Sikhs had been invited to join other religious leaders for a 45-minute meeting with Benedict on April 17 in Washington to express a shared commitment to peace. But the Secret Service would not allow the Sikhs to carry a kirpaan, which resembles a small sword or dagger.
The kirpaan "represents the Sikh commitment to resist oppression and injustice" and is to be carried "only in a defensive posture and never to initiate confrontation," according to the World Sikh Council-America Region.
Isn't that a bit like telling diners at a restaurant that they can't have access to steak knives? "You'd normally be able to use a knife to cut your meat, but by definition a knife is a weapon, so you'll have to forget your cultural practices of eating with utensils and start ripping the steak up with your bare hands. For safety reasons."
Lord help us learn to trust each other.
No comments:
Post a Comment