British credit-card chief forced to quit after making Shi'ite joke

We read:

"A director of Barclaycard has left the company in disgrace after making a joke deemed offensive to Muslims. Marc Howells, 42, who earned 200,000 pounds a year, was addressing senior executives about the credit card company's quarterly figures when he tried to make them laugh with the quip. Mr Howells said: "The results were like Muslims - some were good, some were Shi'ite."

Some outraged colleagues forced embarrassed laughs while others were stunned into silence, but Mr Howells seemed unaware of causing any offence. His pun was later reported to senior management, however, and after some discussion he left the company last month before any disciplinary process could begin.

Source

Must not upset those delicate little Muslims. But Irish jokes still seem to be OK. I wonder why? The Irish have been known to blow people up too. Could it be that they are white and Christian?

Posted by John Ray