Separation of church and state, but not mosques and state?

[wivabef]

This woman's battle personifies a befuddling reality...how can some of the same people who would fight to the proverbially death to keep the 10 commandments out of courts and Christian prayer out of school also espouse religious tribunals and segregated schooling to allow for religious practices?

I am a securalist...and I am still flummoxed that there there was a battle over islamic tribunals.

It was the decision of broad-minded politicians in Ottawa to allow Sharia courts in Canada which did it for her. They said if they were not established, the Muslim minority would be marginalised and to say otherwise was racism pure and simple.

After years of hearing this postmodern twaddle, Namazie flipped. Why was it, she asked, that supposed liberals always give 'precedence to cultural and religious norms, however reactionary, over the human being and her rights'? Why was it that they always pretended that other cultures were sealed boxes without conflicts of their own and took 'the most reactionary segment of that community' as representative of the belief and culture of the whole.

Yep, I get a little sick of being called racist for saying the same things about Muslim icons and ideas as I say about Christian icons and ideas being incorporated into government. I even have a problem with congress beginning each day with a prayer. Call me godless (I'm not, but it would be more accurate), but not a racist!

Namazie said,

In a ringing passage, which should be pinned to the noticeboards of every cultural studies faculty and Whitehall ministry, she declared that the problem with cultural relativism was that it endorsed the racism of low expectations.

'It promotes tolerance and respect for so-called minority opinions and beliefs, rather than respect for human beings. Human beings are worthy of the highest respect, but not all opinions and beliefs are worthy of respect and tolerance. There are some who believe in fascism, white supremacy, the inferiority of women. Must they be respected?'

[drmomentum[$]]

wivabef said

how can some of the same people who would fight to the proverbially death to keep the 10 commandments out of courts and Christian prayer out of school also espouse religious tribunals and segregated schooling to allow for religious practices?

Are those the same people?

-JP

[wivabef]

Perhaps I should say "tolerate" instead of "espouse"...

in the name of multiculturalism, many secularists take what is basically a don't ask, don't tell stance on religious tribunals and "understand" when religious schools receive state-funding when serving a minority culture.

[hadassahchana[$]]

Here's another article which relates to Elyzabeth's original one:

Appeals court hears 'Islamic indoctrination' case

This is just mind-boggling to me! This is not about culture, it is solely about religion, and pardon me, but WTF is that doing in a public school?

The Thomas More Law Center says that for three weeks, "impressionable 12-year-old students" were, among other things, placed into Islamic city groups; took Islamic names; wore identification tags that displayed their new Islamic name and the star and crescent moon; handed materials that instructed them to 'Remember Allah always so that you may prosper'; completed the Islamic Five Pillars of Faith, including fasting; and memorized and recited the 'Bismillah' or 'In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,' which students also wrote on banners hung on the classroom walls.

I could say here that this is yet one more reason that I am happy to be homeschooling, but in fact, since my tax dollars go to pay for public schools (and I am happy they do) I don't think this is at all within reason. Not at all. I just ran out of things to say about this- opinion, anyone else?


Cindy

[drmomentum[$]]

I would hit the roof if they did this with my children.