Implications of War on Terrorism on Public Relations Essay

The present Iraq War and War on terrorism have brought new dilemmas for the governments and businesses. How can the companies and government involve themselves in creating a society that is free of discrimination and respect personal freedoms. Even more important is how to avoid the pitfalls that turn out to be a public relations nightmare. One example of such an incident was when British Airways asked an employee to remove the cross she was wearing. British News paper published the news with the headline â€Å"British Airways allows Muslim headscarves, but not Christian symbols†. The woman at the center of the debate decide to sue the airline and the British Airways had to retract its notice after the public relations debacle that only brought it worldwide bad press. Former foreign Secretary, Jack Straw caused another furor by asking the Muslim women wearing veils, visiting his constituency surgery to remove their veils. In the present charged atmosphere, the simple request was seen as another attack on Muslim culture and British Muslims already feeling themselves cornered and persecuted made sure that the topic became a controversial subject. After all, Jack Straw is no Ayatollah Khomeini who has already told Iranian women to wear ‘hijab’ (dress similar to that of catholic nuns) but not cover their faces with veils. The ensuing debate caused high tempers both among traditional Muslims as an attack on personal freedoms at one end and from the mainstream British on banning the veil in public. Jack Straw finally issued a statement that his request was merely a suggestion to visiting constituency members and he did not insist on removal of veil. The war on terrorism and 7/7 tubes bombing has created a special need to sooth the fears of law abiding British Muslims who have just about as much to do with the bombings as any other citizen or the Brazilian shot in the aftermath of 7/7 tube bombing [Thompson et al, 2006]. The law enforcement institutions also have to ensure that the war-on-terrorism does not destroy the good public relations they have so laboriously built with all communities. The present world politics has necessitated a more sensitive handling of religious issues. Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and other religious minorities appear to have become incredibly sensitive and an important research issue is to survey how businesses varying from multi-national corporations to high street shops and industrial concerns have prepared themselves to avoid public relations disasters like British Airways ban on wearing religious symbols at work. Political parties and public figures and celebrities also need to prepare for being ethnically sensitive and religiously neutral. As a part of my 10 week research study I am proposing to survey the importance of religious symbols for our multi cultural society, investigate how the celebrities, public figures and industrial and business sector has prepared itself for the sensitivity of the present times. It would also be of interest to see if totally secular operating practices are acceptable and practical in a multi religious, multi cultural environment. The research is expected to prepare guidelines for various stakeholders to avoid public relation failures and unnecessary problems which result from over enthusiasm in this sensitive area. Bibliography 1. The Mail, (2006, Oct 16), Airline bans woman from wearing cross, [Online] Retrieved from Internet on 25 February 2007, cited in http://card. wordpress. com/2006/10/16/airline-bans-woman-from-wearing-cross/ 2. Guardian Unlimited, (2006, Oct. 05), Straw asks Muslim women to remove veil, [Online] Retrieved from Internet on 25 February 2007, cited in http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,1888546,00.html#article_continue