Sensitivities
Milan - Milan's leading obstetric hospital was replacing its crucifixes with images of the Virgin Mary to avoid offending a growing number of Muslim patients, reports said Wednesday. "Our wards have become multiethnic. We want to respect all religions and avoid any form of discrimination. That is why we have decided to replace the crucifix with the image of the Madonna, which is also appreciated by Muslim women," daily La Repubblica quoted Mangiagalli's medical director, Basilio Tiso, as saying Wednesday.
Some 7,000 women give birth at the Mangiagalli each year. Of these, about 30 per cent are foreign immigrants, many of whom are not Catholic.
The head of Milan's Viale Jenner Islamic centre, Abdelhamid Shaari, welcomed the move, saying Mary was a figure that was also revered by Muslims.
"This is certainly a sign of respect for our religion that we greatly appreciate. But a white wall would have been even better. Italy is a secular state and children are angels in any religion," Shaari told La Repubblica.
The representation of the cross on which Jesus died has become the subject of a heated debate in Italy in recent years as Muslim groups and non-Christians seek its removal from the walls of public buildings.
Although church and state are officially separated in Italy, a 1923 regulation issued during Benito Mussolini's Fascist rule and never repealed states that a symbol of the crucifix should hang in every classroom and courtroom in the country.
Officials at the Mangiagalli hospital plan to replace all crucifixes within the next few months. However, patients will still be able to have a crucifix hanging in their room if they ask for one.
What about Protestants who are uncomfortable with statues of Mary or about atheists who dislike any religious symbolism. Just part of a growing trend to cater specifically to Muslims. From foot washing stations in airports the trend is to worry only about Muslim sensibilities. You know how sensitive Muslims are to things like alcohol and blind guide dogs in Taxi cabs and now Crucifixes. Funny though those same sensitivities don't apply to suicide bombings and beheadings.
Though this is also part of a trend of people being offended. Survival of the sensitive is the new Darwinism I guess. For example people saying they will never go to Starbucks again because of an coffee cup with a quote by some atheist. I have never been into a Starbucks in my life, but this seems to me to be an over reaction. Do people really think they can live their lives without encountering contrary opinions and beliefs? There is a difference between mocking others beliefs and simply encountering them.
Known as 
I guess the folks who run that hospital figure that Muslims are weak children who need to be protected from another religion's symbols.
I am offended by iconoclasts.
children are angels in any religion
Not in mine, babe. And, as far as I know, not in thine.
Classic case of "Human Respect", which is unworthy of every man who knows God, but it is especially unworthy of a Christian raised by baptism to the adaption of the Children of God. Human respect is shameful slavery and contemptible cowardice. It causes the creature to be preferred rather than the Creator.
Christ was not ashamed to be crucified for your sake, and you are ashamed to acknowledge publicly His indescribable sovereignty.{St. John Chrysostom}
This is yet another outrage in the epidemic of "multiculturalism" sweeping across Europe. The powers that be tie themselves in knots so as not to offend people of non-European cultures (who are never quite so willing to return the compliment). It represents nothing so much as a loss of nerve and a lack of confidence in one's own culture and religion. If I were in a hospital in, say, Saudi Arabia, I would expect verses from the Koran on the walls and would not be at all offended - why should I? It's their country and their culture. I have my own rosary and travelling crucifix.
Oooh, I have an idea.
Let's use an image of Mary at the foot of the Cross!
Hadn't heard about the guide dogs.
Are muslims so weak and pathetic that they must be sheltered from the fact that some people don't hold their beliefs? If I were one, I'd be offended that I was thought of as a whinney brat.
It's not so bad -- yet. Update from ANSA.it:
"According to an article published by the La Repubblica daily, the Mangiagalli Policlinico, one of Italy's leading pregnancy and childbirth clinics, was aiming to gradually phase out its crucifixes and substitute them with images of the Madonna and Child.
But the chairman of the foundation which runs the clinic, Carlo Tognoli, told reporters that "the crucifixes inside our hospital have not been nor will be removed and neither have such orders been given".
Tognoli said that some 7,000 women gave birth at the clinic last year of whom 2,000 were non-Italian and 1,500 non-Catholic, including 500 Muslims.
"None of our patients has ever created problems concerning the religious symbols present in the hospital," he said, adding that Madonna images were already to be found on the walls of some of its wards and had been there for years. . . "
Rest of article: http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2007-05-09_10988195.html
I read in another article that the clinic also procured abortions... If so, then the idea to put up images of the Mother of God in order to cater to "sensibilities" seems even more ludicruous...
Well, on the other hand...
A Catholic dr. delivered two of my babies. He had a crucifix in every examining room. In one, it was rather unfortunately placed at the foot of the exam bed... I know Christ know our hearts, but it was very weird being exposed in *that* way!
I disagree with pacifying Muslims by removing the Crucifix, on the other hand, this article provides some food for thought on promoting Our Lady:
Archbishop Fulton Sheen on Our Lady of Fatima and the Muslims
Mama Says
But aren't most Muslims opposed to "graven images" in any case? Won't they be just as offended?