Wherever Islamic law and practice and American law and practice conflict, it is American law and practice that have to give way — even if the public health is thereby endangered. “Boston Children’s Hospital: Until Every Child Is Well” — except those exposed to the flu.
“Muslim who says she was fired for refusing flu shot sues Children’s Hospital Boston,” by Eric Convey for Boston Business Journal, February 4 (thanks to Pamela Geller):
A former Children’s Hospital Boston employee who said she was fired because her Islamic beliefs prohibited her from getting a mandatory flu shot sued the hospital today.
Leontine Robinson says in her complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Boston that her civil rights were violated because the hospital “intentionally discriminated against (her) due to her religious beliefs.” Some Muslims refuse flu shots because they contain a small amount of pork gelatine — a violation, the abstainers contend, of restrictions on consuming pork products.
Robinson, according to her complaint, worked in patient care at Children’s for about a year before a flu shot requirement was instituted in 2006. Hospital managers had known she was a Muslim when they hired her, the suit suggests, noting that she wore a traditional Muslim head-covering for women.
She was allowed to skip the shots initially. But in 2011, the suit states, Childrens’ policy became more strict and getting a job was classified by the hospital as a “term of employment.” Robinson was fired for refusing to get one, the suit states.
Robinson wants back pay and other compensation. She says in her complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Boston that the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission dismissed a similar complaint she had filed with the agency against Children’s.
Children’s did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.
Stephen Poole says
… “and getting a job was classified by the hospital as a “term of employment”” … I believe that her “getting a flu shot” was the TOE … I’m not a Muslim but I do not get vaccinations of any kind ’cause you don’t really know what’s in there/them … And/But, I occasionally eat pork, even though I shouldn’t … Following the dietary laws in Leviticous would benefit us all … Just sayin’ … Yours truly, SP 0X …
revg says
Many people refuse to get a flu shot, for various reasons. All the clinics and hospitals in this area require those declining the shot to wear masks on duty. This is not an “islamic pandering” issue.
Stephen Poole says
… Childhood vaccinations mowed a large swath through my wife’s family … When we finally figured it out, our best defenses from illness are/were good nutrition, proper rest, healthy environment, et al … … Pork is THE !! most allergenic food known to Man … Peanuts are next … Putting them into your system without the benefit of your digestive barrier is risky for anyone, @ best … Plus, a small # of inoculated people contract the disease that they were vaccinated for/against (… pun intended …). Salk was Jewish … His contribution was large … It is only the pursuit for a long shelf-Life that make vac’s dangerous … Mercury compounds are the favourite preservative, yet they have no use in human metabolism, they are neuro-toxic, and, they are bio-accumulative … Best (… insulin …) was Jewish, too … His contribution was large, too … Unfortunately, the largest source of human-compatible insulin comes from slaughtered pigs … Muslim diabetics hafta be using it, too … There is no halal insulin … Take care my friends SP 0X …
mortimer says
Selfishness. It isn’t worth the death of one precious child who comes to the hospital to be healed!
After defeating most vaccine-preventable childhood diseases , doctors are now finding cases of polio and other such illnesses due to Muslim parents who are taught be Taliban, Al Qaeda and Muslim Brotherhood mullahs.
The pressing question for Western countries to ask themselves is if we can afford to have Muslims in our midst if they are going to make so much trouble?
Infidelteacher says
Just give her a flu shot containing 100% camel urine. Was it not Mo who said camel urine cures everything?
Salah says
“Was it not Mo who said camel urine cures everything?”
Indeed, he did!
“The climate of Medina did not suit some people, so the Prophet ordered them to follow his shepherd, i.e. his camels, and drink their milk and urine (as a medicine). ” Bukhari 7.71.590
Tchin-tchin!
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.ca/2013/06/islamic-medicine.html
fair_dinkum says
“Hospital managers had known she was a Muslim when they hired her, the suit suggests, noting that she wore a traditional Muslim head-covering for women.”
what does that mean? that they should know you should automatically appease and kowtow to moslems?
shots seem to be unislamic when they need to be.
its irresponsible to refuse a flue shot in that industry. and many others.
the should counter sue for endangering and possibly infecting children in the hospital..
maybe that was her intention, flue jihad.
Christian Beltram says
The dietary laws found in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy are just a fraction of the 613 laws found in the Torah. Some of the other laws include stoning adulterers and homosexuals, killing brides who are not virgins on their wedding night, killing children who curse their parents along with witches and other such laws. Advocates of the dietary laws in the Bible need to read all of these laws and be aware of them. If they were to read such laws they would be shocked because similar laws are found in Islam.
I do know of some Atheist authors who are aware of these laws more than some Christians are. I am not an Atheist but the religious community needs to address the concerns that Atheists express when they criticize the misuse of religion to commit crimes against people and how religion has been misused to justify those crimes. Islam is a perfect example of this misuse or as politically incorrect scholars of Islam would say, the use of Islam to commit such crimes.
Foolster says
Oh good, yet another anti-christian bigot (or at least someone very ignorant about the OT).
I’m a Christian, and I’m well aware of the OT laws, and I’m not shocked at all. They are nothing like the Koran, which you try to equate them to. The OT laws were for a specific time and place (the OT Jewish kingdom), and were not to be carried out by individuals but by the government of Israel.
It never advocated for wife beating, slave raping, torture or the open-ended killing of non-believers (killing was always aimed at a specific wicked people) which the Koran does advocate.
“but the religious community needs to address the concerns that Atheists express when they criticize the misuse of religion to commit crimes against people and how religion has been misused to justify those crimes.”
No they don’t, because it’s not a problem. Perhaps you can show me where Christians are murdering people in any sort of large numbers? If they are, they are acting against Christ’s commands. (And don’t give me the “law shall not pass away” BS, Christ meant the substance of the laws of conduct, (i.e. the ten commandments), not specific laws given to Israel.)
Christian Beltram says
The scholar who determined that there are 613 laws in the Torah was Maimonides. He actually wrote two books which listed all of these laws. One book listed all of the prescriptions found in the Torah and another book listed all of the proscriptions found in the Torah.
The following link is a good biography of Maimonides:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maimonides
Stephen Poole says
… Everyone missed my point … Not getting vaccinated is freedom of choice … I have a documented, vaccine-damaged 31 year old step-son … He will Never live, the Canadian dream … I also have a 23 year old natural-daughter, who has Never been vaccinated … She is now living that dream … … Take care people … Yours truly, SP 0X …
Ragai Mitry says
FYI to Robert Spencer. Look up on YouTube the many videos by Shiite Imam Ahmad Al Kobanggi. He teaches that the Koran was written bu Muhamad, and not God; that it no longer is applicable to the modern world; that Muslims need to come to grip with the fact that Muhamad did many evil things in his life. I’m not sure how he can remain a Muslim, or how long he is going to live, but it should be worth your while to study him. Of course the West is not interested in a true Islamic reformer, but you should be. Here’s a link to one video. It’s in Arabic. I haven’t found any with English subtitles. Maybe you should make a joint project with MEMRI to subtitle some of his work. Good luck.
Salah says
Memri:
Liberal Iraqi Shi’ite Scholar Sayyed Ahmad Al-Qabbanji Calls For Reason In Islamic Discourse and Jurisprudence
http://www.memri.org/report/en/print7015.htm
Ragai Mitry says
I didn’t add the link in my earlier comment. Here’s the link to a video by Al Kobangii.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/02/boston-muslim-sues-hospital-after-being-fired-for-refusing-un-islamic-flu-shot
Ragai Mitry says
Kobangii Video link
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AC%D9%89&sm=12
Semeru says
RS says
Wherever Islamic law and practice and American law and practice conflict, it is American law and practice that have to give way — even if the public health is thereby endangered.
And then give the above article as an example
But in this case there is no conflict between Islamic law and practice and American law and practice.
Leontine Robinson says in her complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Boston that her civil rights were violated because the hospital “intentionally discriminated against (her) due to her religious beliefs.” Some Muslims refuse flu shots because they contain a small amount of pork gelatine — a violation, the abstainers contend, of restrictions on consuming pork products.
The use of unlawful or juridically unclean substances in Food and Medicine
General principles ~
1. Every Muslim is under obligation to abide by the rulings of Islamic Shariah, especially in the areas of food and medicine, which is conducive To a healthy life style in diet and therapy. Allah Almighty, out of His infinite Mercy and Providence to facilitate the pursuit and observance of his law, granted us concessions in cases of dire and ordinary needs which are recognized by the sharia. These include:
“Necessities overrule prohibitions”.
7. Treatment of diabetes patients with insulin obtained from a pig source is permissible because of “necessity” given that the relevant rules and principles of` the sharia are observed.
8. “Transformation”, ie. the process that causes an object to change into another, totally different in properties and characters, the the unclean, or what is deemed no be unclean,
into a clean object, and therefore turns prohibited things into things permissible by the sharia. On this account the following is concluded:
a. Gelatine made of unclean animals bones, skin and tendons is clean and permissible for
consumption.
b. Soap produced by treating and transforming pig fat or fat obtained from a dead animal turns into a clean compound by the process of transformtation and therefore using this soap is permissible.
c. Cheese processed with rennet, obtained from animals which are dead but are permissible to eat, is clean and eating it is permissible.
d. Ointments, creams and cosmetics which contain pig fat are all unclean. Their use is impermissible in Shariah except when transformation [of the material into one totally different properties) is ensured.
duh_swami says
The reason flu shots and TB tests are given, is not to protect the patient from getting ill from a sick nurse, but to protect the nurse from getting sick from the patient. Personally, I refuse to let any gov agent inject foreign substances into my body. I can’t help it, it’s part of my religion, Swamism…
Veracious_one says
A former Children’s Hospital Boston employee who said she was fired because her Islamic beliefs prohibited her from getting a mandatory flu shot sued the hospital today.
perhaps employers should start investigating a potential Muslim employee’s Islamic beliefs before hiring them…they might discover Islam is not compatible with society…
bikeboy says
MA is a right to work state, she can be fired for any reason.
JamesonRocks says
I wonder how many Muslims are employed at the hospital. So, the other Muslim employees took the shot? How’s that going to play with friends and family? They better be careful when and where they wear that uniform and hospital ID. We could see some honor killings come in this matter.
Ice Star says
The flu kills thousands of people every year.
It kills young people.
It kills compromised people.
It kills healthy people.
She works where sick children could be exposed to Flu.
Get the shot or get a different job.
I am an RN and have seen people die from influenza.
Young previously healthy people.
The shot helps prevent deaths caused by the flu.
Eels says
This is the forum to discuss the pros and cons of vaccination.
Stephen Poole, I am sorry about your stepson.
Immunisation has saved more lives than any other medial intervention. And to those who smell conspiracy, when Salk, the inventor of the first Polio Vaccine was offered a patent on it that would have made him rich, he shrugged and said ‘you may as well patent the air, it is my gift to the world.” Because of that largesse and despite a current lunatic Muslim opposition, Polio is almost gone.
Those who oppose immunisation are always of a generation that has never seen Measles, German Measle damaged babies, Diptheria etc. In 93 I saw 2 children die in my A and E dept. of haemophilus epiglotitis, After the ’94 vaccine I have seen none.
Eels says
Test
Eels says
Stephen Poole, I am sorry about your step son.
Immunisation represents the single most important advance in public health, You will see just how important when antibiotic resistance begins to kill people, and we become reliant on vaccination once again.
Those who oppose vaccination generally have not lived through, Polio, Diptheria, Tetanus, and haven’t seen the deformed born to those unfortunate enough to have contracted Rubella whilst pregnant. Further by not having immunisations and relying on the herd immunity of all of us who have, they are reaping the benefits whilst taking none of the very small risk.
And for those (idiots) who smell govt conspiracy in vaccination programs I merely wish for you the grace of Salk, who when offered a patent that would have made him wealthy, for his newly invented Polio vaccine he shrugged and said ” you may as well patent the air, it is my gift to the world.” because of his largesse and despite some cretinous Islamic, and ignorant western Luddite opposition Polio has almost been eradicated.
One point, In 93 the year before the HiB vaccine was introduced I saw 2 children die in my A nd E dept. After 94 I have seen none. Opposing vaccination is selfish, willfully ignorant and dangerous.
PJG says
Did the Prophet expressly forbid flu shots, or was it only taking pig meat by mouth he banned? Likewise, did he ban ceramic piggy banks or piggy children’s books?
No doubt there are fatwas relevant to these troubling questions…
dumbledoresarmy says
I observe that the name of this particular mohammedan gang moll is…”Leontine Robinson”.
She has surely got to be a convert to Islam, not someone born into a Muslim family and indoctrinated from birth.
We are not told her extra-special Muslim name that, presumably, she acquired when she recited the Shahadah.
Yet another one for my “the dangerous convert” e-clippings file.
Larry A. Singleton says
Yeah, I gotta say I don’t know exactly where I fall on this. The last few years I’ve been hearing stuff about side effects from getting these shots so… …this could have easily been someone who just had reservations about dying due to government inflicted incompetence. Who knows. I get flue shots at the VA, but ever since I’ve heard these stories….I wonder…and cross my fingers.
Transmaster says
This is so much BS I wonder what the real reason Leontine Robinson was fired. Things changed because of the deaths of a number of Children in the Boston area from the current strain of influenza. A pediatric hospital can not take the chance of an unvaccinated employee transmitting this virulent flu strain, Parents would rightfully sue them to oblivion if it came out their child died thanks to a non-vaccinated employee. In a hospital there is what is called reasonable accommodation. There are other vaccines for influenza that are formulated without any pig proteins, is there one for this strain, I don’t know, if there was I’ll bet she was offered it. The Federal Government. Took over the responsibility for the manufacturing of Influenza vaccines after the law suits filed after 1976 when than President Gerald Ford ordered nationwide swine flue shots. There where a number of people who died from allergies and toxic shock from this vaccine and the lawyers seized the opportunity to get large cash settlements from vaccine manufactures. These companies made it clear they would not produce anymore flu vaccines for domestic use if such law suits were filed with each production run. It was than the Government took things over.
Robinson has all ready lost this complaint filed with The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The World Health Organization has issued the findings of The Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences. They issued a statement that in part states:
“The seminar issued a number of recommendations, included in the attached statement, stipulating that ‘Transformation which means the conversion of a substance into another substance, different in characteristics, changes substances that are judicially impure . . . into pure substances, and changes substances that are prohibited into lawful and permissible substances’.”
Consequently, the scholars determined that the transformation of pork products into gelatin alters them sufficiently to make it permissible for observant Muslims to receive vaccines containing pork gelatin and to take medicine packaged in gelatin capsules.
Here is the full text of these findings:
http://www.immunize.org/concerns/porcine.pdf
The bottom line is Islamia Robinson does not have a prayer rug to stand on. The judge will dismiss the case with prejudice.