desertgirl - no was absolutely true i'm afraid - wasn't a public meal anyway, more a bankers' gathering where families were invited

there's always a minority of intolerant people. When my 3 were in infant school one parent wanted the Christmas stuff banned. She was a Jehovah Witness.

I say ban Ugg boots and orange tans. Much more offensive

the last bit sounds pretty unlikely, zebramummy, the big roasts are usually lamb here - and I have never seen pork offered at a public meal other than slightly separated and where there is a choice.

doubt it - my sister and her family lived in dubai lasy year - they attended a corporate dinner at bil's firm with majority musmim employees - were greeted by a huge hog roast in the middle of the table; they are veggie so were not best pleased to have paid a lot of money for a side dish of salad

LOL, my kids occasionally have ham sandwiches at nursery and we are in a Muslim country (and have to buy pork products in a special section of the supermarket)- never been an issue (neither teacher nor teaching assistants are Muslim, otherwise I might not send ham, at least at this age)

I expected to open this thread and read that pork products had been banned because of swine flu.

we had a request at school last year to change the christmas disco because it was offensive to muslims. the request came from a muslim parent btw. But in the next breath they asked that we do something to celebrate eide. double standards?

The problem is that there is always a small minority of people who have these extreme views (in any culture) and it only takes one to claim that they are offended for people to get scared and make radical changes in case we cause offence to all.

I think this whole idea of banning things from lunch boxes for whatever reason has got completely out of hand. It's all about moderation, surely?

and breathe!

Which is doubtless what 99.9999999999% of Muslims would also like to do Riven. Which makes all these stories so bloody farcical. Offices full of twats in suits taking turns at being Muslim and deciding what things are going to offend them this week. Have any of these stories ever ever actually cited even one Muslim person being offended? Of course they haven't. Because no one in the UK gives a toss what anyone else does as long as they aren't made to do it as well if they dont want to. Same as anything in life and applies to anyone. Bunch of tossers the lot of them (people in suits obviously).

Rant over. I fear I may have gone off on a tangent somewhat...

thats right. And no pork scratchings now pubs have been banned.