Monday 17 August 2009

Wedding walkout - commentaries

BBC World Service, UK MP in Muslim wedding walkout, 14 Aug 09 "A British government minister walked out of a Muslim wedding a few days ago and has now condemned the segregation of male and female guests."

Kia Abdullah, Guardian, Segregated weddings? No thanks, 14 Aug 09 "I understand and respect the significance of chastity within religion and culture, but does sitting near a man at a wedding really constitute an act of brazen immodesty? I may be preaching to the choir here, but isn't it time us so-called moderate Muslims got over this hang-up?"

Alasdair Palmer, Telegraph, Why must we bow to the intolerant ways of Islam?, 15 Aug 09 "When Jim Fitzpatrick MP and his wife decided to leave a Muslim wedding party after they discovered it was segregated by sex, he did not anticipate the controversy his decision would generate. "It reflects badly on him," said Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the former head of the Muslim Council of Britain. "It shows a lack of interest… to engage with people of different backgrounds." Tim Archer, the Tory who is standing against the minister of state at the next election, commented that "Fitzpatrick is playing a certain race card to save his skin at the next election"."