Sikhs Allowed To Carry Kirpan (knives) To Olympic Events

TenPenny

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Sure the number of potential fatalities is the deciding factor, Zan. It is called risk assessment. We do risk assessment every day in our life. If the risk is negligible, we do something, if the risk is high, we don’t. Is that really difficult to understand? Let me give you two examples.

When you get in your car, into the drivers seat, there is a finite possibility, that your brakes may fail while you are driving, your car may go out of control due to some reason, you may get hit by an out of control truck etc. and you may die (or be seriously injured in a car crash). But I assume you still drive a car.

Or when you go to a restaurant, there is a finite possibility that an insane, mentally deranged cook or waiter may spit in your food before serving it to you. What is more, if he happens to have some disease which can be transmitted through saliva, you will catch it. But you haven’t stopped going to restaurants (I assume).

Before we do something, we routinely ask the question, what is the risk involved? If the risk is negligible, we do it, if risk is substantial, we don’t.

In this instance, the Olympic Committee has decided that the risk is negligible and I respect their right to make such a judgment. Personally I think the probability of getting hurt in a car accident is much greater than becoming a victim of kirpan violence. But people haven’t stopped driving.

So yes, the number of potential fatalities (along with the consideration that there has not been a single incidence involving kirpan) is very much the deciding factor.

In other words, it's not about being treated equally under the law.
 

SirJosephPorter

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if someone with a kirpan stabs someone else at the olympics you better hope he is another sihk, cause those christians will be grabbing there rifles, and demanding it for protection against there faith :)


If that happens, that will be the end of Sikhs being permitted to carry kirpan in a public place. And that is why I don’t see it happening.
 

SirJosephPorter

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SJP
Stabbings do cause substantial and life threatening injuries - But your comment of not seeing 3 ft Kirpans - same type of Liberal arrogance and exaggeration - remember the Gun Registry - costed by Liberals 2 Million - Now over 2 Billion - so I can understand that the Liberal mentality has trouble grasping facts - http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/091026/canada/canada_britishcolumbia_bc_east_vancouver_random_stabbing
5 Random stabbings
Five people stabbed in Lethbridge bar fight

5 People stabbed

Five injured in Mississauga school knife fight - Posted Toronto

4 students -1 teacher stabbed

I thought we were discussing violence caused by a kirpan, Goober and not knife fights in general. Are there knife fights in the bar? Sure they take place. But that is not the subject under discussion here; we are talking about violence involving a 3 inch kirpan.

As to not seeing a 3 ft kirpan, I repeat my comment. I am not aware that they will permit the Sikhs to carry 3 ft kirpan into the Olympic stadium.
 

SirJosephPorter

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SJP what the hell is worng with you do you argue with people just because you can argue about it? Enjoy arguing semantics?

It is not arguing semantics, Jonnny; I think I represent the position of many people. Don’t go by this discussion board. In the population at large, there is no controversy about this. Nobody has gone to court; nobody has demanded that Olympic Committee rethink their position on this.

Most of the people seem to be OK with the compromise reached by the Olympic Committee. So I think my position is the majority position, the opposing views here notwithstanding.
 

SirJosephPorter

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So people have freedom of religion at the Olympics, but not on airplanes? That's your reasoning now?


I have explained my position before this, TenPenny. We have freedom of religion in this country, and that gives the Sikhs the right to carry kirpan. Based upon safety considerations, it may be necessary to place some restrictions on this right or to cancel it altogether in some instances (like on an airplane).

In this respect, kirpan s totally different from a rifle. The starting position is that people don’t have the right to carry a rifle. The starting position is that Sikhs have a right to carry kirpan. Then the question is where and how is that right abridged?

These things are decided on a case by case basis. Sikhs have freedom of religion everywhere, but in some instances it may have to be curtailed for safety sake (like on an airplane).



These things are decided on a case by case basis. Sikhs have freedom of religion everywhere, but in some instances it may have to be curtailed for safety sake (like on an airplane).
 

DaSleeper

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We all know that Sikhs have special privileges because Canada, the politically correct country, bends over for every bloody religion in the world except the ones that founded this country; what most are saying here is that they shouldn't.
But sir SJP here is gonna put forth the same arguments over and over and over again ad nauseum for another 200 posts:roll:
 
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TenPenny

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I have explained my position before this, TenPenny. We have freedom of religion in this country, and that gives the Sikhs the right to carry kirpan. Based upon safety considerations, it may be necessary to place some restrictions on this right or to cancel it altogether in some instances (like on an airplane).

In this respect, kirpan s totally different from a rifle. The starting position is that people don’t have the right to carry a rifle. The starting position is that Sikhs have a right to carry kirpan. Then the question is where and how is that right abridged?

These things are decided on a case by case basis. Sikhs have freedom of religion everywhere, but in some instances it may have to be curtailed for safety sake (like on an airplane).



These things are decided on a case by case basis. Sikhs have freedom of religion everywhere, but in some instances it may have to be curtailed for safety sake (like on an airplane).

So in other words, the Charter right to freedom of religion isn't an absolute right, it's more of a whenever-it's-convenient sort of right.
 

SirJosephPorter

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So in other words, the Charter right to freedom of religion isn't an absolute right, it's more of a whenever-it's-convenient sort of right.


Charter of Rights gives us some absolute rights (right to life, right to free speech, freedom of religion etc.). But then the question is, how are these rights exercised in practice? Sometimes one right conflicts with another, how do you resolve the situation then?

In this case, the two rights, freedom of religion and right to safety (or right to life) clash. When right to safety is in danger, freedom of religion must take a back seat, as it does when it comes to carrying a kirpan in airplanes. But when safety is not in danger (as Sikh carrying a small kirpan concealed beneath the clothes and in a difficult to reach manner), then freedom of religion becomes paramount.

These are complex questions, TenPenny, with no black and white answers. That is why they should be answered on a case by case basis, and it helps if both sides act in a reasonable, responsible manner (as they did in the present case).
 

TenPenny

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Charter of Rights gives us some absolute rights (right to life, right to free speech, freedom of religion etc.). But then the question is, how are these rights exercised in practice? Sometimes one right conflicts with another, how do you resolve the situation then?

In this case, the two rights, freedom of religion and right to safety (or right to life) clash. When right to safety is in danger, freedom of religion must take a back seat, as it does when it comes to carrying a kirpan in airplanes. But when safety is not in danger (as Sikh carrying a small kirpan concealed beneath the clothes and in a difficult to reach manner), then freedom of religion becomes paramount.

These are complex questions, TenPenny, with no black and white answers. That is why they should be answered on a case by case basis, and it helps if both sides act in a reasonable, responsible manner (as they did in the present case).

As I said, the right to freedom of religion isn't absolute, and I'm glad you agree with me. If it was absolute, it would trump everything else. But it doesn't. Or at least, the carrying-concealed-weapons aspect of the freedom of religion isn't absolute, it's at the discretion of the government.
 

AnnaG

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As an agnostic, I'd be fine with that too. But should we really have to go that far? If we could just try and breath a little life into the corpse of common sense, surely we could figure out the difference between a sacred accoutrement designed and intended to enhance religious practice... and a weapon.
A lot of those kirpans are just for looks as they are dull, from what I understand. I suppose that is up to the Sikh's individual preferences.
As I keep pointing out, one can use almost anything as a weapon, even a rolled up magazine. That Bible of my Mum's must weigh 10 kilograms, get swatted in the head with that and it would do damage. People carry pens and pencils around. Fishing line, piano wire, guitar wire, etc. can be used as a garotte. Solid wooden canes are common. My Irish ancestors used to use blackthorn canes as weapons and my other ancestors used clubs made from tree branches with nodes on them. North America is paranoid. There's a boogie man under every bed and in each shadow. The terrorists have won and most people don't realize it.
 
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AnnaG

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You obviously are not a mystery fan, Kreskin. Anyway, somebody explained what a garrote is in another post.

A garrote is usually a piano wire.
Ah, so you are an expert strangler now, too? How would you know what is favored? I think various people like various different things to use as their tools. I think you watch too many movies. lmao
 

AnnaG

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The question was
Ask your wife the doctor how much damage a blade of 3 inches can cause - Sliced throat, leg arteiries, heart average person and weight - eyes - and brain located behind eyes -
As to the ones that would take this person out - when groups are attacked the survival instinct kick in along with panic
Exactly, and apparently the panic is still kicked in. People jumping at boogiemen in the shadows, looking under beds for monsters, etc. And then we turn around and pollute our world like crazy. Save an individual and wipe out hundreds of thousands. If it wasn't so pathetic it would be funny.
 

AnnaG

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So in other words, the Charter right to freedom of religion isn't an absolute right, it's more of a whenever-it's-convenient sort of right.
Apparently that's the way our governments (and the Oly ISU) see it.
 

Outta here

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A lot of those kirpans are just for looks as they are dull, from what I understand. I suppose that is up to the Sikh's individual preferences.
As I keep pointing out, one can use almost anything as a weapon, even a rolled up magazine. That Bible of my Mum's must weigh 10 kilograms, get swatted in the head with that and it would do damage. People carry pens and pencils around. Fishing line, piano wire, guitar wire, etc. can be used as a garotte. Solid wooden canes are common. My Irish ancestors used to use blackthorn canes as weapons and my other ancestors used clubs made from tree branches with nodes on them. North America is paranoid. There's a boogie man under every bed and in each shadow. The terrorists have won and most people don't realize it.

Again, while I see your point, I do think there's a greater principle being mangled here and a great deal of pretending that there isn't.
 

AnnaG

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Again, while I see your point, I do think there's a greater principle being mangled here and a great deal of pretending that there isn't.
It happens all the time. I doubt it will ever stop happening. If Canada was mostly Sikh, others would not have the same advantages as Sikhs. If it was a predominantly Buddhist country, we'd all be better off, I think. But Canada is predominantly whiny Christian and paleface lol and our governments love catering to the minorities.
 

Risus

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Well, I won't be going to the Olympics anyways, so I don't give a ratsbutt if they carry kirpans or not...
 

AnnaG

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Well, I won't be going to the Olympics anyways, so I don't give a ratsbutt if they carry kirpans or not...
Me either.

I might think about supporting an Olympic event if things like education and health weren't cut, but when the expense is not spared for the Olys and someone like Campbull makes cuts in education and health, I am dead set against them.