http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7204635.stm Three Little Pigs 'too offensive' By Sean Coughlan BBC News, education The judges said this depiction of a pig "raised cultural issues" A story based on the Three Little Pigs has been turned down from a government agency's annual awards because the subject matter could offend Muslims. The digital book, re-telling the classic fairy tale, was rejected by judges who warned that "the use of pigs raises cultural issues". Becta, the government's educational technology agency, is a leading partner in the annual schools award. The judges also attacked Three Little Cowboy Builders for offending builders. The book's creative director, Anne Curtis, said that the idea that including pigs in a story could be interpreted as racism was "like a slap in the face". 'Cultural issues' The CD-Rom digital version of the traditional story of the three little pigs, called Three Little Cowboy Builders, is aimed at primary school children. But judges at this year's Bett Award said that they had "concerns about the Asian community and the use of pigs raises cultural issues". The Three Little Cowboy Builders has already been a prize winner at the recent Education Resource Award - but its Newcastle-based publishers, Shoo-fly were turned down by the Bett Award panel, run the government's technology agency. The feedback from the judges explaining why they had rejected the CD-Rom highlighted that they "could not recommend this product to the Muslim community". They also warned that the story might "alienate parts of the workforce (building trade)". The judges criticised the stereotyping in the story of the unfortunate pigs: "Is it true that all builders are cowboys, builders get their work blown down, and builders are like pigs?" Animal Farm? Ms Curtis said that rather than preventing the spread of racism, such an attitude was likely to inflame ill-feeling. As another example, she says would that mean that secondary schools could not teach Animal Farm because it features pigs? Her company is committed to an ethical approach to business and its products promote a message of mutual respect, she says - and banning such traditional stories will "close minds rather than open them". Becta, the government funded agency responsible for technology in schools and colleges, says that it is standing by the judges' verdict. "Becta with its partners is responsible for the judging criteria against which the 70 independent judges, mostly practising teachers, comment. All the partners stick by the judging criteria," said a Becta spokesman. Becta runs the awards with the Besa trade association and show organisers, Emap Education. Merlin John, author of an educational technology website which highlighted the story, warns that such rulings can undermine the credibility of the awards. "When benchmarks are undermined by pedestrian and pedantic tick lists, and by inflexible, unhelpful processes, it can tarnish the achievements of even the most worthy winners. "It's time for a rethink, and for Becta to listen to the criticisms that have been ignored for a number of years," said Mr John.
RE: "Isolated incident" "Blown out of proportion"... etc... blah nt Why complain about it? This country has made it clear that under no circumstances will it do anything to upset the muslims.
the stupid thing is that it isn't the muslims complaining, its stupid officials up and down the country and who should know better
RE: the stupid thing is agreed white middle class politcally correct do gooders wasting tax payers money.</p> </p>
RE: the stupid thing is <h1>The latest public figure to stand accused of defiling the Prophet Mohamed is not some Danish cartoonist, or French newspaper editor, but a hapless British Page 3 girl called Emma B. </h1><div class="body font-null"> </p> Yesterday, the erotic retailer Ann Summers unveiled Miss B as the "face" of its new range of products.</p> Not 24 hours later, she finds herself on the front line of Islamic protest after Muslim leaders discovered that the range includes a new blow-up doll, called "Mustafa Shag".</p> Unfortunately, Mustafa was one of the names given to the Prophet Mohamed. Bestowing it upon, in the words of its catalogue, "an inflatable escort for your hen-night adventures" is considered highly offensive.</p> The Manchester Central Mosque has already written to the firm, calling on it to withdraw the product, right.</p> "You have no idea how much hurt, anguish, and disgust this obnoxious phrase ["Mustafa Shag"] has caused to Muslim men, women and children," reads their letter.</p> "We are asking you to please relent on compassionate grounds, and have our Most Reverend Prophet's Name "Mustafa" (Peace Be Upon Him) and the afflicted word 'shag' removed as soon as possible."</p> Ann Summers was last night examining options, though its chief executive Jacqueline Gold was reluctant to withdraw the item from sale.</p> "We don't want to offend, but this feels like political correctness gone mad," she said. "If anyone has a better name for a blow-up doll, please let us know."</p></div>
Idiots Pigs don't offend muslims. They're not offended by the existence of pigs or even by a pig's ability to build a house. They just don't eat the things. More fool them I say, sausages are bloody lovely.
That may be true but the point is if, say, the Muslim Council for Britain had demanded it be removed it would have been removed. Personally, I'd gladly write a new updated version of it entitled '1001 little piggies, like them or lump them'.
Idiots #1 NOVELTY pig calendars and toys have been banned from a council office in case they offend Muslim staff. </p> Workers in the benefits department at Dudley Council, West Midlands, were told to remove or cover up all pig-related items, including toys, porcelain figures, calendars and even a tissue box featuring Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. Bosses acted after a Muslim complained about pig-shaped stress relievers delivered to the council in the run-up to the Islamic festival of Ramadan. Muslims are barred from eating pork in the Koran and consider pigs unclean. Councillor Mahbubur Rahman, a practising Muslim, backed the ban. He said: "Its a tolerance of people's beliefs."</p>
Idiots #2 <blockquote>A man who was made subject to an Anti-Social Behaviour Order for putting up a sign saying "porking yard" in his pub car park, because it was offensive to Muslims, today described the court action as "a joke". Leroy Trought, 42, was given a two-year Asbo at a hearing at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Monday.</p> Magistrates ordered him to change the wording of the "porking yard" sign at The Swan With Two Necks in St Judes, Bristol, to "parking yard". </p> He was ordered not to display any signs that may be threatening, abusive or insulting at the pub, which is next to a Somali mosque....</p> But Mr Trought today said that imposing the Asbo was a joke.</p> He said the sign was intended to commemorate the large number of butchers' shops that used to be located in the area and he had never intended to cause any offence.</p> He said: "We ran a competition in the pub to think of a funny name for the car park and one of the customers came up with the name 'the porking yard'. </p> "I grew up in Bristol so I know that this area has traditionally had a lot of butchers. It was always known as 'pork alley' so 'the porking yard' just seemed to fit.</p> "There's a butcher across the street that has been here for more than 100 years. It's political correctness gone mad....</p></blockquote> </p> That it is, my good man.</p><blockquote>Beat manager Adrian Williams, of Avon and Somerset Police, welcomed the Asbo. He said he had received complaints about the sign from school teachers, community leaders and members of the Somali community.</p> He said: "We are very pleased that the order has been made following complaints from the community. </p> "It shows that this kind of behaviour, which is provocative, will not be tolerated."</p></blockquote>
Idiots #3 <h3 class="title">Who’s Afraid of the Pig?</h3> When you’re safe and sound in your snug house in the West, the Middle East can look totally whacked when you pick up the newspaper. But guess what else is true? When you’re in the Middle East, the West looks absolutley bonkers sometimes as well.</p> Here are two examples. (Hat tip: Instapundit.)</p>First, <font color="#003366">pig stories are banned</font> in some schools in Britain. <blockquote>A West Yorkshire head teacher has banned books containing stories about pigs from the classroom in case they offend Muslim children. The literature has been removed from classes for under-sevens at Park Road Junior Infant and Nursery School in Batley. </blockquote>Some banks are now <font color="#003366">frightened of “piggy banks.”</font> <blockquote>The Koran forbids the eating of "the flesh of swine", and as a result, NatWest and Halifax have taken down promotional posters which feature piggy banks.</blockquote>