Pubdate: Sat, 04 Mar 2006
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Paul MacDonald
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

A RULING FOR TOLERANCE

Editorial, March 3.

The Supreme Court of Canada, in overturning a lower court's earlier 
decision to ban kirpans, has ruled that Sikh students have the 
constitutional right to carry ceremonial daggers to school. In ruling 
that a blanket ban on the kirpan infringes on fundamental religious 
freedom, the Supreme Court justices have, once again, allowed 
political correctness to take precedence over common sense.

In an age of increasing gang violence where metal detectors are often 
utilized in schools to prevent weapons from being brought in, the 
Supreme Court, in its wisdom, does not see Sikh students carrying 
concealed weapons as a risk to the safety of the school community. 
There has never been a documented case in Canada of a kirpan being 
used as a weapon, they state. There's probably never been a case of a 
bread knife being used as a weapon either, but it's still not a good 
idea to allow them to be carried by students in schools.

If at some point in the future there's an incident in a school 
involving a kirpan where someone is injured or killed, will the 
Supreme Court justices still agree that the constitutional "right" to 
wear a dangerous religious symbol outweighs the public's right to 
safety and security? If tolerance of dangerous weapons and religious 
symbols like the kirpan is allowed, what's next? Rastafarians 
consider marijuana a sacrament in that religion. Should it be allowed 
in schools, too?

The Supreme Court justices had the power to impose certain conditions 
in their ruling. As a compromise, they could have ruled that kirpans 
be allowed in schools, as long as they're made of rubber.

Paul MacDonald

Toronto
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