Quebec’s war on religion

[rug]

By pandering to ethnic nationalism, the PQ is playing a cynical and dangerous game



by Martin Patriquin on Friday, September 20, 2013 9:00am

Imam Sayyed Nabil Abbas stood with roughly 40 faithful at his feet for Friday afternoon prayers at Montreal’s Lebanese Islamic Centre. After greeting each with a handshake, Abbas launched into an hour-long khotbah, or pre-prayer speech, decrying the Parti Québécois’s proposed “values charter,” which would ban Quebec’s public sector employees from wearing “conspicuous” religious symbols. “This Quebec charter is an attack not only on Muslims, but on Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs and others,” Abbas said. “Now we are meant to live our lives differently, forcing us to ask the question: do we leave Quebec?”

The very next morning, across Montreal’s many geographical and religious divides, came a very similar sentiment. “The reason us Jews have flourished in North America is because we came to countries that allow us personal religious freedom,” said Rabbi Reuben Poupko to the hundreds of Jewish faithful gathered at the Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation for Yom Kippur. “We all know what happens in those countries that don’t.”

The fury was hardly contained to Montreal’s places of worship. Later that day a stream of people stretching 11 city blocks—many in the very religious garb the PQ seeks to limit—snaked through the city’s downtown core, chanting “La charte à la poubelle!” (the charter in the garbage!) and “Marois raciste!”—a reference to Premier Pauline Marois.

“She is committing economic and cultural genocide,” said Surjit Singh, a 42-year-old financial adviser, as the bells of St. John the Evangelical church rang in support of the marchers. “It’s very hard to tell your children that if you follow your religion then you can’t get a job. We will fight while we can. If we lose, then we have to leave.” The spectre of losing even one immigrant caused medical secretary (and avowed secularist) Marie-Josée Bernier to don a novelty-sized gold cross and take to the streets. “We will lose a lot of good doctors and a lot of good nurses” should the charter become law, she said.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/09/20/quebecs-war-on-religion/

[clydefrand]

1. Well now, if the Islamics don't like Quebec's laws,

let them move to where their religion IS the law.
Sorry, but I think the same thing should apply anywhere.

[rug]

2. Take it or leave?

The nuances of your post eludes me.

[cbayer]

6. What? I hope you are joking.

The "islamics" are canadian citizens who want to the right to wear what they want.

[Jim__]

3. Is there a Canadian national law that would play into this?

In the US, if a state passed a law like that, it would probably be declared unconstitutional. Does Canada have the same kind of overriding national protection of basic rights?

[rug]

7. There is a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/CH37-4-3-2002E.pdf

Since the Provincial government began floating their draft charter of Quebec Values there has been some pushback at the federal level as well as from affected groups.

[Jim__]

8. Thanks. It looks like this charter would be a violation of a fundamental freedom. n/t

[bravenak]

4. It's not normal to be legislating garments and jewelry.

I don't care what other people wear. Just don't be naked, please.
I'm an atheist, but I have to admit that Muslims have some dope ass scarves. Some of them are beaded and have little jewel colored danglys that hang down over your forehead are pretty.
I wear them over my hair from time to time, cause 1. They're cute and I have shoes to match and 2. I have so much hair that some days I just refuse to do it. The only difference between those scarves and mine is that I wrap the end of the scarf into a bun. Like Sikhs.
I would be able to wear my fashionable headwrappings every day but they would not. I could even wear their religional headwear in a fashionable way and that would be cool. But could they wear their religional headwear in a fashionable way and get away with it? It's strange.
Are these outerwear and accessory items dangerous? Do these laws apply to magic underwear?
Does this need to be a law? Nothing better to do? Nothing?
These people must be like the tea party, next they'll be voting to repeal national healthcare.

[cbayer]

5. Glad to see they are fighting back.

I don't think this is ever going to be put into place and it increasingly appears to be just a political ploy.

[dimbear]

9. Not only do you show the world that you follow the one true religion, but you remind onlookers that

they do not.

How could that cause problems?

[rug]

10. That's a rather sensitive reaction to the subject.

[cbayer]

11. Wow. Do you honestly think that that is what this is about?

Your biases are becoming more glaringly obvious by the day, dimbear.

[dimbear]

12. Thank you, cbayer.

It's important to take a stand.

I do.

You do.

[okasha]

13. Sounds familiar, somehow.

Standing in the school doorway, perhaps? To keep out all those dreadful children wearing kippas and hijabs?

[dimbear]

14. Objecting to mere things whose purpose is to divide somehow reminds you of folk trying to divide

others on inherent grounds? That your thinking?

Jane Doe remembers that she is a Zoroastrian. She doesn't need the reminder. Ganeesha is aware Jane Doe is a Zoroastrian. Ganeesha doesn't need the reminder.

The reminder is for other people.

Jane Doe is different.