Monday 23 December 2013




 Marks & Muslims


Apparently, there's been a bit of backlash against Marks & Spencer because one of its check-out personnel in a London store refused to serve a customer wishing to purchase pork and alcohol, as it offended against their Muslim beliefs.

I must say, that such a refusal on the part of an employee of a major British food retailer, offends against my beliefs. 

How can it possibly be acceptable for a Muslim to refuse to serve a customer buying perfectly legal goods, yet at the same time be perfectly OK for them to work and take wages from a company which sells those goods? Massive double standards here surely? Yet no more than we've come to expect from the religion of peace and permanent offence.

Marks and Spencer have absolutely no business employing people who refuse to serve customers the items which they legitimately sell. In fact, such a refusal should be immediate grounds for dismissal. If M&S imagine that pandering to the ridiculous sensitivities of religious minorities earns them some special status in the diversity driven insanity of political correctness, then they may just find, that their consideration for the rights of their Muslim employees, clashes very seriously with the rights of their customers. 

Whats the next step I wonder, in their desire not to offend Muslim beliefs? Stop selling pork and alcohol altogether? Pause all trading six times a day for prayers? Allow all Muslim women to work in a burqa? Encourage all male empolyees to grow beards? Perhaps they'll start insisting that all customers must remove their shoes before entering their stores?

I for one, would not take kindly by being told I could not be served certain items as it offended against the religoius sensibilities of the employee working at the check-out. In fact, if I ever found myself in such an unfortunate and deeply offensive situation, I would leave all my intended purchases at the check-out, and walk away empty-handed, never to return.

I hear that many customers are calling for a boycott of all M & S stores, until they change their policy. I'm very happy to join their ranks.