Into Court They Go ?

[GDR]

The point is not the validity of the rule but how one goes about to change it! The referee is like a policeman, they just enforce the rules not make them.

What are you suggesting they do? It seems to me that the logical way of trying to change the rules is to protest by not playing. That is exactly what they did. What would you have had them do differently?

Let's face it. Wearing headcovering under a helmet is hardly new. This is incident is petty. If it were a group of caucasion girls who wanted to wear a scarf under a helmet to keep their hair clean it wouldn't have been a problem.

There is something that is so disturbing about this. There are Muslims in this world who risk their lives by denouncing Islamic extremism. When we as a society alienate moderate Muslims we are aiding and abetting the extremists. They are now free to say; see, they hate us. Instead of building bridges with the moderates we are putting up walls.

Here is a link to a PBS site about a young Muslim woman named Irshad Manji. She has put her life on the line to argue against Islamic extremism and this action in Quebec not only undermines the incredible work that she is doing, but it puts her life at even greater risk. Ironically, it increases the risk for all of us.

http://www.pbs.org/weta/crossroads/about/s...thout_fear.html

[handyman]

What are you suggesting they do? It seems to me that the logical way of trying to change the rules is to protest by not playing. That is exactly what they did. What would you have had them do differently?

Already answered that!

The correct path in my opinion is to petition the league for a rule change and the commissioner of the league to make a decision…period!

...but no, they would rather disturb the game.

[DEFCON]

GDR

I don't think anyone really believes this particular case is anything but petty. The problem is, how much more do we give to accomodate the muslim culture? To the average guy it's beginning to appear that we've already given too much, the return on our goodwill investment hasn't been what we had hoped for and society is now reacting negatively to the experience as is evidenced by what most would normally agree are, "petty" acts.

The young muslim woman is doing good work and there many others just like her but, is it too little too late? Are we beyond the point of no return? IOW's, have the forces and influences of extreme Islam taken western civilization & moderate Islam beyond the point at which the ultimate cultural backlash becomes inevitable regardless?

[Fido]

.... The problem is, how much more do we give to accomodate the muslim culture? ....

How have you been personally inconvenienced so far?

[GDR]

Already answered that!

The correct path in my opinion is to petition the league for a rule change and the commissioner of the league to make a decision…period!

How would you propose they do that? They have competed in past years with no difficulty and right before the tournament they are advised that there had been a meeting that morning where the decision was made.

Defcon is right that there is a backlash and we all understand the reason for it. That doesn't make it right.

[DEFCON]

Fido

I don't believe I was making any form of personal complaint?

Regardless, I was just expressing my view as to the rational behind the public's apparent need to create and the media's need to report on these ever more frequent "petty" little events.

[handyman]

How would you propose they do that? They have competed in past years with no difficulty and right before the tournament they are advised that there had been a meeting that morning where the decision was made.

Defcon is right that there is a backlash and we all understand the reason for it. That doesn't make it right.

Obviously this year the ref is enforcing a rule so I propose they petition the league or ruling body to make an official ruling allowing the headgear. Trying to make a stink story using the media creates more discrimination due to backlash.

[Guest rattler]

Although I believe that those wanting to change the rules should do so through their sporting organization and not through the press, I do have a question.

Is this type of action / reaction (rule enforcement) limited to Quebec or is it happening (unreported) in the rest of Canada?

One point re sports and religious wear. Coached soccer for a number of years and quite frequently the referees were put into the position of telling players that they could not play with neckwear (chains, crucifixes etc) and never did see any press report regarding the suppression of the player’s religious rights.

[Guest rattler]

Hmmm, seems that religious freedom has validity in our courts as the following judgement illustrates. You have to wonder if a member of this sect was arrested, would the police be able to take a mug shot? Are they also exempt from showing picture ID when travelling by air? Will the Mormon sect in Bountiful now have, since their religion allows it, the right to multiple wives. ........... and the beat goes on. A legacy of the repatriation of our constitution and the subsequent "Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms" that was not anticipated.

Alberta Hurrerites Win Right To Have No Photograph On Drivers' License

May 18, 2007 7:32 a.m. EST

Marta Cyperling - AHN News Writer

Edmonton, Alta (AHN) - Alberta Hurrerites have won the right to be issued a provincial driver's license with no corresponding photograph. The province's court of appeal agreed with their argument that having their photograph taken violated their religious rights.

Members of the colony say their religion states "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image".

The Alberta government once allowed 450 people in the province to hold licenses without photographs based on religious objections. But in 2003 the province changed the regulations when the Alberta government required all drivers' licenses to have photographs in an effort to create a provincial database of faces to prevent one person from holding more than one license.

That's when the legal struggle began. Sam Wurz of the Wilson Springs Colony in southern Alberta from was pulled over while driving and when it was discovered there was no photo on his ID he was fined $230 for driving without a valid license.

According to the Canadian Press, in the appeal, the province argued that too many people would take advantage of a religious exception rule, which make the face database less useful and jeopardizes public security.

However, the majority of judges said they doubted there would be a rush of applicants wanting an ID with no photograph.

Judge Conrad said "if three years ago there were 453 Albertans who wished to drive but were unable, for religious reasons, to be photographed, there will be a similar number of people in that same position today."

Service Alberta spokesperson Eoin Kenny did indicate there would be a process to fulfill the request and "they would have to prove that they are long-standing and known beliefs...the registrar would have to make a decision based on the validity of the claim."

The Canadian press describes Hurrerites as a Christian Anabaptist sect who live in farm commune communities across the Prairies. Although they eagerly embrace some aspects of today's world, such as cars and modern farm technologies, they reject others.

[DEFCON]

"Will the Mormon sect in Bountiful now have, since their religion allows it, the right to multiple wives"

Why not? Gay's can marry and that's okay? What about the guy that moves in with three women and sire's children by them? He never marries and yet the law would probably treat him as if he was (common law relationship)?

This drivers licence picture issue is political bs! Driving is a privilege not a right.

[handyman]

"Will the Mormon sect in Bountiful now have, since their religion allows it, the right to multiple wives"

Why not? Gay's can marry and that's okay? What about the guy that moves in with three women and sire's children by them? He never marries and yet the law would probably treat him as if he was (common law relationship)?

This drivers licence picture issue is political bs! Driving is a privilege not a right.

I have no problem with them not having a picture on thier license. What the court should say is that the license will no longer be sufficient for official identification and for this another item must be carried that has a picture!