Muslim bookstore worker declares Bible story book “unclean,” refuses to serve customer
posted at 7:25 pm on January 15, 2008 by Bryan
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Well here we go again. If it’s not pizza at Target it’s dogs at airports or a headscarf at a hair salon and now a Bible story book that’s supposedly “unclean.” This one makes even less sense than the previous episodes, though, since the Bible is supposed to be a revered book in Islam.
A Muslim store worker at Marks & Spencer refused to serve a customer buying a children’s book on biblical stories because she said it was “unclean”.
Sally Friday, a customer at a branch of one of the famous stores, felt publicly humiliated when she tried to pay for First Bible Stories as a gift for her young grandson.
When the grandmother put the book on the counter, the assistant refused to touch it, declared it was unclean and then summoned another member of staff to deal with the purchase.
Complaints ensue, followed by the usual rounds of hand-wringing and the obligatory attempt to pin the blame for the episode on the grandmother. If this kind of thing hadn’t happened so many times before, in so many different settings, it might be plausible for the grandmother to have misheard the clerk. But it has happened many times. It will happen many more times.
Expect the grandmother to be hassled by some version of a “human rights commission” before it’s all said and done.
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I’m offended. Can I file a human rights complaint?
Bad Penny on January 15, 2008 at 7:27 PM
If that`s sold in the store he`s working in, isn`t the store unclean? If you go by his “logic” he should quit.
ThePrez on January 15, 2008 at 7:28 PM
what’s the problem?
if he worked in a drug store, would he be obligated to sell condoms to a gay couple?
jummy on January 15, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Why is this such a problem? The store manager should drop-kick the Muslim employee’s ass out the door and be done with it. Problem solved.
packsoldier on January 15, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Don’t they have a “15 pure items or less” aisle at the store where the Muslims can clerk?
Mallard T. Drake on January 15, 2008 at 7:31 PM
I once bought condoms in a drugstore (”chemist”) in England. The headscarved woman gave me a look of deep disapprobation. …But she did sell them to me.
(P.S. It wasn’t for gay sex…)
Tzetzes on January 15, 2008 at 7:31 PM
Fire him/her. Tell him/her to pray to allah for another job.
SouthernGent on January 15, 2008 at 7:32 PM
Londinistan rising.
fourstringfuror on January 15, 2008 at 7:32 PM
The American version of Ezra Levant.
Kini on January 15, 2008 at 7:33 PM
I can’t believe the woman wouldn’t even touch it! I mean, I don’t consider the Koran unclean until after I’ve wiped…
Tzetzes on January 15, 2008 at 7:33 PM
Well, as far as Islam goes, my feeling is quite mutual.
If the religions were reversed, the employee would be fired on the spot, and CAIR would file a lawsuit.
But oh no, the grandmother is at fault here. Totally.
(Islam never fails to deliver a news item that makes me sick. Give it credit.
And yes, Alan Colmes, I’m denigrating an entire religion. Sue me.)
Hawkins1701 on January 15, 2008 at 7:34 PM
As we all know, he’d feign indignation, and then get the guy’s number on the downlow.
Were I coworker, I’d send about a dozen ham-and-sausage pizzas - you know, for the pain of the ordeal and such.
emailnuevo on January 15, 2008 at 7:34 PM
Oops, Briton…
Kini on January 15, 2008 at 7:34 PM
Agreed.
And Muslims that are too religiously intolerant do jobs like this should leave the country.
thirteen28 on January 15, 2008 at 7:35 PM
heh.
jummy on January 15, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Hopefully-just to help prevent the spread of this.
NTWR on January 15, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Clear case of religious discrimination. At least, it would be if a Christian refused to sell the Koran…
snickelfritz on January 15, 2008 at 7:36 PM
Not bad advice, if you ask me. That is, if they will serve you at all.
fourstringfuror on January 15, 2008 at 7:36 PM
For being such a serious issue your P.S. was hilarious. Kudos.
blankminde on January 15, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Now that’s funny.
davidk on January 15, 2008 at 7:37 PM
I find it odd that the customer would feel humiliated as opposed to angry.
Blake on January 15, 2008 at 7:38 PM
You know what they say… if you feel like you have to deny it…. :)
darkpixel on January 15, 2008 at 7:38 PM
Oh, and I forgot:
BEHEAD THOSE WHO INSULT CHILDREN’S BOOKS!
darkpixel on January 15, 2008 at 7:39 PM
The more of Robert Spencer’s “Blogging the Quran” the more I believe Islam is just another ideology. So denigrate away!
blankminde on January 15, 2008 at 7:39 PM
Should have said “I read, the more I believe…” gad.
blankminde on January 15, 2008 at 7:41 PM
And you thought this was fiction! Well done trailer - you don’t even need to read the book to get the story.
fred5678 on January 15, 2008 at 7:42 PM
Has this happened over here frequently - yet?
London has lost itself. It is already Londonistan and the individuals residing there don’t even appear to rise up and complain. Such complacency. It is alarming and scary.
mimi1220 on January 15, 2008 at 7:45 PM
“Many stories” And those that don’t??? BURN THEM!
fred5678 on January 15, 2008 at 7:46 PM
“I’ll take 40 copies of The Satanic Verses, one copy of The Three Little Pigs, and this month’s Swank, Achmed. Do you gift wrap?”
snickelfritz on January 15, 2008 at 7:46 PM
I guess we don’t have it so bad.
In the U.S we have immigrants doing jobs Americans refuse to do.
In Britain they have immigrants refusing to do jobs the Brits WILL do.
ronsfi on January 15, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Thompson/packsoldier 2008!
thejackal on January 15, 2008 at 7:47 PM
Next time, I’ll refuse to serve a Muslim woman because of the lack of skin, hair and cleavage.
Kini on January 15, 2008 at 7:48 PM
How does this stand in line with the 5 major Prophets recognized by Muslem being Noah, Moses, Abraham, and Jesus- as well as Mohammed?
pwadams on January 15, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Just as with the Michigan taxi drivers refusing customers with bottles of alcohol, there is nothing (I invite Robert Spencer to correct me on this!) in the Koran that suggests a believer (that is, a professional pain in the arse) may not touch a Christian book, article of faith, or bottle of alcohol. Nothing! This is just yet another Muslim troublemaker going out of their way to make life troublesome and embarrassing for non-Muslims.
There should be no job in the west whatsoever that a Muslim may have that affords them special license to refuse to do their job on points of religion! If you refuse to serve customers you don’t like, then quit and go back to CamelLand!
thejackal on January 15, 2008 at 7:52 PM
“Drop kick me Allah through the front door of Marks
Straight through the exit to where the cars park…….”
bbz123 on January 15, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Muslim or not, this goof insulted a customer who was just making a purchase. Marks and Spencer should stood for the customer, fired this guy on the spot without the right to appeal and banned him from ever setting foot in the store again. And if this meant insulting the Muslim community and seeing them boycott the store, so what? Marks and Spencer would have at least proven they value their customers over what is nothing less than backwards-thinking 7th Century ideology. And I am sure that their customers seeing this would then make it a point to shop and buy from the store as a symbol of support. There is too much of this idiotic nonsense happening now and this example goes way over the top! Enough already!
pilamaye on January 15, 2008 at 7:54 PM
Well I can tell you one thing. Its certainly not an inconsistency in the Quran, because Allah wrote the Quran and therefore it is perfect. I am beginning to suspect Allah may be the paperclip from MS word…
blankminde on January 15, 2008 at 7:54 PM
I don’t care who you are, that thar is funny!
Vanquisher on January 15, 2008 at 7:57 PM
This story is no surprise. Britainistan is alive and well. England died decades ago.
Warner Todd Huston on January 15, 2008 at 7:58 PM
Didn’t the Grandmother break a copyright belonging to Islam by saying
?
I thought they owned
by the filthy kafir as a monopoly?
So if the childrens book is unclean to the Muslim clerk so must be the grandmother and everything connected to the grans depraved family and culture by extension.
But that is what being a supremacist means.
BL@KBIRD on January 15, 2008 at 8:00 PM
I say every able-bodied person in that store’s immediate area visit and request the same damn book from the “lady.”
Patrick S on January 15, 2008 at 8:00 PM
Biting my tongue to avoid a SWIFT banning.
(But Moo-slums do suck.)
Done.
omnipotent on January 15, 2008 at 8:00 PM
get a lawyer and sue the bookstore!
belad on January 15, 2008 at 8:02 PM
Agreed belad sue the store and demand that they fire the clerk publicly so they can be humiliated. Of course boycotting the store helps too.
limowilliam on January 15, 2008 at 8:09 PM
I’m going to buy a Koran and blow my nose with it and clean my cats’ litter box with it.
Why?
Because the book is “unclean”.
madmonkphotog on January 15, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Britain is lost.
Only Britanistan remains.
Play taps.
Shirotayama on January 15, 2008 at 8:20 PM
Just watch, a Jewish lawyer will step in and represent the bookstore employee to sue everyone in sight for discrimination against her. We live in a twisted world.
Spartacus on January 15, 2008 at 8:26 PM
Wonder what is going to happen when the Best of the Muhammad cartoons anthology hits the shelves.
Seriously, I don’t know what the laws are in England but this is clearly a hate crime against Christians and should be treated as such. It is no different than if the clerk refused to serve a customer because of race or some other reason.
highhopes on January 15, 2008 at 8:30 PM
I have three cats. I brought them back from Saudi Arabia, where I used to work. I also brought back a Koran.
I set the Koran on a table. The cats jumped on the table.
Saudi cats have claws like sharks have smiles.
No. More. Koran.
thejackal on January 15, 2008 at 8:33 PM
England is lost (esp. London & Birmingham). But there’s still Scotland & Wales.
Tzetzes on January 15, 2008 at 8:35 PM
If that religious bigot had a problem with Christian literature, she should have spoken up during her job interview. Fire the clerk. Immediately, if not sooner. Reason: failure to do the job she was hired to do and embarrassing the company.
Zorro on January 15, 2008 at 8:40 PM
Change the stores name to MARX and Spencer, tell people that it’s owned by eeeeeevil Joos, and the only Muslim problem will be the arson attempts.
oldleprechaun on January 15, 2008 at 8:43 PM
If this entire country is so freakin’ “unclean”, then why don’t these maniacs just leave already?
Lee on January 15, 2008 at 8:45 PM
This from people who still poop in holes in the ground and wipe with their bare left hand and then eat and greet with their right hand. And the Bible or it’s stories are unclean, bah!
Big John on January 15, 2008 at 9:04 PM
Mimi1220, it has happened here with Target stores. If an infidel comes to the checkout line and the checker is muslim and the infidel has pork products they will stop the line to find an infidel to check out the infidel. Happened about a year ago right here in the USA.
John Cunningham on January 15, 2008 at 9:06 PM
The scariest thing about this story is this quote:
You would think that someone who blogs on the subject would know at least a little bit about the subject.
The Bible is not a “revered book in Islam”. Just the contrary. While Islam claims that some of the same “icons” as Judaism and Christianity, it in no way, shape, or form, considers those “icons” to be at all equal to what the believers in those religions hold them to be. They are considered prophets and nothing more than prophets. Muhammed is the last prophet and the only one who matters.
Not only do all Muslims not revere the Bible, they all believe the Bible to be a corrupted version of the only true word of God.
That’s all Muslims. Not just the “extremists” or the “radicals” or the “fundamentalists” . ALL Muslims believe that the Koran is the last, literal, true, word of God, and the only holy text that has never been touched by the hand of man. To ALL Muslims the Old and New Testaments are a deliberate perversion of the only true religion: Islam.
Try Google. They’re proud of it.
Jaynie59 on January 15, 2008 at 9:38 PM
convert him to christianity
custer on January 15, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Did the infidel smell like Bacon?
gr8inferno on January 15, 2008 at 9:56 PM
The Bible is a revered book in Islam, and Christians are called “People of the Book.” But since the Bible contradicts the Koran in multiple places, and the Koran is the revered book, it’s a well-established teaching in Islam that the Bible is completely corrupted. Therefore, there’s no real reverence left for the Bible.
I think Muslims revered the Bible in the beginning of Islam because they knew nothing about it. Once they realized it contradicted their Koran, its status sank pretty quickly.
theregoestheneighborhood on January 15, 2008 at 9:59 PM
Infidel Britain is unclean. Mohammedans should consider moving to a cleaner place for them. Pakistan, for example.
Everyone will be happy then.
Syndic Nuruodo on January 15, 2008 at 10:03 PM
As Dabney Coleman so eloquantly stated in the classic film, 9 to 5: “Fire the Bitch.”
Gartrip on January 15, 2008 at 10:06 PM
The Bible predicted of Ishmael & his descendants: “…his hand shall be against every man.”
jgapinoy on January 15, 2008 at 10:20 PM
BUUUUWAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAA!!!
I KEEL YOU!
91Veteran on January 15, 2008 at 10:59 PM
How long before these people declare all of Western culture unclean? WHY do they immigrate? WHY can’t they just stay where the HE!! in their own countries> I’d love for something like this to happen to me. The clerk and store would never hear the end of it.
DerKrieger on January 15, 2008 at 11:09 PM
I LOVE stories like this. It’s just another drop wearing down Western patience. What do you think most people that care about that grandmother are going to think about Islam now - privately, even if they can’t or won’t say it publicly.
Canadian Infidel on January 15, 2008 at 11:33 PM
The Muslim:
The dhimmi:
Sigh.
smellthecoffee on January 15, 2008 at 11:39 PM
From a business point of view, if a worker has a problem with the items sold in the store and refuses to sell them, then they are a liability. If they won’t sell the products, then what is the point of them being an employee?
In terms of religion, from my understanding of what a professor told me, Muslims look at Islam as the final ‘upgrade’ of the Abraham religions. That the ‘People of the Book’ are wrong in certain aspects of their religions (Christ is God, etc) but they are protected and Jesus is a very high ranking prophet. This employee obviously doesn’t know what the heck they are talking about.
glasschariot on January 15, 2008 at 11:43 PM
As far as I’m aware one of the founders of Marks and Spencer (presumably Marks) was Jewish and M&S is often accused of supporting Israel so why is a Muslim working for them in the first place?
schiehallion on January 16, 2008 at 1:39 AM
In the interest of full disclosure, I am telling you up front that I am going to use this line in every conversation, no matter the topic. With credit to you, of course.
innominatus on January 16, 2008 at 1:39 AM
Very true. Full and shockingly accurate prophecy:
theregoestheneighborhood on January 16, 2008 at 2:29 AM
As far as I’m concerned, the 2nd partner, Robert, has a lot of explaining to do as well.
:)
Shy Guy on January 16, 2008 at 2:49 AM
On Dhimmi Watch Robert Spencer says:
[9:28] O you who believe, the idol worshipers are polluted; they shall not be permitted to approach the Sacred Masjid after this year. If you fear loss of income, GOD will shower you with His provisions, in accordance with His will. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.
aengus on January 16, 2008 at 5:37 AM
Religionists. There is little difference between this muslim wackjob and Huckledoodoo. Live free or die.
saved on January 16, 2008 at 6:12 AM
I’ll bet you dollars to donuts the store owner hired this punk because they knew he would harass Christians. But they’ll hide behind employment quotas if asked. Let’s see if Pinks hot dogs tries this.
Coronagold on January 16, 2008 at 6:41 AM
I don’t quite see that. Everyone in the story (bar ‘a source close to the assistant’) condemned the assistant, not the grandmother.
passingtramp on January 16, 2008 at 8:29 AM
I am no fan of Huck, but where has Huck done something like this? Where has he condoned this type of behavior?
right2bright on January 16, 2008 at 8:55 AM
Isnt this an example of religious discrimination by the clerk refusing to serve anyone with nonMuslim items?
How is this different than a white clerk refusing to serve black customers?
pwadams on January 16, 2008 at 9:20 AM
Someone should market Koran toilet paper.
FL Mom on January 16, 2008 at 9:36 AM
So, how do you people feel about ‘christian’ pharmacists refusing to sell birth control pills?
Just curious.
bridgetown on January 16, 2008 at 10:02 AM
For the record, before I get my — handed to me here.
I disagree with the clerk and the pharmacist. And I think both should have been fired on the spot, or at least given a Stern warning from the employer.
bridgetown on January 16, 2008 at 10:03 AM
I’m surprised this wasn’t Minneapolis. Pretty soon the store announcement “Register 6 is open, taking all purchases…” will have a whole new meaning.
eeyore on January 16, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Because this idiot lives in this country he has free speech to spew ignorant, childish bologna while American citizens are not allowed to speak the truth…the best latest example is Michael Savage’s lawsuit against the terrorist org: CAIR.
Maybe I missed it posted here, but Megyn Kelly covered it on FNC, which is a shocka.
If you are a fan of the 1st amendment, please contribute to his brilliant lawyer’s fund. http://www.michaelsavage.com
Or perhaps Sharia ‘law’ will suit you.
Christine on January 16, 2008 at 11:48 AM
We really do need to start taking a hardline in cases like this. Sell the book and keep your mouth shut or you’re fired. End of story. Why isn’t that obvious?
Kensington on January 16, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Next time she shops at the bookstore, she should buy a few Bibles, a copy of ‘Culture Warrior’, a few Laura Inghram books, an ASPCA ‘Complete guide to Dogs”, a cookbook specializing in pork and at least one by Anne Coulter.
Hilarity ensues.
Capitana on January 16, 2008 at 5:17 PM
From a purely capitalist perspective if the person your employing won’t perform the tasks required by the position, they should be fired. This isn’t the result of a physical or mental disability which the employee can’t help having, but is a clear and bigoted choice about who she will, or will not help.
.
If it’s a matter of secular law, or human rights, then the fault also lies with the bigoted clerk. Each law abidding citizen should expect equal consideration for fair treatment and service when shopping at any business open to the general public. The ‘clerk’ should not be forced to accept employment, but part of making the choice to accept employment is to accept the employers obligation to provide equal services without bigotry.
.
Islam continues to display a symbiotic link to bigotry and intolerance that may last as long as Islam remains on this earth. In time I would hope someone would actually pursue civil action against employers who allow bigoted practices to continue in their workplace. A message should be sent that intolerant employees will earn their employers the customers wrath.
.
USA, all the way!
ValhallaMike on January 16, 2008 at 6:48 PM
Regarding the question about the Pharmacist not selling birth control pills. From a capitalist standpoint the employee will have to sell whatever the business is stocking, to any law abiding citizen (in this case someone who has followed the necessary legal procedues, ie. gotten a prescription if required) or they should be fired.
.
Form a secular law/human rights point of view if they are only chosing to sell a product to some people, but not to others that is also wrong. As it is wrong to decide which products you (as an employee) will sell based on your personal beliefs regarding morality. It is not up to you to decide which of your contracted responsabilities you will shirk, or whether the beliefs of your employers customers are acceptable to you on a case by case basis.
.
However, I absolutely insist that the employer has the right not to stock products if the employer does not wish to sell them. If it’s your business and you don’t want to sell liquor (as our drugstore did in my childhood) or guns (as some variety stores do) or day after pills, then that is up to the owner of that business. The owner is not discriminating against any single customer. The owner has chosen to discriminate against a product line which the owner finds unacceptable to themself. Customers will continue to recieve equal treatment and access to the wares the owner choses to carry in their establishment.
.
In the end, market forces will punish, or reward the owners for their decision, and that is the way a free market would deal with the issue. To force an employee to behave according to a contracted agreement of terms of employment, or face termination, is fair. It is also fair to allow the owners of a business to decide what they want to do with that business, as best they are able to, as long as they are running a safe and honest business.
.
USA, all the way!
ValhallaMike on January 16, 2008 at 7:08 PM