On this whole "bowing to Sharia law" nonsense

[FrontEndFirecracker]

This post is coming from an unbiased but atheist individual.

Has anyone glanced at the Target Facebook? People are posting how they're never going to frequent Target again because the company is "bowing" or "caving" to Sharia law. Has this even been confirmed?

People are butthurt because some cashiers won't ring their items due to religious beliefs. Personally, I am atheist. How is a cashier refusing to ring pork any different than a pharmacist refusing to sell emergency contraception? In that case, the pharmacist is refusing to do his or her job duties fully because of religious or moral quandaries.

Why is it ok for one religion to get "special treatment" while another is seen as trying to get special or extra benefits?

 

[PinkZinnia]

We have never come across this at our store..

 

[FrontEndFirecracker]

We have never come across this at our store..

We haven't at our store, either. We do, however, have cashiers under 18 that cannot legally sell alcohol. How is this any different than that either?

 

[oath2order]

We haven't at our store, either. We do, however, have cashiers under 18 that cannot legally sell alcohol. How is this any different than that either?

Difference is fairly simple. Cashiers under 18, by law, cannot sell alcohol. People who follow a certain religion are under no such legalities, and therefore, in my opinion, should be disciplined if they are a Muslim cashier and refuse to handle pork, or a Christian pharmacist and refuse to handle birth control or any other religion with some sort of restriction. It's part of your job to handle these products and if you don't like it, don't work at a grocery store/pharmacy/whatever other place that you work at but refuse to do a part of the job due to a religious restriction.

 

[FrontEndFirecracker]

Difference is fairly simple. Cashiers under 18, by law, cannot sell alcohol. People who follow a certain religion are under no such legalities, and therefore, in my opinion, should be disciplined if they are a Muslim cashier and refuse to handle pork, or a Christian pharmacist and refuse to handle birth control or any other religion with some sort of restriction. It's part of your job to handle these products and if you don't like it, don't work at a grocery store/pharmacy/whatever other place that you work at but refuse to do a part of the job due to a religious restriction.

I agree and disagree. I agree that every exception should be handled the same. I disagree, however, that individuals should be disciplined for their beliefs. As an atheist, I am happy that I have the right to believe what I want. Every person should have the same playing field to work with.

And also, pharmacists and doctors are bound by ethical codes, sometimes legal statutes, and also the Hippocratic oath to do their jobs without exception or prejudice.

 

[Signkitty]

I love how people rant about "why does our country has to bow down to religious beliefs of others".

We have no national religon.

 

[FrontEndFirecracker]

I love how people rant about "why does our country has to bow down to religious beliefs of others".

We have no national religon.

Agree, 100% Anyone that says this country was founded on christian/religious principles is delusional, at best. This country was founded in freedom from religion.

Also, this.
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims]; and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Mohammedan] nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries." - from Treaty of Tripoli, 1796, and part of Article VI of the Constitution.

 

[PinkZinnia]

Most of the cashiers at my local grocery store are Indian. I have often wanted to ask them if it bothers them that they have to handle beef, but I don't know any of them well enough to ask..I suppose if you take a job where you have to do something that interferes with your religion, you have a choice to make.. Do the job, or find one where you don't have to handle food.

I have had Jewish guests who have asked me to package groceries in different bags because some items couldn't touch the other.
I have also had crazy guests who tell me to take items out of a bag because that's not how it goes...whatever - if they get to crazy about it, I ask them to do it themselves because I don't know what they want..

 

[Signkitty]

The story is fake by the way. The picture says customers, we all know they are guests. The real story, as far as my google detective work can tell, is that in 2007 Target let a few Muslim cashiers switch to other postions so that this would not be an issue.

 

[PinkZinnia]

I couldn't find the story

 

[commiecorvus]

I love how it's perfectly acceptable for a them to use religion as an excuse not to sell birth control or the morning after pills but let an a Muslim employee work in a different department or not ring up alcohol if they have to do back up and that the end of the frelling world.

It's fine if the intolerance favors their religion but if it somehow means they can't get their beer right away....

 

[FrontEndFirecracker]

The story is fake by the way. The picture says customers, we all know they are guests. The real story, as far as my google detective work can tell, is that in 2007 Target let a few Muslim cashiers switch to other postions so that this would not be an issue.

This is what I have found through research but the attention it's getting on the Facebook is hysterical to me.

 

[FrontEndFirecracker]

I love how it's perfectly acceptable for a them to use religion as an excuse not to sell birth control or the morning after pills but let an a Muslim employee work in a different department or not ring up alcohol if they have to do back up and that the end of the frelling world.

It's fine if the intolerance favors their religion but if it somehow means they can't get their beer right away....

This x 100000000.

 

[Signkitty]

@PinkZinnia

Here is the story I saw.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17665989/...ifts-muslims-who-wont-ring-pork/#.VPUa8YY8KK0

 

[redeye58]

I love how it's perfectly acceptable for a them to use religion as an excuse not to sell birth control or the morning after pills but let an a Muslim employee work in a different department or not ring up alcohol if they have to do back up and that the end of the frelling world.

It's fine if the intolerance favors their religion but if it somehow means they can't get their beer right away....

This.
I'm in a state that has the last vestiges of Blue Law: we can't sell alcohol before noon on Sundays.
We always made jokes about the Baptists not wanting anyone to be able to get drunk until after church.
We could always spot the newcomers, tho. They were the ones who absolutely wigged out when they couldn't buy a brew (or wine) before noon on Sundays.
I always smiled & said "You're not from around here, are you?"

 

[Signkitty]

This.
I'm in a state that has the last vestiges of Blue Law: we can't sell alcohol before noon on Sundays.
We always made jokes about the Baptists not wanting anyone to be able to get drunk until after church.
We could always spot the newcomers, tho. They were the ones who absolutely wigged out when they couldn't buy a brew (or wine) before noon on Sundays.
I always smiled & said "You're not from around here, are you?"

If you think that's bad you can only buy alcohol from stores ran by the state in PA.

 

[Backroom81]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/targetsharia.asp

 

[commiecorvus]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/targetsharia.asp

I have three friend who I have to regularly remind to check with Snopes before they post to Facebook.
So far they like me enough not to take it personally.

 

[StaticSun]

@PinkZinnia

Here is the story I saw.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17665989/...ifts-muslims-who-wont-ring-pork/#.VPUa8YY8KK0

Islam teaches that pigs are unclean and eating pork is a sin, and some Muslims feel selling or handling pork is also forbidden because it would make them complicit in the sins of others.

Reverse racism??? Just because your religion doesn't permit it, doesn't mean you should hurt my opportunities to indulge.

 

[commiecorvus]

Reverse racism??? Just because your religion doesn't permit it, doesn't mean you should hurt my opportunities to indulge.

Which of course was nonsense since the store just put the people in departments where that wouldn't be an issue.
I'd say the not providing people with proper, needful health care is a more important problem than if someone is going to wait for another cashier to get their baby back ribs.
When did we as a culture become so freaking hostile to other people?

No, I certainly don't want anyone forcing their religion, politics or ideology down my throat but I am more than happy to allow them to have their own and accommodate them in a reasonable fashion.
Forcing everyone to be like us makes us smaller.

 

[RetailWorld]

The 4th question in the interview process asks whether or not you'd be comfortable handling target products. I imagine that a "no" would make you fail your interview. And if the TM said yes and then later refused to handle said product, they could be termed for lying during the interview

 

[Kartman]

I had a family of towelheads in the cafe asking me if the hot dogs were all beef.

I had a quiet chuckle.

 

[commiecorvus]

I had a family of towelheads in the cafe asking me if the hot dogs were all beef.

I had a quiet chuckle.

A Jew is going to ask the same question.

And seriously "towelheads"?
Come on, you're better than that.

 

[RXninja]

that's racist....i would never call someone that even with the anonymity of this forum.

 

[thatcashierdude]

If you think that's bad you can only buy alcohol from stores ran by the state in PA.

No Sunday sales in MN, and in certain cities you can only buy from city run liquor stores. Some cities have applied the law differently and allow private businesses to sell, but even then any liquor store has to be a separate section that only sells liquor with registers at the exit, so no wine aisle in the grocery store.