General Chat

hi lil and jeannie jeannie how are you duck been transcribing for freecen having a bit of a rest. lil, there is nothing wrong with a good debate and freedom of speech i am all for it, but some of the remarks were a little negative. regards jackie.

Yes i agree Dave, but as you said Freedom of speech, and what i said was my opinion. Lil Negative / Racist different meanings

can i just ask...... will the rides be staffed by males when they have male visitors on them and females when they have females on them, if so surely that will mean Alton Towers will have to have double the amount of staff as normal?????

I have nothing against any associations, centres, groups booking Alton Towers for the day BUT not when it's already been booked by somebody else. If they want an all Muslim day that's fine, but Alton Towers should not have made a double booking. What on earth is the poor wedding party, who wish to entertain their guests the day after their wedding going to do now? After all, they seem to have given Alton Towers plenty of notice. When did the Muslim group make their reservation? This is the organisers' at Alton Towers' fault. I certainly hope they help the married couple find somewhere else to entertain their guests and give them their money back! Margaret

Today i attended the funeral of a 27 year old British soldier blown up by the taliban. Very upsetting and particularly hard as my husband is serving in Iraq at THIS governments behest. It is very sad that world wide events are effecting public opinion. This is a very tolerant country compared to most of the world and i do not believe I am wrong to have been proud to see the union Jack laying proudly on that young mans coffin. R.I.P

I say live and let live What a fuss over one day out of however many months its open ! Religious groups as said before have hired out Butlins for a week, no one bats an eye lid. My friend is part of a christian fellowship group and they often hire out venues Celebrities often hire out theme parks for their own use for a limited time The Royal Albert hall once had been hired for the night by spiritualists and mediums. If the park was for hire and has been paid for then fine ! Had the press not latched on, no one would be talking about it now. All people would be told is that its closed for a private function. What I find offensive is that people are so greedy they object to any one person or group taking one day out of a year to do something exclusive to them. That's one day they cant use the park, one measly day. Its not as if its closed all the rest of the year. Elaine x

Yes Elaine, but Alton Towers should not have mixed up two different 'parties' wishing to hire the premises for the day. Surely one of the parties must have made their reservation first. Anyway, Alton Towers organisation team seem hopeless if you ask me and they should be responsible for sorting it all out. Margaret

Maybe some people have deleted their comments from this thread because they have thought about it and decided they were wrong! Nothing wrong with changing your mind. I was about to post the comment that we should all remember that we cannot see other members and do not actually know what colour or creed they are - why should we, what does it matter? but your comments could be very hurtful to them. Then I saw the post from the lady who says her children are Muslim - I hope a few people who posted to this thread are ashamed of themselves now. OC

as someone who also has family serving in iraq, im with nvneve on this one. we have lost too many good men and women in a war waged by our government and the americans for us to just sit back and say nothing. i have been reading this thread on and off most of the day and although im not a racist, i am struggling to see this in a good way. yes the park is open to all but you have to follow the muslim guide lines set out by the hirers. thats all well and good for anyone who knows about it but i hadnt heard anything at all until i saw this thread. ive checked teletext and there is nothing. if i had travelled over 100 miles to go to AT on this day and then found out that i couldnt go on rides with my oh or even my male children then think i might be a tad upset. wanted to use other word but dont fancy being banned. also if u turned up by chance on that day in say, vest top and shorts would they provide clothes to cover up with ??? i agree that any group can book/hire a venue but i also feel very sorry for the couple who are getting married there the day before.

I suspect that none of us would know anything about this if it had not been for the wedding party. I wonder how many times similar days have been booked before with no comment from anyone becauseit was not in the paper. It really is only one day out of 365. Ann Glos

Thankyou Lorraine this is a very emotive issue. Carolx

I agree completely with Old Crone. Ann, I don't think there would have been all this hooha if the party hadn't been Muslim:)

Gillie,If you had read my other comments you will know that I have No objections, I really dont care I have far more Important things in my life to concern myself with. Its just a sign of the times Im afraid and this is the way some people feel rightly or wrongly. Live and let live is my moto. Roxanne

i agree with live and let live... but would we be allowed to live and let live if we was in a Muslim country and wanted to hold a christian day???????????

I must add, That double bookings are common place in all walks of life., weddings, venues, coaches, kids parties, holidays...the list is endless. Regarding the wedding couple, their actual wedding day does not clash with the Muslim day the next day.(thats how ive read it anyhow) They can still get married and enjoy the rides on their wedding day.

David, I don't think I want to get drawn into this really. But I feel that is wrong of us then. Lorraine & Carol I used to work for the armed forces and I feel very strongly that they are out there fighting a war that is not really our war, they should not be there and the number killed is appalling. I feel very deeply for the families, I so wish they would bring our personnel home. But, just as not all Christians are good, so all Muslims are not bad. If we want peace in our country we have to respect their beliefs, and hope they will respect ours. They have said anyone can go to their day, all they ask is respect for their beliefs in what to wear. They have not asked people to wear the headscarf, just to be circumspect. And anyway, sensible wear for the rides is probably trousers which will be acceptable. As for not knowing, it is in all the papers and I am sure it will be on the TV news. I am sure if it was say The Round Table or The masons hiring it for an all male day nobody would have said a word. Ann Glos

Definately not Shelli. carolx

Did you know Jehovah Witnesses hire stadiums for their conventions? They have been doing this for years now. Catholics have retreats in hotels. Whether you agree or not with the Alton Towers holding a Muslim Day, isn't it great to live in a country where you aren't tortured or killed for your beliefs.

As i said before that people should be able to say as they feel, my Moto freedom of speech, and i for one will, i dont think any of the comments made were offensive in anyway. And at the end of the day Alton Tower's have not done there self's any favours by double booking. Lil

Teresa, I couldent agree more:-)) If we lived in Saudi we would be whipped for wearing a Cross.