Saturday, June 28, 2008

Islamophobia

A few months ago I started working with our inhouse Catbert (all hail the evil director of human resources) on instituting a policy for foreigners working in the Frozen Wastelands to be able to go back to their home country and work from there for a temporary period. My rational was simple. Foreigners go back home see friends and family. So after the initial week off you start getting bored since all your friends are eitherway at work, hence my reco for having this policy.

Though I tried to be as logical as possible, still Catbert shot down most of the material and data I shared. Having exhausted all possible channels I decided to unleash the most potent of my weapons: Islamophobia. You see, we have one Muslim dude here who has been very vocal about having this policy since he wants to spend Ramadan in Egypt, which is a fair request.

So, we get into a meeting and this dude presents his case and I quote: "I can't spend Ramadan here, since Ramadan now is coming in Summer, which means I will have to fast from 2am till 10pm, which I can't do". Catbert politely asked a few follow-up questions to understand why so and then she understood that the fasting is linked to sunrise and sunset. And then Catbert's tone totally changed and she seemed to have developed an understanding for the need for this policy.

I was surprised how Catbert, a Frozen Wastelander, didn't object to the dude's claim that sunrise in the Wastelands is at 2am and sunset is at 10pm? Yes, the Wastelands is a northern country but 4 hours of darkness (in September?!) is more of North Pole territory! And just to be sure I did some surfing and here are the actual numbers:

1. For Cairo, and during September, the length of day starts at 12h 45mins and goes down to 11h 53 mins. Full listing here.
2. For the Wastelands, also during September, the length of day starts at 13h 35mins (only 50 mins more than Cairo) and drops to *drum roll* 11h 39m... yess ladies and gents..14 full mins shorter than the fasting time in Cairo! Full listing here.

Oh Islamophobia .... what can't you do?

8 comments:

Munqy said...

Duuuuuuude, an even bigger corporate whore than you exists and can manipulate the system even better than you? I must have him as my sensei!

Embee said...

I hope for the sake of anything ad/or anyone that Catbert would bother to Google the sunrise / sunset claim..

With ~200 days of fasting, it's too bad you can't benefit from the leniency yourself :P

And it's rationalE ya Fesh.. Aboos eidak :P

Fesh said...

He.is.The.One.

Fesh said...

But you see Embee... it's not the same.. Christian rituals dont have the same ... what's the word I'm looking for here .... leverage ... yeah.. let's go with leverage that Islamic ones have :D

So Catbert would easily shoot down my argument that I need to lent 200+ days, and therefore be at my home country, as 'unresonable'. But I think Catbert would think a million times before doing the same to such a request coming from a Muslim :D

Islamophobia FOR THE WIN!

afoda said...

hehe, well the interesting thing is the 2 to 10 claim is actually true, but its for july, the prayer time has a different system of calculation apparently! I had the same prob last year in manc I remember!

http://www.islamicfinder.org/prayerDetail.php?city=Warsaw&state=67&country=poland&lang=&home=2008-7-6&monthly=1

Fesh said...

why do you do that aku? you've just ruined a good post with your data. That's why I dont like you reading my blog. I enjoy the ill-informed readers much more. asshole.

afoda said...

i try my best, but as you know, its your birthday... and I can't let that one go with me stepping on your toes and sending your striptease video on your mail... thats what make our love/hate relationship so special!

Fesh said...

*ahm*
Which one? not the one with the donkey...pls.