In a conversation with some people at work it came out that after the recent bombing at glasgow they would not want to work with,, and so employ a British Muslim doctor. To me this is outrageous, assuming a whole group of people are guilty of terrorism without any evidence. Aha they said, thats the trouble with you Brits(sic) you cant see the truth of whats under your noses. I have been loaned a book the subject, called Londonistan by Melanie Phillips that goes into the background more.

What are your opinions??

Why is it outrageous to be able to choose who we like and who we don't like?

This is a job interview, awarded on merit, ability to do the job. They would be denying someone a job because of their nationality and religion, religion only perceived by that applicants name, race, or where they have lived and studied. Not usually relevant to a job interview.

They are saying all British Muslim doctors are potential terrorists

I am sad to hear this. I fear this attitude is on the rise in Canada.

CBC published the results of a poll a few months ago that indicated that "mainstream" Canadians and members of visible minorities did not feel as warm and fuzzy towards each other as had been the case, say, four or five years previously.

Canada is still a multicultural country, but I have a feeling that the ethos of multiculturalism is a little weaker than it was.

What specially surprises me about the conversation you had at work is that it took place in Ontario. Who would have thought? Alberta and some parts of interior BC are the places where the rednecks are supposed to be.

Melanie Phillips is barely literate.

Melanie Phillips is a very nasty piece of bile spitting work indeed. Ann Coulter without the legs.

The conjunction of British and Muslim is bizarre. The doctor I last saw is a Muslim, is she safe because she's not British, would Dr. Shipman be a good choice of doctor because, although he was British he wasn't a Muslim. Bonkers. British Muslim Doctor - three unrelated things.

Finally, anyone who paid actual money for a publication by Melanie Phillips wants cutting from the circle of acquaIntance of civilized people.

I would say it is relevant, if there is a chance of innocent civilians being murdered or maimed

They are saying all British Muslims are potential terrorists
Give a relevant answer:

Are British West Indians potential terrorists?
Are British Jews potential terrorists?
Are British Chinese potential terrorists?
Are British Greeks potential terrorists?
Are British Muslims potential terrorists?

You asked for opinions. These are mine

That doesn't seem to be an opinion but a list of people. Yes, they're potential terrorists.

I thought she wrote well, which is worrying. I know she writes for the Daily Mail and Times and so when I have finished her book I would like to read another point of view.

Perhaps she dumbs it down for the Times and Mail (where I've seen her stuff). That's not uncommon. Mark Bonokowski, the Toronto Sun columnist, told me that he had won a prize for consistently being able to write at a grade seven level - that's what the paper wants, no matter how erudite the writer may be on the weekend.

That is the level of writing acknowledged by the Calgary Sun also.

Most likely a chain wide policy.

I'm sure. He's actually a very entertaining guy. He was the Sun's correspondent in London for a long time ("I was bureau chief", "also bureau Indian") and ends most of his tales of life there with "you can't put that in the paper". Talking to him gives me hope that all the writers of frothing hate columns are actually quite reasonable in private life.

Some of the top doctors in the UK are Muslims, they have saved countless people's and children's lives - we will not highlight or acknowledge their contributions. Some misdirected doctors from their community perpetrate terror - we will not work with Muslim doctors. Yeah, we will paint all the followers of the religion with the same brush.

We refuse to find out why the Muslim world feels alienated from the western world, why their youth is ready to wage a war, why their kids grow up with hatred for us, however we will continue to have opinionated or uninformed views. And will continue to believe in quick fixes.

Our politicians and our media are always right - market the message of terror and fear, so that we (we are not gullible) believe in our hearts that we are being kept from harm's way. Just like the Australians found in the last few weeks how their government was doing everything to protect them from Dr. Haneef.

And no, we are not racist.

I don't think I am particularly racist. It is the unfortunate result of the fact that most of the terrorist acts committed around the world in recent years have been committed by Muslims. The fact that these are radical nut cases, does not alter the fact that people often get tarred with the same brush.

Obviously, all Muslims are not terrorists, but its sad to say that these things happen. One bad apple (or actually quite a few bad apples) spoils the whole barrel.

This is what worries me, by thinking that all are terrorists, then dont we push a few that way? If we alienate and expect the worst of people then dont we get the worst?

Its startling isnt it, and if one person will say it then how many are thinking it?

by "one person" i mean the person who spoke to me about this originally, at work.