Semi-News: Canada's Court Allows Daggers in School

AZCONSERVATIVE ^ | 9 March 2006 | John Semmens

[John Semmens]

The Canadian Supreme Court rendered a decision that will allow orthodox Sikh students to carry traditional daggers to school. In its decision, the court noted that Sikh religion requires the wearing of the daggers.

"Religious tolerance is a very important value of Canadian society," Justice Louise Charron wrote in reasons for the decision after a court case that involved 12-year-old Gurbaj Singh Multani, who was prevented from carrying his dagger at a Montreal school.

The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) praised the court's ruling, but said it didn't go far enough. "The court's respect for religious beliefs is a step in the right direction," Abbar Mobahm, spokesman for CAIR-CAN. "But they have yet to acknowledge our right to wear explosives in public buildings. Many devout Muslims feel that the wearing of explosives is a demonstration of their faith in Allah and their willingness to die for Islam should that be Allah's will."

Thus far, CAIR-CAN has had difficulty persuading the court because explosives were invented after the Quran was written and, therefore, are not mentioned in the text. Mobahm argued that this interpretation is excessively literal. "The Quran instructs Muslims to behead the unbelievers," said Mobahm. "What does it matter whether a knife or bomb is used?"

In the hours since the court's decision was announced, dozens of teenaged hoodlums have been arrested for bringing knives to school. "All of these punks claim they are Sikhs," said Sgt Malcolm Lightly of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. "These judges have opened a real can of worms."