Common Courtesy Goes A Long Way

Something has been bothering me for quiet some time now. I’m not one to just “loose it” especially in public. I just think public display of needless emotions should only be tolerated from kids. Unfortunately some incidents warrant some counter action instantly or the perpetrators would never know that what they are doing is unacceptable.

Everytime I go to buy groceries at the little mall near my house I find myself faced with a daunting task of keeping a smile on my face while resisting the urge to tell certain people where to shove it!!. 

Here’s a thing, when I go into a supermarket, buy what I need and get to the till I expect a certain standard of service from the people serving me. I get so annoyed when some of this workers have to be begged to pack my stuff. 

Too often I find myself just standing there perplexed that someone has to be called, twice or thrice, to come and do their job.

Sweetpea… nunu … Mirriam, Sophie, Sarafina or whatever your name is... understand that when you pack my groceries at the till you are not doing me a favour. It’s your job. If you think it’s demeaning to provide that service to a young black man, well then quit. You cant work in the service industry and have an ‘attitude’.

On a more serious and sensitive note:

The other thing that bothers me is the whole “I’m muslim, respect my culture”. Ok, I’m all for respecting people’s cultures and religion but sometimes I think our Islamic brothers and sisters are losing the plot. 

An incident happened recently with my step dad at Heathrow airport. My dad who is Caucasian, was born and raised in England was faced with a situation at the custom office where a muslim women in all her religious attire was questioning his British nationality. 

Nothing wrong with that, she was just doing her job but the incident left a sour taste in my mouth. If you come to live in my house I expect you to respect my way of life however with muslims in so called western countries this is different. 

If you go to an Islamic country to are expected to adhere to their way of life. No compromise on that. You dress appropriately, conduct yourself in a manner acceptable by the nation or you are out of there. Now why cant they do the same when THEY live or visit other countries?

Many countries are willing to accommodate their way of life even though they would not do the same if they went to their non islamic countries. If the nations of Islam want to be seen a non-oppressors they should start opening up to other people’s lifestyles. 

If you come to my country and I have a problem with your women wearing the hijab or niqab, you should respect that just as much as you would want non-muslim women in your country not to walk around wearing pants or what you would deem “revealing” clothes.

You don't see non-muslim women protesting in Islamic counties about their choices, do you?