P C Gone Mad?, Yes or NO.

"Cambridge University Dons Told, Don't Shake Hands With Muslim Or Disabled Students. Cambridge University has warned its dons not to shake hands with Muslims or students with disabilities for fear of offending them."

The above taken from The Huffington Post. A step much too far IMHO. What can be wrong with a good old handshake, surely it just promotes friendship and could not be taken for anything else.

Angel.

I wouldn't shake hands with any students, you don't know where they've been.

I wouldn't shake hands with any students, you don't know where they've been.

Student bashing is SO 2007.

There are cultures where shaking hands is no part of a formal greeting; I wasn't aware of Islam being one of them.

I can understand a disabled person who has no usable hands, being upset if someone offers to shake hands with them, but to impose a flat rule looks like overkill.

Yes, it is Political Correctness gone mad IMHO!

"It is not banning handshakes, it is just saying that best practice in some cases such as Muslim women who do not want to shake hands and certain people with disabilities," said a spokesman.

Other cultures may object to shaking hands if one of the people involved has a cold or other contagious disease.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8954460/Cambridge-University-dons-get-advice-on-the-intricacies-of-the-handshake.html

A spokesperson for Cambridge University said the instructions only applied to Muslim women and people with certain disabilities.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Anger-over-Cambridge-University-handshake-warning-14122011.htm

The advice, published on Cambridge University's website, states "Apparently insignificant details of behaviour and language can offend disabled people."

 

Other "helpful" guidance includes:

 

You can use a common saying like ‘see you tomorrow’ with a visually impaired person

Don't lean on their wheelchair, if they have one

Talk to the disabled person - and not to their assistant or dog

Lip-reading is tiring; do trim your beard and moustache

 

 

A spokesperson for Cambridge University said the instructions only applied to Muslim women and people with certain disabilities.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12/14/cambridge-university-dons-dont-shake-hands-muslims_n_1147737.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2073888/Cambridge-University-dons-warned-shake-hands-Muslims-disabled-people-case-offends-them.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

When in Rome hey!

There are cultures where shaking hands is no part of a formal greeting; I wasn't aware of Islam being one of them.

 

I can understand a disabled person who has no usable hands, being upset if someone offers to shake hands with them, but to impose a flat rule looks like overkill.

It isn't.

Muslims do shake hands - although the hand is offered is very limp and droopy and they look down at the floor whilst they do it, I've found. First time I shook hands with a Muslim I didn't know whether to shake it or kiss it.

I'm sure the disabled person with no usable hands wouldn't be offered a handshake if it was that obvious. And if it wasn't obvious then I don't see why that would offend them anyway - it would probably make them good to feel like they were being treated as normal.

I'd probably give the high 5 a miss though!

 

It isn't.

 

Muslims do shake hands - although the hand is offered is very limp and droopy and they look down at the floor whilst they do it, I've found. First time I shook hands with a Muslim I didn't know whether to shake it or kiss it.

 

I'm sure the disabled person with no usable hands wouldn't be offered a handshake if it was that obvious. And if it wasn't obvious then I don't see why that would offend them anyway - it would probably make them good to feel like they were being treated as normal.

 

I'd probably give the high 5 a miss though!

I've noticed numerous Asian people not wanting to touch your hand when giving change in shops, and TBH I wouldn't say they were Indian / Hindus but rather Muslims. (I know this will offend some on here, but it's my observation which i've discussed before and even got others to go in and test, of which the results were the same)

Hurray, theres always a Muslim thread on the go on here

Hurray, theres always a Muslim thread on the go on here

No, not about Muslims or the disabled per se, posted to show how rediculous our "betters" in Cambridge University appear to be.

This is Great Britain, the traditional formal greeting is a handshake, how can the Uni Dons try to make an issue out of it, when a hand is proffered, just shake it, end of.

Angel.

No, not about Muslims or the disabled per se, posted to show how rediculous our "betters" in Cambridge University appear to be.

 

This is Great Britain, the traditional formal greeting is a handshake, how can the Uni Dons try to make an issue out of it, when a hand is proffered, just shake it, end of.

 

Angel.

Surely there's a reason behind why they did it... probably someone who claimed, now then, there's two choices!

"Cambridge University Dons Told, Don't Shake Hands With Muslim Or Disabled Students. Cambridge University has warned its dons not to shake hands with Muslims or students with disabilities for fear of offending them."

 

 

The above taken from The Huffington Post. A step much too far IMHO. What can be wrong with a good old handshake, surely it just promotes friendship and could not be taken for anything else.

 

Angel.

Strange.

Id have thought that NOT shaking their hand would have been more offensive?