Police force issues its WPCs with Muslim headscarves complete with badge for mosque visits

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Women police officers are being issued with headscarves to wear when they visit a mosque.

They are expected to put the scarfs on shortly before they enter the mosque, in keeping with Islamic custom.

Avon and Somerset Police caused a race row two years ago when it rejected 186 white job applicants at the first stage of selection.

The force received 800 applications for 180 jobs and 'deselected' white males to increase ethnic diversity. Chief Constable Colin Port apologised.

I just wonder what everyone thinks about this...

I understand that its helpful to follow custom like this, and will probably improve the relationship with the police and muslim community.

But, should we be changing to accomodate them in our country, or should they be accepting of us, and the fact that we don't wear these headscarves. Should I invite a muslim woman into my home and ask her to remove her headscarf because no-one in my house wears them?


I'm not a woman, or a police officer, so it won't affect me, but I'm interested in whether you all think people are going a bit too far in the interests of Political Correctness.

Also note the quote regarding the same police force turning down applications from white males to meet quotas for ethnicity and sex.

Your thoughts/opinions?

[edit on 28/7/09 by axehappy]

reply to post by axehappy


Autowrench:
Well, this would be akin to putting on a suit and tie before entering a Christian church, or...and this is a stretch to show a point, Stripping down naked to enter a Wiccan ceremony. Respecting a person's religion is one thing, but conforming to the person's standard of dress is ridiculous. Islam, like Christianity, does not run the world, nor will either of them ever run it.
Also, while I am on the subject, neither of them has the complete truth or a direct link to the Creator better than any of the rest of us either.

Just my stated opinion guaranteed under the First Amendment of the Constitution.

I think it's ridiculous.

Pandering, bending over backwards to prevent being labeled a racist or insensitive.

We just need to start our own religion where everyone has to dress up like elephants.

You're not allowed to come in our church unless you have at LEAST a large trunk.

It's retarded.

At a christian church...you can wear what you want...unless it's vulgar. I don't think they should be forced to put on headscarves...this is A CHRISTIAN NATION not a muslim one.

Originally posted by KSPigpen
I think it's ridiculous.

Pandering, bending over backwards to prevent being labeled a racist or insensitive.

We just need to start our own religion where everyone has to dress up like elephants.

You're not allowed to come in our church unless you have at LEAST a large trunk.

It's retarded.

That really made me laugh... when you put it in that context, it does seem rather ridiculous.

I will have to investigate whether wearing the scarves has religious significance, or whether it is simply a dress code to stop men being exposed to the sight of women's sexy hair styles!

I find the idea of adaptation to local customs vs common courtesy to be something to think about. Throwing a scarf on when you need to enter another religion's church isn't much to ask I think. It's not really a matter of political correctness, it's a matter of respect and I think if you give respect you have a much better chance at getting respect.

Originally posted by damwel
I find the idea of adaptation to local customs vs common courtesy to be something to think about. Throwing a scarf on when you need to enter another religion's church isn't much to ask I think. It's not really a matter of political correctness, it's a matter of respect and I think if you give respect you have a much better chance at getting respect.

I agree to an extent, as I mentioned in the OP, it should probably improve relations between the police and the muslim community.

However, as I also mentioned, should a muslim woman be invited into my home and I ask her to remove her headscarf, she would surely be offended. Or if I told her my house was only for naked people, and you had to leave your clothes at the door.
Ridiculous, I know, but kind of along the same lines...

EDIT: Actually, forget muslim women... lets imagine a WPC wants to search my house, and I tell her clothes offend me and we all have to be naked in my house. Would the police then pander to me, and get their kit off?

I think they'd probably smack me with a baton and search my place anyways...


Also, there's a big thing at the moment about women wearing scarves that cover their whole face, especially when they are doing jobs in public like teaching etc.
Some people are saying this is acceptable because its their culture, but others, like me, don't like it. It might be acceptable in muslim countries, but its unusual, at best, in this country.

[edit on 28/7/09 by axehappy]

Gaza Judge: Female Lawyers Must Wear Head Scarf

Source

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Gaza's top judge said Sunday that he has ordered female lawyers to wear Muslim headscarves when they appear in court, the latest sign that the Islamic militant group is increasingly imposing its strict interpretation of Islamic law on residents of the coastal strip.

"Showing a woman's hair is forbidden (in Islam)," the Hamas-appointed Halabi told The Associated Press. "We will not allow people to corrupt morals. This (dress code) will improve work in the courts."

Police have pressured store owners to cover scantily clad mannequins, and men relaxing on the beach have been ordered to put more clothes on. One secondary girls' school has made wearing a Muslim headscarf and loose robe a mandatory uniform in the upcoming school year. The Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights issued a statement describing the new dress code for female lawyers a "dangerous violation of personal freedoms and women's rights."

Hey, I've got an idea. Let's impose our morality on EVERYONE, cuz that's FUN! Yippeee. It's still ridiculous.

What you cover up in practicing your religion is fine, but you have no right to tell me, or my wife, or the cops in my town that they need to dress up like you.

Why should we be so concerned about how an immigrant perceives our level of respect for them, when it does not appear to be reciprocal? If you immigrate to someplace, why not respect the customs of the place you immigrated to, or find some other place to go. It's really pretty simple.

What I don't get, is why this is tolerated? What I we decided everyone entering a football stadium should have to wear a big foam finger, just to show respect for those of us that worship football?

It could go on forever. Its just plain dumb.

Originally posted by damwel
I find the idea of adaptation to local customs vs common courtesy to be something to think about. Throwing a scarf on when you need to enter another religion's church isn't much to ask I think. It's not really a matter of political correctness, it's a matter of respect and I think if you give respect you have a much better chance at getting respect.

However, if you or I are entering on a voluntary basis then I agree we should appease our hosts but, this is not voluntary at all it is part of the publicly funded police force and entering a mosque on police business and in this case actually infringes on the rights of the police officers. In this case showing the proper respects should be in the hands of those in the mosque.