Tag Archives: kirpan

Sharp arguments

05 Wednesday Aug 2009

Posted by in journalism, media, newspapers, politics

≈ 1 Comment

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My Calgary Sun column today was about a recent incident where concert-goers trying to attend a show by a Punjabi artist were told they could not attend because they were wearing kirpans.
I’ve been receiving lots of negative e-mail reaction to my commentary, in which I argue kirpans are religious symbols and are inherently harmless. My reply has been almost identical in every case, and I feel compelled to share the gist of my replies here with everyone.

  • Allowing people to wear kirpans is not a threat to Canadian identity or the religious freedom of the majority. No one is forcing non-Sikhs to wear a kirpan, just as Christians aren’t forcing non-Christians to carry a cross.
  • If someone chooses to use a kirpan (or anything else) as a weapon, it says more about the person than it does about the object, doesn’t it?

    • What do you think?