ablution needs were," Mee said. "We included that in a project that we were working on around accessible, gender-inclusive family friendly washrooms."

**********

In the U.S., Mee said, controversy centred around the American constitution's First Amendment, which prohibits laws that limit the free exercise of religion. There were no such concerns at UBC.

"There is no problem," she said. "The university is absolutely keen and willing to consider any request that comes forward from the Muslim Students Association."

She said the cost of installing the footbaths will be covered by the university.

**********

Edited August 15, 2007 by jbg

[bk59]

I think there is already a thread on something almost identical (just a different university). In fact... oh look you're the one who started that one too. With an almost identical opening post. Do you have nothing better to do than repeat yourself? Good thing these "timely" articles keep appearing. Even so... I'll bite. For at least one reply anyway.

Could you please show all of us the basis on which you have decided to label the UBC Muslim Students Association homophobic, militaristic and violent? Any evidence would be much appreciated.

You are really going to ask if footbaths were used in Arabia? If you want to know, go look it up. The fact is, it is a part of the Muslim custom before prayers. If this concerns you so much I would imagine that next you will be asking for proof that Jesus was born on December 25 so that Christians can justify the celebration of His birth.

Universities are not just sterile buildings. Many have provided worship space for multiple religions. In fact, many public universities have always had colleges or buildings dedicated to a single religious denomination.

So please, explain how a footbath creates a "feudal religious enclave." Because I just don't see it as that big a deal.

[jbg]

Universities are not just sterile buildings. Many have provided worship space for multiple religions. In fact, many public universities have always had colleges or buildings dedicated to a single religious denomination.

So please, explain how a footbath creates a "feudal religious enclave." Because I just don't see it as that big a deal.

Why do people who mock Bush's saying "G-d bless America and G-d bless each and every one of you" apear the most blase about footbaths?

[bk59]

Why do people who mock Bush's saying "G-d bless America and G-d bless each and every one of you" apear the most blase about footbaths?

Hmm... I don't know. You should probably find one of those people and ask them.

I guess it was too much to hope that you might actually answer some of the questions in my last post.

Could you please show all of us the basis on which you have decided to label the UBC Muslim Students Association homophobic, militaristic and violent? Any evidence would be much appreciated.

...

So please, explain how a footbath creates a "feudal religious enclave." Because I just don't see it as that big a deal.

[Charles Anthony]

I think there is already a thread on something almost identical (just a different university). In fact... oh look you're the one who started that one too. With an almost identical opening post.

The two threads have been merged.

As with all merged threads, all of the posts have been preserved in chronological order.

One generic thread title replaces the previous one.

[betsy]

Why should we have diaper changing stations?

Why should we have facilities for nursing mother's

Why have handicapped parking?

Because we've got student-mothers and handicapped students - who could either be Muslims or not.

Being a mother and being handicapped has nothing to do with religion.

[betsy]

What's wrong with their shower stalls?

Why don't they just add faucets or shower handles so all you need to do is step inside a shower stall to rinse your feet or legs or however or whatever it is you want to rinse?

Why go through all the contortion of installing a footbath - specifically for one particular part of your body- the very name alone associates with religion (if you're trying to say this is not about pandering to religion)?

Before you know it they'll demand a special bath for the women - complete with shaving kit, special bath oils and marble-tiled massaging slabs, masseuse, and a large bath for group frolicking complete with eunichs.

Gee, I'm thinking of those harem scenarios.

[betsy]

All "things" religious should be kept out of schools.

Sing "Frosty the Snowman" but not "Silent Night" (sing that one at home or church)

Act out "Winter Wonderland" but not "Baby in a Manger" (belongs in home or church).

Christmas (can we rename it please!) is about giving and sharing. It is a pagan ritual during winter solstace. It is a festival celebrating longer days and the coming of spring. Has dick all to do with a prophet.

Why should you celebrate Christmas at all....if it is supposed to be a celebration by Christians?

Why don't you just scrap and ignore it? You don't have to join in the celebration!

Just think of it as just another day. Don't make any special preparations at all.

Not even gifts or Santa Claus. Think of the money you'll save...now that this has become so commercialized and studies show people get into big debts on Christmas time.

Schools don't need to celebrate or mention anything about it if they don't want it!

BUT if they ever did decide to mention or talk about it, being schools that they are - A PLACE FOR LEARNING AND INFORMATION - they shouldn't hide or MIS-REPRESENT the fact that Christmas IS a CHRISTIAN tradition.

Edited August 18, 2007 by betsy

[betsy]

deleted. Out of topic.

Edited August 18, 2007 by betsy

[jbg]

Why should they adapt to your culture, why shouldn't you adapt to theirs?

They came here, presumably because they wanted to be in our cultural milieu. I detect a bit of a disconnect.