I foresee a rush of interest among teenage boys in temporarily cross-dressing as Muslim women:
Three liquor stores in the Greater Toronto Area recently sold booze to a 14-year-old boy whose identity was hidden because he was wearing a full-length burka and face veil at the time.
The teenager, clad in an Islamic female’s traditional garb of a burka, headscarf and facial covering, shopped in three different LCBO stores north of Toronto last Wednesday.
In each location, the Grade 8 student paid cash for a bottle of sambuca liqueur.
[. . .]
The stunt was co-ordinated and video recorded by Sun News host David Menzies, who has made a career out of lambasting Canada’s politically correct institutions.
Menzies said the unopened bottles — totalling just over $80 — were promptly taken from the teen at the day’s end but suggested the fact the boy was never asked to uncover his face or show photo identification at multiple store locations reveals a deeply ingrained reluctance on the part of Canadian institutions to challenge cultural practices, even when they conflict with broader societal goals such as preventing underage drinking. “The reason why you have to unveil is that is photo ID is absolutely useless if you don’t see the actual face of the person,” said Menzies, adding he came up with the idea after an acquaintance told him he had seen this happen at various LCBO locations.
Maybe it is my own misconception but, isn’t it against the Islamic religion to drink alcohol? So shouldn’t it raise flags for people in the LCBO that someone religious enough to wear a burka would be buying alcohol.
Maybe the Muslim community should ask the LCBO to make it a rule that they don’t sell alcohol to anyone in a burka.
I know, that would be far to simple an answer.
Comment by Clive — July 24, 2012 @ 16:22
I think it points out that all retailers — private or public — are only too aware of the potential media backlash if they implement any kind of policy that appears to discriminate against visible minorities. The jokingly named “women of cover” clearly do meet the media perception of visible minority, so don’t expect the LCBO to implement any policy change here.
Comment by Nicholas — July 24, 2012 @ 20:07