Switzerland Suspends Citizenship process for Muslim Family

re b) why should a women simply accept someone refusing to shake her hands because of her sex?

As a society we've come a long way over this issue so why should we allow it to go backwards to appease those who don't even come from the country?

Slightly different re hygiene as all people would be treated the same

But these are not similar to refusing to shake a persons hand simply because of their sex.

Would you accept it if someone refused to shake the hand of black people but would shake the hands of white people (this is more comparable)

This is so stupid honestly.
The boys didn't shake their teachers hand for religious reasons. Get over it and move on.

You've slightly misinterpreted what I meant there...

As you have said, we have come a far way as a society, but if someone (who isn't from the country) decides to be rude then why bother with someone like that?

Re your question no I would not accept it, but rather than give someone stupid enough to discriminate by someones colour my/others time and attention I'd rather just tell them they're stupid and move on.

Re the actual article... if you read the article again you'll realise they did not directly refuse to shake a teacher's hand. They notified the school's officials first. And they were told to not shake male hands either, I think this was a fair way to deal with the situation.

Also if politicians believed this was the wrong approach then they should have used their power to ensure the school's officials and everyone else was educated to the point where they understand this Swiss custom.

Simply throwing a fit and rejecting a family doesn't demonstrate the same qualities of a society which allowed women more equal rights.

Ridiculous from the Swiss. In other countries it's "culture" to greet someone with a kiss/peck on either cheek. I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable doing that, why force an ultimately meaningless action of a greeting like that on someone. What's wrong with "Hello how are you. Im fine with a smiley face." Hope this gets overturned.

Didn't intend to sorry.

but as you say they don't have to offer citizenship to idiots and rightly so this one has been identified as an idiot.

But to confirm they accepted it would be sexist to comply with the request hence the instruction not to shake male hands as well (which IMO is rather a cop out)

But I believe it does end the correct message in that this is the way we do things you want to be part of use this is the way you will do things after all they are not being forced to become citizens of the country.

And your right re the shaking of a black persons hand but the answer to that is not to tell them not to shake Asian hands as well so it doesn't look so bad.

Do you think that all kinds of behaviour can be justified by citing 'religious reasons?'

The issue with with religion is there are two parks (well three):

Park one: religion is real and worthwhile

Park two: religion is not required and I can do as I wish

Park three:

So to some people the answer to that question is yes as long as "religion says" I can do this then yes I can but to other that answer would be greeted with "are you an idiot?"...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/19/switzerland-suspends-citizenship-process-muslim-family

'Switzerland has suspended the citizenship process for the family of two teenage Muslim brothers after the boys’ refusal to shake hands with their female teachers sparked a national debate over religious freedoms.

The brothers, aged 14 and 15, had informed education officials in the northern municipality of Therwil that physical contact with women who are not family members violated their faith.

They were then exempted from a Swiss custom of pupils shaking teachers’ hands, with Therwil officials instructing them to avoid contact with male teachers as well to avoid gender discrimination.

But the compromise sparked a heated response from leading Swiss politicians including the justice minister, Simonetta Sommaruga, who insisted that “shaking hands is part of [Swiss] culture”.

On Tuesday, authorities in the canton of Basel-Country where Therwil is located, said that naturalisation proceedings for the family had been put on hold.'

Glad to see some common sense being applied to situations like this

Hope we get to see more of this in the future

I know right? How petty and pathetic do you have to be to not shake someone's hand, based solely on a randomly assigned chromosome at birth?

Not as pathetic as the people who are continuously whining about this, and if the handshake was such a big deal

Not as pathetic as the people who are continuously whining about this, and if the handshake was such a big deal

Not as pathetic as the people who are continuously whining about this, and if the handshake was such a big deal

and if the handshake was such a big deal
Yeah it is not, but this muslim kid made a big deal out of not giving a handshake, I think that if you cant simply handshake somone due to their sex you really should go back to a country that has this backwards view.


Good on you sweeden

Good on the Muslim boys for sticking to their religious beliefs and refusing the handshake. Masha Allah.

Good on the Muslims Boys Sticking to their backwards beliefs and refusing something so normal and respectful.

Do you think that all kinds of behaviour can be justified by citing 'religious reasons?'

Haha
I would have done the same thing.
Too bad the UK can't do anything about it.

Haha
I would have done the same thing.
Too bad the UK can't do anything about it.

Serious question, with no insults or anything. I'm just really confused.
Why do your Islamic customs trump the customs of the host country?