Walking the line
Now more then ever it seems like everyone walks a religious tightrope. In a time where it seems that we can be too “politically correct” we are reading and hearing more and more stories about things that may not have been a big issue for previous generations but seem to be brought to fore by a more sensitive society.
The reason I speak about this is after reading the story about a Catholic worker at Manchester Airport who was suspended after hanging an image of Jesus on a staff room wall. 40-year old Gary Langmead was suspended from his car park supervisor role after a complaint from a Muslim colleague. A subsequent investigation meant that he returned to work three days later with a clean record.
Mr. Langmead found the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as he was clearing out a desk drawer and felt that he could not throw the picture away. He then hung it on a wall in the staff room which resulted in a complaint that the action was an “an act of provocation”.
With so many different nationalities and cultures in Ireland and Britain what we once thought was a standard way of behaving has had to change. Some would state it is for the better and there can be no doubt that if a person’s heritage and belief can be respected then it makes for a much better living and working process.
However when does it become too sensitive? When does the fear of saying something mean that we cannot say nor do anything at all without being accused of being prejudice? It is a constant battle to help eradicate the narrow-mindedness that exists amongst racists and unfortunately it is something that will take a long time to eliminate. It may never end and we may always live in a society where people are looked down upon because of their race and/or creed.
Whether Manchester Airport officials went too far in suspending Mr. Langmead remained to be seen. There are those that will become offended if a person walks by them on the street and yet there are those who realise that we are only human at the end of the day.
If you are open minded and willing to accept people in the same way that they are willing to accept you then I believe that you have to allow for “mistakes” like Mr. Langmead made. It doesn’t appear to me that his actions were an attempt to provoke any one else, but only he will know at the end of the day.
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007 and is filed under Thoughts & Questions, Views on News.
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