To not agree with moves to ban alcohol in a University as it may be best for Muslim beliefs

[HalfPastWine]

[[http://www.metro.co.uk/news/896031-london-university-believes-bar-on-bars-may-be-best-for-muslim-beliefs Here]

Surely, if you don't agree with alcohol consumption you keep away from such establishments? The campus has lots of facilities to accommodate everyone including cafes.

Is this just taking things too far?

That's disgraceful. 20% of the university's population may be Muslim but 80% are not. If we go to a Muslim country then we are expected to abide by their laws and customs regarding to alcohol (and face serious punishment if we don't). I don't think that most Muslims in this country would seriously expect us to change to their views and for any that do then they are being utterly ridiculous. If they want to live in this country then they have to respect its views just as we would respect their country's views if we lived there.

Lesson for life: don't believe anything everything you read in the papers.

I have so many Muslim friends, not a single one thinks others shouldn't be allowed alcohol. Well except for an A&E doctor I know, but his reasons are not to do with religion and more to do with hating the night shift!

Marathonrunner perhaps you should read the thread

For those who have not read the link posted by dontquotem3, this should be an eye opener. Just copied and pasted the letter from that link provided by dontquotem3

Please find below a London Met UCU (University and College Union) statement with regards to the current row initiated by the VC in terms of alcohol at the university:

1. London Met University has some 25,000+ students studying in over a dozen buildings - all of which have alcohol-free coffee bars/student areas, across two distinctly separate campus areas in North and East London, with only a single student bar at each campus (the only places that serve alcohol at the university).

1. There have been no complaints or demands from students directly or via the students union for alcohol to be either banned, or partially-banned, on campus.

1. Gillies is currently selling off large sections of the university estate, including 'The Hub' - the student union facility (inc student bar) at the City Campus. The VC's comments need to be seen in that light - i.e., they are simply a convenient cover for reducing student social facilities.

1. The language adopted by the VC in this regard is extremely divisive and is already stoking tensions where none had previously existed between the multiplicity of London Met's student constituencies. The fact that the EDL (English Defence League) and other extreme Right and fascist groups have latched on to this is a major concern.

1. If Gillies were serious about student welfare and wider social and cultural equality and fairness, why has he personally defended the following university management decisions:

i) direct links with the Uzbekistan regime - noted for the torturing of its opponents (primarily Muslim incidentally), and forced sterilisation of woman (see this week's BBC news report on the issue)

ii) cutting of most of the university's student chaplaincy service - including the forced redundancy of the Imam;

iii) the drastic reduction in the opening hours of the Woman's Library (down to only 1 day per week), and its eventual closure;

All of this is happening at a time of huge cuts to student courses/modules - including the majority of the 'critical' subjects - such as philosophy and history, and mass redundancies amongst staff - both academic and student service related.

At best, Gillies utterances are a crass example of the disconnect becoming more and more evident at London Met between university management and the staff and students they supposedly represent. At worst, it is a quite cynical attempt to stir-up a divisive atmosphere in order to deflect attention from the far more serious issue of the deliberate destruction of a once proud inner city ethnically mixed and vibrant modern university.

Mark Campbell - UCU Coordinating Committee (Chair)

I was at a place, ooo, 12 years ago that had areas of the campus that didn't serve alcohol- as I recall of an evening there was a standard bar, but also a cafe 'bar' type place- that now I'm thinking of it a lot of the foreign students hung out in. I never thought about it at the time but I guess it gave students who didn't want to drink nor be somewhere where other people were drinking somewhere pleasant and sociable to hang out of an evening. The whole thing just rumbled along very happily I think?

I think, on balance that it is a good idea - I love the idea of students smoking hash and taking e instead - much better AND the government won't get their stinking thieving hands on most of the money paid out for them.

I think this story is just the Metro doing its usual stirring, as borne out by some of the comments below it. Banning alcohol on campus would be a bit like banning chips at a take away.

It's always interesting to view the reaction of drinkers to the merest suggestion that maybe alcohol isn't such a great thing.

lol at all the "they should respect our culture!1!!" posts. Have you been near a student bar recently? Good Lord. There is a massive problem with alcohol. I support having some alcohol-free areas. Not because I'm a Muslim (no) but because people are upchucking all over the place and it's a disgrace.

The problem isn't just limited to students. The absolute outrage from many people when someone merely suggests that alcohol might not be the best thing ever invented shows that. Booze is ingrained in our national culture and identity to a frightening extent. Religion used to be the opiate of the masses. These days, it's booze.

It doesn't surprise me at all that this is about money. It's incredibly irresponsible to go stirring up undesirable sentiment by blaming Muslims for wanting to close down student bars so they can sell of the buildings/land. The VC is clearly a twat.