Sikh judge criticises banning of Kirpan in UK schools etc

I can explain this very well. I have one family who are SIKH. But i am not. I know them very well and their purpose to keep kirpan and other religious things.

It is their religion. Sikhism. I think we should respect it. How we respect our religion. Same manner should be followed with them. I don't think they all are harmful. It is for their protection. Only for protection. I don't know, why people take it wrong. Many other religious beliefs from their SIKHISM.

 

Faith is the main part for any religion and for any religious people. It is not good thing put ban on it.

After reading poll thing i edited out this.

 

i agree that just isn't right, it's not as if they are going to be using it as a weapon, it's just a custom, like wearing the kara. people are oversensitive these days towards differing religious beliefs.

 

Yes, you have point. People may be attacking and very bad minded. They can do anything. No doubt it. I think, they should be advised not to use it for harm cause. Sikhism never says to harm anyone. If he is harmful to anyone, then yes apply laws on him.

 

I don't give a shit about his religious rights in this instance.

He wants to wear a weapon. If he's allowed that right, then all children should be allowed to wear a weapon.
Obviously they don't want that, so no weapons.

I don't care what their religious qualifications for it are, it can be used, very simply, to kill someone, or grievously injure someone, without effort.

 

Or it could be taken from him to kill him with. Or just taken from him to kill another kid.

 

Satanism has a traditional magic dagger that is used for various rites.

If that kids allowed a dagger, I can imagine many children converting to a new form of Satanism that allows children, so they can have weapons too.

 

I'd take the middle ground on this, that people should have the liberty to display religious symbolism, as long as it doesn't impact on the liberties of anyone else. The UK is not a Sikh country. Yes , Sikhs live here, and they're very welcome in my book, but there has to be a mutual level of respect. As in, they can't expect that the way they would live in a Sikh country would be automatically carried over into life in the UK. They, and their beliefs should be respected, and they should have freedom, but not licence. A kirpan is, after all a dagger. It looks like a weapon, and could, in reality be used as one. I don't think it's a good idea for anybody to be carrying a dagger around, because there is a chance it could be used for harm, by or against the bearer - and especially in a school environment. It is not only a safety issue. It marks the bearer out as special - as someone to whom the usual rule does not apply, and that has the potential for creating both arrogance and resentment. If it is just about the symbol, then I could see no harm in allowing a lapel badge in the shape of one.

 

I agree with Shai, a dagger is quite overtly a potential weapon, and as such, like all other overtly potential weapons, should not be permitted on school grounds for issues of safety.

Regarding this specific point, I've mentioned elsewhere on this site my views on the school system, to which I'll just add this: It's been argued that uniforms exist to prevent poorer students, unable to afford clothes of a quality equal to their peers, from being bullied by more well-off students.

I do not agree with this argument. IMO when you look at the history of schools it's clear that uniforms were introduced as an attempt to create a visual reinforcement of the basic underlying philosophy of the school system itself, that of homogenised, unthinking, unquestioning conformity.

As such, I think that demanding that a child act as a slave to this conformity for even one second is demanding too much, to demand that they do it for 6 hours every day is, IMO, an atrocity.

Granting students the right to openly display their individuality, whether that be in terms of their religion or not, would IMO go far to creating a greater sense of familiarity with viewpoints and beleifs that differ from the "norm". This greater familiarity would in turn and in time lead to a greater level of understanding of these differences, and this understanding would in turn help to inspire a greater degree of tolerance, acceptance and arguably compassion for and amongst people from many varied walks of life.

 

IMO weapons should have no place at school, religious or not. There's always the chance a student less responsible could get a hold of it etc. it's not just accusing the wearer that they may use but other's who may acquire it it's a matter of general safety, in that case I feel it is not discriminatory.

I think it's fair enough to let students wear head scarves etc. if it's outright required for them by their religion to do so. Although in professions such as law enforcement I can see how jewelry/extra items that are worn could be could put them at an added risk during work.