Injustice For All Is Justice: Sikhs, Jews, Catholics lose rights because of Muslims

What do Sikhs, Jews, Catholics and Mennonites have in common? We all know they are monotheists, what else? All of them were deprived of certain rights or privileges in Western societies because of the Muslims!

Even though this sounds bizzare, it is true.

France and the Hijab Ban

In France, a ban on the religious headscarf in schools and public workers have been enacted for sometime. Although it was worded as  a ban on overt religious symbols, it was specifically targetting young Muslim women in school.

For a semblance of fairness, other religions had to give up dress that is also religious. So, the Sikh turban, one of the 5 K symbols of that faith, had to be also banned. 

Ontario Arbitration Act

In Ontario, Jews and Catholics have used the Arbitration Act since the early 1990s to resolve issues relating to Family Law. Jews used the Halacha, which is religious Jewish Law derived from the Torah and the Talmud. The Catholics use Church Canon Law. All of these are religiously derived. Mennonites and Ismaili Muslims have also practiced this as well.

This act is based on voluntary arbitration, since both parties must agree to a third party arbitrator, otherwise, the matter has to be before an Ontario court.

Muslims then applied to get the permission to resolve family matters based on Sharia Law. Although the process of granting this should have been automatic, give that other religious groups have practiced it  for over a decade, it was  not to be that easy.

The government of Ontario appointed Marion Boyd to study the matter. She issued a report titled Dispute Resolution in Family Law: Protecting Choice, Promoting Inclusion recommending that this be applied to Muslims as well.

However, there was severe objection from groups not affected by the matter, but have an axe to grind against Muslims. In a post Septemerb 11 world, nothing about Islam or Muslims could be positive. Campaigns were started, some by Muslims, for example, International Campaign against Sharia Law in Canada. 

Dalton Mcguinty, the Premier of Ontario, bowed to the pressure, in effect saying that he'd rather deprive that right from those who had it for more than a decade rather than grant it to Muslims.

Religious Holidays in some US schools

Some Florida schools are moving to end the practice of religious holidays rather than grant it to all groups. For example, Hillsbourough schools in Tampa are doing this.  On October 26, 2005, it came to pass that no religious holidays will be taken.

Again, rather than grant Muslims something that other faiths already have, it seems more acceptable nowadays to deprive everyone of that right.

Another case of the twisted logic of injustice for all is justice.