# Is offering tea and biscuits to bigots a good idea

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-offering-tea-and-biscuits-to-bigots-a-good-idea/659670>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 30, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-offering-tea-and-biscuits-to-bigots-a-good-idea/659670 "2013-05-30T00:29:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-offering-tea-and-biscuits-to-bigots-a-good-idea/659670/4 "2013-05-30T01:10:34Z")

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> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#):
>
> A mosque in York, England came up with a fairly unique way to deal with bigoted protesters from the EDL\* who’d been picketing them.
> 
> The members have been offering them tea and biscuits.
> 
> [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-22689552](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-22689552)
> 
> Aside from being ingenious if this doesn’t demonstrate assimilation into English culture, I don’t know what does.
> 
> I also think it’s a great tactic for dealing with bigots.
> 
> What do others think.  
> \*. For those not in the know, the EDL is basically the UK’s answer to the KKK.

My first impression is that it’s a very good idea. There are caveats however. If it’s a mosque that breeds terrorists then it’s a stunt. I would be inclined to believe that a bunch of towel heads (TM insult for evil doers of Islamic participation) aren’t going to be able to pull it off so my second impression is that it’s a very good idea.

In my area we had a local Mosque invite the public in for a Q&A immediately following 9/11. It was well received but I have to tell you I was taken aback by an answer to my question. I asked about the giant statues of Buddha that were blown up in Afghanistan. The answer to that was that Islam objected to idols of false gods and it was justifiable.:dubious: I then asked them about the great pyramids of Egypt and was met with a blank stare.

So tea and biscuits are a great ice breaker where one shouldn’t be necessary but not everything is going to be received well regarding the religion.

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