Jim Crow Laws -- Segregation

Just continuing an earlier theme!

You can find information on the Jim Crow Laws here.

Political Correctness or Good Public Policy?

I am prone to wasting too much time surfing the Internet instead of doing the things that I probably should be doing like my work. Yet, my surfing hobby teaches me much and I learn lots of interesting "stuff". Most of this "stuff" will only ever be of any use if the makers of Trivial Pursuit update the questions to include more recent irrelevant factoids for me to excel on.

However, as I was surfing I came across this article on washrooms. More interesting was the fact that one of my fellow bloggers and a Polar Bear to boot had actually blogged about this already in a posting titled "Washroom Wars". The Polar Bear and I, although originating from the same iceberg, often have to agree to disagree on certain things but always respectfully disagreeing. I must confess that I enjoy reading the Bear's take on the things that interest and concern him as many of these things also interest and concern me.

Anyway, enough on the Bear and onto the topic at hand.

The story is this. La Trobe University has decided in its infinite wisdom that there is a need for Muslim only washrooms on campus. The idea of this kind of segregation was destined to be met with calls of bias and discrimination. I am glad that my fellow Australians have not disappointed me and have taken issue with this and sparked a much needed debate on exactly what course multicultural Australia is going to embark on into the future.

The washrooms have special security arrangements where entry can only be granted on the entry of an accepted push-button code. The University and the Muslim community have stated that this is essential to Muslim prayer rituals. This is simply not true! Muslims have special washing rituals that they must complete before prayer, but none of these require Muslim only access to a washroom. Washrooms would only need to be modified in order that it would be easier for Muslims to wash their feet rather than having to hoick the leg over the waist-high hand basin!

This is a slippery slope that leads to an inevitable backlash as others demand special privileges based on some perceived need that may not be borne out by the reality of the request. This is not about providing a special prayer room! I have no problems with special prayer rooms. Most Christian denominations have been granted special prayer rooms to conduct their business and this should be no different for Muslims!

The question that needs to be asked here is a simple one. Where do we draw the line in the sand on this one? Do we accept that there should be separate Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Adventist, Pentecostal, or whatever else someone wants to claim, washrooms. Do we accept that trains and buses need to include special sections or carriages for Muslim passengers or more exclusively Muslim women?

This is a small step from the segregated past that many had thought we had left behind. This is but a small hop, skip, and a jump from male only schools, stolen generations, white and non-white swimming pools, or heaven forbid the White Australia Policy. This is a policy that exacerbates community divisions rather than moving towards healing them.

I wonder what sort of multicultural Australia I and the better half are returning to raise the kid in.

Ban the Babies

This was part of a choice heading from the Sydney Morning Herald which in full reads "Ban the babies, say air travellers". This very worthy news piece was based on a survey of 2400 Australian travellers on the totaltravel.com website. A whopping 81% of respondents to this very worthwhile survey said that babies and presumably the baby's parents should be segregated on long haul flights.

The primary reason offered up here by respondents was that listening to a baby cry for 12 straight hours is no fun. Really, are you kidding me? I have not seen a baby cry for 12 straight hours but whatever.

Sitting next to or in close proximity of someone with questionable hygiene standards is also the proverbial pain in the arse from what I can tell. Have you ever had to sit next to someone who flicks of their shoes and then have the heady aroma of toe jam float around you and the cabin for 12 hours or so. Nope, lucky you! But my take would be that these hygiene-challenged individuals should also be segregated for my flying pleasure.

It is only a small leap before we want to start segregating people based on other supposed differences..."Sorry sir, but you have blue eyes you may only sit in rows 21 to 25"..."Sorry ma'am but it says on your ticket that you weigh 65 kilograms, you may only sit in seat number 10D, we have to keep the aircraft balanced you know!" Ohhhhh, the discrimination of it all!

We should never forget that at one time we were these screaming cantankerous little buggers we call children. Give the parents a break you only get to enjoy their pain for a mere 12 hours, they get to enjoy it for the whole holiday!

Wake up and smell the coffee, order another wine, whack in the headphones and chill to the latest movies or the latest groves without having to leave your seat. One thing airlines have become so much better at is in flight entertainment. So, get your money's worth there and stop worrying about the screaming kiddies! Have you ever noticed that with the improvements in in-flight entertainment there has been a corresponding decrease in the level of service provided by the flight attendants - how bizarre?!?! :)

Happy Travels!