2006-03-03

Canada backs Sikh dagger rights

Canadian Sikhs should be allowed to wear small daggers central to their faith when they go to school, the country's Supreme Court has ruled. In an 8-0 judgement, the court reversed the ruling of a Montreal school board, which banned Gurbaj Singh Multani from wearing his dagger, known as a kirpan. The kirpan is deemed sacred by Sikhs as a symbol of power and truth.

2 comments:

Paul Hue said...

Nadir: Please express your view here. Do you know the origins of Sikhism and their daggers? Answer: Protection from invading Arab Muslims who forced Indians into adopting Islam under penalty of execution. Sikhism formed as a reformation of Hinduism into belief system that included fierce self-defense (including the ever-present kniefe), and the adoption of enough Arab customs so as to pacify murderous, raping, muslim conquerers. But don't misconstrue this information as suggesting that Indians are eternal victims; their pre-islamic period was marked by various groups of Indians conquering, enslaving, and raping each other, banning each others customs and languages. In other words, indistinguishable from Europe's history (or that of China, Africa, Arabia, etc.!).

Nadir said...

I didn't know about the origin of the dagger. Thanks.

I thought this was a strong example of religious freedom, and how it works in some places. It's all about tolerance and understanding.