Veils

[Biggles]

European employment laws are quite strict. An employer cannot suspend someone because they are of a particular religion. She was asked to put it under the scarf and she refused. This is classed as failure to follow a reasonable request with regards BA dress code. She has chosen to make an issue, rightly or wrongly, about wearing religious symbols (or any other symbol for that matter).

Personally I doubt if she has much chance of winning her case as the BA rules about jewellery are clear. The rules about things around your neck at the workplace are largely health and safety issues rather than any attempt to suppress freedom of expresion.

People are free to worship and to defend their religion. They are free to come and knock on my door (the JWs do). I am free to switch the lights out and pretend I am not in (although in my view they are verging on being a pain in the ass). It really depends what one means by being free to subject other people to your religion means. Wearing a cross is not subjecting anyone to anything neither is a Sally Army brass band playing Christmas Carols in the street. Being collared by some nut on the street insisting that I will burn in hell unless I believe exactly what he believes is stepping over the line imho as is being harangued for walking away. I believe the Westboro Baptist mob that protest at soldiers funerals step over the line. Were their rights infringed when people prevailed upon not to do likewise at the Amish girls funerals?

I think there is a line rather than a slope and in the case of the veil it causes practical difficulties that mean that it is bound to run up against problems in a modern society. The veil severely limits vision. This could cause difficulties driving a car for example - not a problem in Saudi Arabia because woman are not allowed to drive cars (quite sensible if they are all wearing veils). What would happen if we forbid women to drive cars if they are wearing a veil? Actually, I wonder how a lot of Muslim women would feel if we said they had to abide by Saudi gender laws.

So I couldn't wear my platinum bling in the same circumstance?

It sounds like this lady needs a pint of

STFU! and GTFO!

She doesn't get a special "I can wear this card" 'cause she makes religious symbol claims. She lost her job for being symbolminded.

She can clutch her cross on the street.

Not exactly as I would have worded it but that is the gist of my piece yes.

[JPaul]

So I couldn't wear my platinum bling in the same circumstance?

It sounds like this lady needs a pint of

STFU! and GTFO!

She doesn't get a special "I can wear this card" 'cause she makes religious symbol claims. She lost her job for being symbolminded.

She can clutch her cross on the street.

Not exactly as I would have worded it but that is the gist of my piece yes.

Really