Quote:
Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate
Disagree completely. As the "I am Canadian" beer ad says, "We believe in diversity, NOT assimilation". I agree with "come here and adhere to our laws", but what are these "social norms" that they have to adhere to? Last time I pushed this point I was told that immigrants don't shovel their driveway in winter. Is that what it comes down to? You can come to Canada so long as you shovel your driveway?
I don't expect Muslims that come here to stop watching soccer and start watching hockey. I don't expect them to stop eating their traditional cuisine in favour of burgers and donuts. I don't even expect them to change the way they dress. If a Sikh desires to wear a turban, so be it.
As for keeping your religion in the home or in the place of worship, I don't think that is possible or fair. Why can Christians celebrate their religion outside the home, but Muslims cannot? And religion is what gives people their value systems... how can you ask people to follow their value systems only in their homes and in their place of worship?
In everything, I go back to the Star Trek "Sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one. Sometimes the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many." If the values of a community clash with the laws of Canada, then of course the needs of the majority outweigh the needs of the minority. But if my work team, which includes a Muslim member, wants to go out for a celebratory lunch and I can put the lunch either the day before or the day after Ramadahn starts, I'll put it the day before.
In the case of the guy that doesn't want to take the martial arts class, his needs to not be in a class with women are outweighed by the needs of the women in the class to be treated as equals.
If we can accomodate people with different behaviours and values without infringing on our own rights then we should. Diversity of opinions, ideas, behaviours... they are not things to be curtailed, but rather embraced.
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Meh. IMO I don't care if it's religious based or not it's sexist. If this was a white supremacist telling the black guy to stand on the other side of the room we would be all over him calling him out for being scum. The truth is that there's really no different here as like it or not it's still a man following his beliefs whether we agree with them or not.
Human rights come first, then law and religion trailing. End of story.