Quebec enacts legislation to prohibit government employees from wearing religious items at work. (Christians, America)

[Julian658]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Not everyone. Just the people who want to do certain specific jobs which exercise authority (in the name of the state) over their fellow citizens.

In the airport there are many security female employees covering the hair. It does not bother me at all. What is the point? I don't judge people according to the group they belong. Who is upset about this?

[mordant]

I happen to be in Quebec at the moment, spending a couple of weeks on a working vacation and I did this last summer as well. One thing I've picked up on at least in Quebec City is that some of this may well be an abreaction to the historically heavy-handed, overreaching influence of Roman Catholicism here. The locals seem to almost take joy in doing things like repurposing a church as a public library, and heavily advertise how the RC influence here is a mere whispery shadow of its former self that they have long since moved on from. The few people I've approached the subject with, seem to want to distance themselves from religion and reassure me that they're entirely secular. This is a very small sampling and I am seeing it from the curious perspective of a person used to all the religious bull**** in the US, so my perspective is more, rather than less, likely to be skewed or incomplete. But I offer it up for whatever it's worth. This law seems entirely consistent with my impression of Quebecois falling all over themselves to be non-religious.

I agree with others that the law is overreaching and will probably be negated at some point.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Julian658

In the airport there are many security female employees covering the hair. It does not bother me at all. What is the point? I don't judge people according to the group they belong. Who is upset about this?

You are entitled to your opinion.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by mordant

I agree with others that the law is overreaching and will probably be negated at some point.

For reasons I explained upthread, this would be difficult legally and especially politically.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by mordant

I happen to be in Quebec at the moment, spending a couple of weeks on a working vacation and I did this last summer as well. One thing I've picked up on at least in Quebec City is that some of this may well be an abreaction to the historically heavy-handed, overreaching influence of Roman Catholicism here. The locals seem to almost take joy in doing things like repurposing a church as a public library, and heavily advertise how the RC influence here is a mere whispery shadow of its former self that they have long since moved on from. The few people I've approached the subject with, seem to want to distance themselves from religion and reassure me that they're entirely secular. This is a very small sampling and I am seeing it from the curious perspective of a person used to all the religious bull**** in the US, so my perspective is more, rather than less, likely to be skewed or incomplete. But I offer it up for whatever it's worth. This law seems entirely consistent with my impression of Quebecois falling all over themselves to be non-religious.

.

This is actually a pretty good assessment of the mindset of many here in Quebec.

[TRANSPONDER]

Originally Posted by mordant

I happen to be in Quebec at the moment, spending a couple of weeks on a working vacation and I did this last summer as well. One thing I've picked up on at least in Quebec City is that some of this may well be an abreaction to the historically heavy-handed, overreaching influence of Roman Catholicism here. The locals seem to almost take joy in doing things like repurposing a church as a public library, and heavily advertise how the RC influence here is a mere whispery shadow of its former self that they have long since moved on from. The few people I've approached the subject with, seem to want to distance themselves from religion and reassure me that they're entirely secular. This is a very small sampling and I am seeing it from the curious perspective of a person used to all the religious bull**** in the US, so my perspective is more, rather than less, likely to be skewed or incomplete. But I offer it up for whatever it's worth. This law seems entirely consistent with my impression of Quebecois falling all over themselves to be non-religious.

I agree with others that the law is overreaching and will probably be negated at some point.

That is very much the impression I get about the feeling towards religion in the UK. If a church is turned into a wine -bar or apartments, we are mildly amused and not displeased. And nobody much regrets the disappearance of the religious or religion -inspired attempts at puritan censorship (longford -whitehouse/ the Life of Brian Boycott)- to be blunt about it.

As to how this measure turns out, I expect it to fail - for practical rather than ideal reasons. I am not persuaded by the protests that this is somehow selling democratic rule of law down the river. Or caving in to terrorism. Maybe it's my prejudices showing but I seem to hear the voices of Christians (cultural or actual) demanding that hijabs be stripped off at need but Cross- symbols be displayed whenever it is desired.

'Discriminatory? But Canada is a Christian country.'

[Grandstander]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Any government that would let this drive its decision making is unworthy of exercising power.

A government which failed to consider all the possible ramifications of a potential law, would be unworthy of exercising power. A government which was aware that a potential law might trigger a violent reaction, and failed to prepare for that potential reaction, is unworthy of exercising power.

You describe a "Damn the consequences, we're gonna do whatever we like" government where the only virtue is toughness.

[TRANSPONDER]

Originally Posted by Grandstander

A government which failed to consider all the possible ramifications of a potential law, would be unworthy of exercising power. A government which was aware that a potential law might trigger a violent reaction, and failed to prepare for that potential reaction, is unworthy of exercising power.

You describe a "Damn the consequences, we're gonna do whatever we like" government where the only virtue is toughness.

ain't that the truth. And now there are fears of the 'Brexit' party taking over the UK Conservative party.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by TRANSPONDER

That is very much the impression I get about the feeling towards religion in the UK. If a church is turned into a wine -bar or apartments, we are mildly amused and not displeased. And nobody much regrets the disappearance of the religious or religion -inspired attempts at puritan censorship (longford -whitehouse/ the Life of Brian Boycott)- to be blunt about it.

As to how this measure turns out, I expect it to fail - for practical rather than ideal reasons. I am not persuaded by the protests that this is somehow selling democratic rule of law down the river. Or caving in to terrorism. Maybe it's my prejudices showing but I seem to hear the voices of Christians (cultural or actual) demanding that hijabs be stripped off at need but Cross- symbols be displayed whenever it is desired.

'Discriminatory? But Canada is a Christian country.'

The wearing of crosses by public employees in positions of authority is not exempted from this law either.


As for displaying crosses all over the place, no new crosses or religious names have been bestowed upon anything "public" in Quebec in many decades.


Yes we have a large amount of "legacy" crosses and religious names as does most any western society. This is true of the rest of Canada as well. I mean crosses feature prominently on the coat of arms of Canada itself and the federal parliament.


We don't have to chip away in the stone décor of century-old buildings and change every town that has a "Saint" in its name just because we don't want to accept FGM, child marriages and burqa/niqab wearing juges and cops, all in the name of egalitarian religious freedom.


And BTW, the cross that is above the speaker's chair in the Quebec national assembly *will* be removed as part of these measures, in keeping with the principle of church and state being kept separate.

[TRANSPONDER]

Thank you. of course i was referring to the mindset of the Christian (or Christian -sympathizer) who sees pro -Christian discrimination as right and proper. If they have little support in Canada and the measures can work, that's all to the good.