Desi In Toronto

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A mosque asking that Canadian workplaces respect a strict Muslim dress code is at the same time disseminating slurs against Jews and Western societies, and warning members against social integration.

Why? Why should a work place respect a dress code that has been deemed dangerous? Sometimes I just don’t get religion. We are living in a modern society with a modern law that clearly stipulates the health of the employee to be of paramount value. And if the way the employee behaves or chooses to dress which is contrary to what is expected of the employee, then please find other work.

In September, a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal heard two weeks of testimony from eight mosque members alleging “Islamophobia” at the company’s west Toronto plant. Three final days of testimony are scheduled for next week.

The eight women, who lost their jobs at UPS, say Islam dictates that they wear a full-length skirt for modesty. The courier company insists that any skirt be knee-length for safety, as workers climb ladders up to 6 metres high.

Under their skirt, the women wear full-length trousers but say they do not want the lower part showing in case the shape of the calf can be discerned.

The complaint originally centred on the company’s use of temporary workers and uneven enforcement of its safety rules.

But the key question remains: Is UPS insisting on shorter hems for safety or is it violating religious rights by denying the women permanent jobs unless they conform?

I ASSUME that the dress code was told to the women on the day they were hired. If the women accepted it at that point then I am sorry, they need to be shown the door.

If the company told the women after a few weeks/months/years of employment that part of their job is to dress in a certain way, then the company is at fault. It’s as clear as that.

If the company is enforcing it’s safety rules in a discriminatory way then, they should definitely be investigated. But I kind of find it hard to believe that UPS, a global brand name company, would risk a PR problem by picking on women because of their religion.

The article continues with this :

The Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque near Kipling Ave. and Rexdale Blvd. serves as the religious authority for eight Somali women complaining to the Canadian Human Rights Commission that UPS Canada Ltd. violated their religious rights at a sorting plant. The mosque, founded in 1990 and serving upwards of 10,000 people, preaches strict adherence to sharia, or Islamic law, and no compromise with the West.

Teachings on the mosque’s website, khalidmosque.com, refer to non-Muslim Westerners as “wicked,” “corrupt” and “our clear enemies.”

Sometimes Jews are singled out.

“Is it permissible for women to wear high-heeled shoes?” begins one posting in question-and-answer format. “That is not permissible,” comes the reply. “It involves resembling the Disbelieving Women or the wicked women. It has its origin among the Jewish women.”

Modern pastimes are condemned.

“What is the ruling on subscribing to sports channels?” another question begins. “Watching some of the female spectators, when the camera focuses on them time after time” stirs “evil inclinations,” the lesson reads. “Some (players) may not even believe in Allaah.”

Mosque leaders refused repeated requests for an interview.

A disclaimer on the website says questions and answers do not necessarily reflect the mosque’s views. But the About Us page says: “All questions and answers on this site (are) prepared, approved and supervised by (the mosque’s imam) Bashir Yusuf Shiil.”

And some people have the nerve to ask, why be an atheist?

This is clearly religious indocternation right under our noses here in Canada. I am miffed by the fact that why is it even allowed? Were this a Church web-site would the authorities have allowed the church to continue spewing hatred? Why is this mosque being given a pass? It will be interesting to see how the authorities handle this situation because it will be very telling on the status of political correctedness in Canada.

And here is the other side :

ABIDE BY OUR RULES OR LEAVE OUR COUNTRY

I’m sick and tired of immigrants coming to our country to then make demands upon us and dictate how we should regulate matters. Safety must come first and UPS is absolutely right to insist that long skirts not be worn in the warehouses due to the safety implications. The audacity to think that they have a right to tell us how we should “run our show”. I say clearly and loudly, out with the entire lot of them. Either come to our country and accept our culture, rules and regulations or go back to where you came from where “the long skirt rules”. Too many Canadians are too “politically correct” and afraid to speak out for fear of being labelled a racist. In the meantime, these immigrants have no reservations about speaking out against our culture. Who truly is the racist in this scenario ? No more polite cow-towing to their endless demands. Abide by “our” rules or leave.

What I find amusing is how the anti-immigrant squad comes out fighting each time such an issue is in the news. “If you don’t like our rules, leave”.

I’d like to ask Marilyn, is that what your ancestors were told by the natives when they arrived in Canada? It is so easy for you to dictate terms to us immigrants when you are kind of foggy about your status in this country. YOU ARE ALSO AN IMMIGRANT. You are what we would call a 2nd or 3rd generation immigrant. Even if your ancestors arrived in Canada 400 years ago, you still have your roots in some European country. So please stop with this “immigrants are evil” bullshit.

And I am sick and tired of hearing “our culture, our values”. What exactly are they? I would love for someone to identify “Canadian culture” for me.

I strongly oppose any form of religious indoctrination (am an atheist) in Canada and this mosque should be investigated and if necessary, closed. But to start blanketing every immigrant as “they have come to destroy us” is sheer paranoia.