Piggy banks offend UK Muslims

The AGE
British banks are banning piggy banks because they may offend some Muslims.

Halifax and NatWest banks have led the move to scrap the time-honoured symbol of saving from being given to children or used in their advertising, the Daily Express/Daily Star group reports here.

Muslims do not eat pork, as Islamic culture deems the pig to be an impure animal.
However, the move brought accusations of political correctness gone mad from critics.

Khalid Mahmoud, the Labour MP for a Birmingham seat and one of four Muslim MPs in Britain, also criticised the piggy-bank ban.

"We live in a multicultural society and the traditions and symbols of one community should not be obliterated just to accommodate another," Mr Mahmoud said.

"I doubt many Muslims would be seriously offended by piggy banks."

I thought this story was great because it started out like many other headlines that you hear...

We must change our culture and history it because [Insert name of group] was offended by [insert item] , so in the name of politically correctness, we will no longer be able to have/celebrate/observe this [insert item] anymore because we do not wish to offend a minority group.

I get so sick of hearing this. E.g. Christmas trees = holiday trees

That's Bunk!

Whether you're a Christian or not, I have not heard too many people turning down a day off because of a Christian holiday.

I mean if you want to get particular, then how about removing other minority groups and religious symbols because they may offend me or my neighbor?

in that case, why don't we just get rid of all of them?

or do we just grow up and respect each other's cultures in a country that is supposed to be a "melting pot" where we preach (pardon the pun) religious freedom.

In this particular case, I think kudos go out to Khalid Mahmoud for stating the reality that some Muslims may be offended, but he does not feel that the traditions and symbols of one country should not be obliterated just to accommodate another.

Very well said.