Muslims hate cute puppy advert
 

I really don't understand these people.

Well, that's the thing about different cultures, sometimes it is difficult to relate to them. The police should have been more careful. Personally, I see nothing wrong with showing a dog in that poster, but then again, I am not a moslem.

All I can say is McGruff is in BIG trouble. :headshake

I think the most reasonable course of action would be to inform the offended they have the right to ignore the poster or shut the fuck up and die. It's a dog. Deal with it. Yeahyeahyeah, you can't pray without taking a full bath if a dog licks you. Posters don't lick people.

If it were a poster for a product that'd be fine, but it's a poster for a universal service (i.e the non-emergency telephone line) and therefore needs to take into account the multi-cultural community which it serves. There is a diversity officer employed by the force to ensure such mistakes are not made, but the police in question didn't seek that officer's advice. Had they done so this could have been very easily avoided.

dana, i don't care if it is a poster reminding them to breath at least a couple times a minute they can just eff off. it is a picture of a dog in a police hat. the dog isn't threatening, there is no saliva, the tongue isn't even showing.

if it was a picture of a pig and a couple jews got offended would anyone care? probably not. everyone is so concerned about what muslims think and it is just ridiculous.

Couldn't agree more. ...why should every freakin' breathing moment of exsistance be dictated by this kind of crap? Ridiculous indeed.

because they might blow you up.

(j/k. really!)

It's a religious issue.
People always back off on religious issues, whatever the faith.

Yes I do find it ridiculous. But that's because I have no belief whatsoever. I also gag when people tell me that "someone" must be looking out for me, or that everything happens for a reason. I try not to let it out too much though, because I don't like to offend people unecessarily.

Finally, some sanity about this crap. No one cares if anyone is offended unless they're Muslims. I don't care if they're offended. I'm fed up with their whiny asses.

During the 2005 general election, the Labour Party used a series of posters which was basically suggesting that the Tories would carry out this or that great plan only when pigs flew. There was a picture of flying pigs one of whom had the tory leader's head. There was an outcry amongst the Jewish community and the labour party were accused of being anti-semitic, because they portrayed a jewish politician as a pig.

The reason we have diversity officers in police forces is to ensure that unnecessary offence is not caused. Personally I think those complaining are making a mountain out of a molehill and making a conscious decision to be offended by something which was not meant to be offensive: but it'd be a lot easier if the police just applied a little sense and don't use imagery that's potentially offensive to large chunks of the people they serve. Pigs, dogs and cows are probably best avoided as poster mascots.

Right, wrong or indifferent, does anyone here besides me know why muslims have a thing about dogs?

I wonder, if Christ would have told one of his disciples that dogs are unclean and that no good Christian would have a dog in his home, I wonder if there would be a problem with the add.

What Mohammed PBUH said about dogs is a very well known fact among muslims in the world.

I suppose that it might depend on the size of the population I'm going to piss off with my seemingly innocent advertising. What is the impact on the local economy, what kind of message am I sending, without saying anything with words to a large segment of my local population. I suppose if I were a leader I would want to be aware of these things.

Sometimes I think the largest segment of the population thinks they can just tell everyone else, "fuck off and see it my way. What you think and believe is silly nonsense anyway." Finally, yes, it is this way no matter where I go in the world, it seems to be human nature.

parting thought, it is a hard thing in a free society to diplomatically balance the majority with various minority populations. Especially when they all have different beliefs and values. It is worth doing.

Well said Joe.

If it was a pig and a couple of jews were offended (actually, far more likely that there would be widespread outrage amongst jewish communities) the advert would most likely be withdrawn. It is not an advert for hairspray, it is a poster disseminating important public information and has been devised and placed by a public body. It should be tailored to meet the needs of that public.

Imagine an "out" homosexual advertising a public service in Bible Belt America.
How offensive would that be deemed?

And I would be dismissive of the condemnation too - in fact I'd be more strident in my view as it involves a human being.

You mean like Ellen doing PSA's? No indignation. Any nutjob who complains about that is pretty quickly written off.

I'm just amazed that people have not gotten sick and tired of the poor offended muslims popping up all the time.

Assimilate or go the fuck back where you came from.

Dana, you are in England and I am not so YMMV, but what I notice is that the people who are offended most often and what us to change are people that chose to come here voluntarily. That means that something caused them to wake up and decide that the US was better than where they were living; better enough that they chose take the risk in moving here. Now they are here and the complaints they have are generally of the "you people who've always been here have to change to make this place more like the home we left so we'll be comfortable."

Uh, eff that. if you thought back home was better, then go back. If you feel that here is better, then enjoy. Either way shut the fuck up with the "i'm offended PC chorus".

Problem is, it's not usually the first generation immigrants who are offended. They know to keep their heads down and try to assimilate/be invisible. It's the second and third generation who feel American and are American, but with a non-Christian familly culture. Are they so much less entitled than you in this "cultural melting pot", this land of immigration?

I agree 100%. This is getting waaay beyond ridiculous!

That is just ridiculous - no one should be offended at all. This is, to me a STFU issue.

I suppose they will complain about the coming police dogs being on the streets. :eyebrow:

wow, quite a divergence of opinion here. I have all sorts of reactions. Among them:

--that Dana is right, in that an ad for public services should be appreciated by the largest number of the public for maximum effectiveness
--that classicman and foot3 are right; there's too much catering to special interest groups in the name of political correctness, and to Muslim groups in particular out of guilt and fear
--that Mohammed was a pussy who was scared of big black dogs and so condemned an entire people to go without the service and companionship of one of man's best friends
--but that means that Muslims are cat people--a point in their favor!
--another reason why Islam is a fucked-up religion, and a poor model to base a culture on
--that I don't agree with the "go back to where you came from" sentiment; at all.
--that there may be some relevant cultural and political differences between the UK and the US which haven't been addressed here
--and I wonder what blind Muslims do?

Can't say I'm right or wrong on any of that stuff, but this is what has been going through my mind in response to this thread.

Muslims may not have to undergo sniffer dog checks in UK

LONDON: Muslim passengers may not be touched by sniffer dogs of the British Transport Police after complaints that the practice is against Islam. According to the religion, dogs are deemed to be spiritually “unclean”.

A Transport Department report has raised the prospect that animals should only touch passengers’ luggage because it is considered “more acceptable”, the Daily Express reported. The ban may restrict the efficiency of sniffer dog squads which have been trained to spot terrorists at railway stations.

On Thursday night, British Transport Police insisted that it would still use sniffer dogs with any passengers regardless of faith, but handlers would remain aware of “cultural sensitivities”.

The Transport Department report follows the trials of station security measures in the wake of the 2005 London suicide bomb attacks. In one trial, certain Muslim women said the use of a body scanner was also unacceptable because it amounted to being forced to strip.

During the trials, passengers stopped in London had the exterior of their bags checked by dogs. But in Brighton, dogs patrolled the station concourse and were walked past passengers by their handlers. Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, however, said that even dogs touching baggage would be an issue for a Muslim preparing to pray. But he stressed on the fact that it should be easy to allow dogs to check passengers without physical contact.

"No sniffer dog? No problem. What's your position on a finger up the ass?"

It turns out that the dog in the poster is being trained as a police dog in the area of the ad, and the dog is a popular part of the website where updates on his training are posted.

I read that, but don't see that it makes a difference to the offended people's sensitivities.

it looks like there's a lot of misunderstanding by muslims on the role of dogs. I mean, it's not like they can get contaminated by saliva from a picture; and the dog isn't in their homes, so the angels can get in all right.

The trouble all started when the Christians tried to turn Xmas into some kind of wacky religious holiday.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/...98_468x338.jpg

just so we're all clear
just what dog and
just what picture
we're all discussing here
(for those of us who
for whatever reason
are too lazy
or too wary
to bother clicking)

Great. Now you've chased away all the muslim dwellers.

This is the same in Britain. It is rarely the first generation of immigrants that raise any protest. Their children however are brought up in a country where they are entitled to have their say and to the benefits that living in a reasonably affluent free thinking society affords. They are British, but the difference between their home and the street leads them to identify themselves as British Muslim (you almost never hear British Asian). So they are more vocal about their religion.

We have to tolerate them living in our society and accept as well as respect their beliefs, but they don't have to accept ours. Tell them to leave. Screw that. Everyone should do puppy commercials now.

key words, "where they {think} they are entitled". And that is the problem.

Amen, brothers. Oh, sorry. I'm sure I offended some christians...and probably someone's brother.

Yep, it's a STFU to me, and my pic is beside the word liberal in the dictionary. FFS, it's an ad for a number that has a pic of a damn police dog.

I lost my police dog as he was rummaging through the waste of the Twin Towers looking for survivors and, failing those, the dead.

Poor pitiful people, having to look at a dog on a poster. :right:

Update: although all this nonsense started when a Muslim govt official suggested that there would be offense taken, apparently there was no actual offense taken.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2...11590817t0.asp

Several Muslims in Dundee, when asked about the postcard, said they would not take offense ("There is not a dog—it is just a picture"), and although they are not dog people they try not to make a big deal about it.

http://cellar.org/2008/perlysed3.jpg

the news story said there were complaints, though

Nope. If you are born and bred in Britain you are British and therefore entitled to have your say. I would like to believe it is the same in the US.

Re complaints etc. People often react on behalf of other people's sensibilities. I know there are things that are supposedly offensive to Christians that my parents shrug off as irrelevant. Like the chocolate crucifed Christ - my Mum made some comment about it not lasting past Easter Sunday in their house.

I genuinely believe (and it has been upheld by personal experience) that the majority of British Muslims are decent, reasonable and logical people. They know the rules of their own religion and can and do adapt it to Western life in the 21st century.

That's the point SG. No one is saying all muslims = bad bitchy people who deserve no respect. I am saying that the muslims who get in a tizzy and call the reporters and are oh so put upon by a picture of a dog, should just be ignored. quit giving them the attention they seek out. everyone is offended by something, that is life. it seems like we as a society are far too concerned about what offends muslims. seriously, tell them to shut the hell up, sit back down, and get on with life.

maybe they won't call the police because they're afraid they'll show up with a dog, though. hmm?

maybe it's an subtle evil plot to cut down on the amount of non-emergency calls.

If they don't want to get touched by sniffer dogs looking for explosives, then they must stop killing innocent people and protecting those among them who plan to do more terrorism. Muslims have been blowing people up on the London public transport system. It is entirely within the rights for a sovereign nation to do what it can to reduce the chance of that happening again.

Everyone else in a country is expected to reduce their freedoms if it is required in times of need. Muslims who choose to live in the UK - or any other Western country - must be expected to do the same. If they have a problem with dogs touching them when it is necessary for the protection of others, they can STFU and deal with it or leave the country.

I'm pretty sure if we were living in Iran or Saudi Arabia and we objected to those parts of Sharia law that we found offensive such as their practice of beheading people, we would not be heeded. Why should we heed those who are offended by a PICTURE of a dog sitting in a hat? The picture of a dog isn't going to hurt anyone.

Can you say, Al Sharpton. :rolleyes:

Bold - mine - Upon first reading I thought this was a typo - then a poor choice of words - then... oh I just find it amusing now. Lets look at this for a second.

An American shows up in S.A. or wherever and complains about theirs laws. Think he might "be beheaded"?

Reminds me of a news clip interviewing a witness to a fight:
"And then the Po-lice came and he departed them."

I don't know...but I'm sure at least some Saudis would be bitchin' for the damn Merkin to assimilate already. :lol:

Gah, I always think of The Borg when I see that word.

Heeded did not stand out for me. But your abbreviation of Saudi Arabia did. As we have more South Africans here than Saudis I was left thinking, "What? Does he think South Africa is a Muslim country. Hello?!"

Luckily I decided not to challenge you and the penny dropped after a re-read. Re-heed maybe :)

lol

Yes, I could have worded it better, but it does add a certain something to the point I made, does it not? :D

I thought the wording was spectacular - that was my point - unintentional or not - a Freudian slip perhaps?