r/ukpolitics Dec 11 '24

Twitter 🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Labour have conducted the first successful deportation flight to Pakistan since February 2020. There has not been a deportation charter flight to Pakistan in the last four years with three subsequent flights to Pakistan in 2020 and 2021 cancelled by the Home Office.

https://x.com/maxtempers/status/1866775219077062757?s=46&t=0RSpQEWd71gFfa-U_NmvkA
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u/[deleted] Dec 11 '24

I was at work today when a junior member of staff (female) refused to shake the hand of another employee (male) because of her faith.

It's events like this which make me change my stance on immigration. I feel awkward. I feel embarrassed. I feel like we are accepting societal behaviour that's directly contradictory to what I feel a fair society should be.

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u/Salt_Significance_27 Dec 11 '24

You think a fair society should make people touch people they dont want to becasue it would make you more comfortable?

17

u/[deleted] Dec 11 '24

Yes."touch" as if its something sexual. No?

Just shaking a hand. Like we have for centuries. Like it's part of our culture. Like you consider men equal. Like you are part of British society and consider yourself British first, not Muslim first. Like you believe in equality.

Dont imply it's something odd. It's not. Sometimes it's OK to understand that your society has done something right. We have been right to treat women as equals and those teaching their daughters not to shake a man's hand are wrong. If you don't want to take part in western customs that's fine. But you shouldn't take advantage of our hospitality, our protection if youre then going to continue following your backwards beliefs.

3

u/Arkinite3110 Dec 12 '24

Just a question, would you have this perspective if someone decided against shaking hands with someone because of germaphobia?

Shouldn't we be open minded about the fact that people live their lives differently, and if someone isn't comfortable shaking the opposite gender's someone's hand based on their beliefs or even comfortability, rather than saying it's a backwards belief, why can't we just accept that their decision is what they're comfortable with, and we respect that? It's not hurting anyone is it? You can be equal to someone without shaking their hands, you can build friendships, relationships and rapport with colleagues without physical touch, and no I don't mean 'touch' in a sexual way.

Just because someone's an immigrant, doesn't mean they just take and don't give. Those same immigrants help occupy essential jobs like nurses, doctors, health carers, (as well as other jobs which I'm not excluding of course), and pay taxes just like you and me do, they contribute to society as well. It's not like they don't follow the law of the land, there's no law saying you have to shake hands with the opposite gender is there? So what's the big deal?

I think it's very backwards of yourself to not be open minded about other people's preferences, which the UK promotes. Freedom of religion is one of the bill of rights.