Wearing the cassock - my human right

No surrender to the anti-cassock brigade.

I read today that The Equality and Human Rights Commission is suggesting that  ecologists could ask to be excused from duties that increase CO2 emissions, such as flying to business meetings, and that druids and pagans should be allowed to take time off work to go on pilgrimages and attend sacred rituals.  All well and good but I wonder how this applies to those Christians who have found themselves at a disadvantage when expressing their faith?  Apparently, the guidance, which also applies to Christians, Jews and Muslims and atheists, was produced as a result of a series of judgments by the European Court of Human Rights recently.

It states that bosses should "consider seriously" adapting the relevant work duties to suit their employees beliefs.  I hope that this will re-enforce the ability of those who work in healthcare to opt out of assisting at abortions - a legal right but my understanding is that this is not always so easily done in practice.  I note as well that the it doesn't apply where a "public service" is being provided - a nice little loop-hole waiting to be exploited  I think.

On a happier note, I take it to mean that the wearing of my cassock as a sign of my religious conviction and affiliation must now be respected - perhaps I can finally attend Mass at the Cathedral wearing my cassock with pride without being pointed at and laughed at in the sacristy, as happened on the last occasion I steeled myself to attend the Chrism Mass.  This new guidance will presumably mean that the Cathedral authorities would have to act to ban such discriminatory behavior on its premises. Perhaps a discrete sign at the door saying, "Cassock wearers welcome here" should be put up.  I see that head wear for Sikhs is also included in the  guidelines, so perhaps I can even take my biretta!