Canada - Greatest nation for Sikhs?
I know 'multiculturalism' is one of the liberal reasons to like Canada, but its really the only solid reason that I like Canada at all. And I'm not referring to state-sponsored multiculturalism programs, just so you know...
I'm able to practice my religion more freely here in Canada, than in any other nation in the entire world. Most people don't realize that. America, UK, Australia and some other English commonwealth nations are probably second, but they're not as 'free' in a lot of ways.
I know that the liberals have ruined some of this in the past few years when they rammed through the hate-crime legislation that included homosexuality (thus potentially classifying the bible as hate-literature) and the potential in the future for forcing or pressuring churches, temples or mosques to perform same-sex weddings is also troublesome, but I don't think either of these issues is as severe and real as others see them.
However, on the whole, there's a lot to appreciate in Canada's diversity. I grew up (from Kindergarted to Grade 10) attending a Sikh private school--the only real Sikh private school with a state/provincial cirriculum in the entire continent. Even when I did attend public school, the only comments that I received about my appearance were positive and encouraging. For show and tell (something we did in Grade 12! - in public school), I would bring Sikh swords to class, something nearly impossible to imagine in American public schools. My principal and my teachers were GLAD to see me wearing my religious clothing to school, which includes my kirpaan (dagger).
There's also been a welcome culture shift in high schools in recent years. Back in the '80s and even through most of the '90s, Sikh kids cut their hair often. In my experiences at least, this is becoming much less common. I've heard so many stories of Sikh students cutting their hair, and then being scolded by their WHITE friends and also even by their hair-cutting Sikh/Punjabi friends for "selling out" - I don't really understand it, but I think its funny. Sikh students are becoming more appreciated for their diversity in Canadian schools. This isn't really the case in other countries--including the Sikh homeland in Punjab.
My brother is a salesperson in my parent's wholesale import company, and he spent a whole two weeks, travelling rural Alberta this past summer, the supposedly "American" part of Canada, yet all of his experiences were positive and left him more appreciative than ever of Canadian society.
I don't know what else to say--I'm not bashing America though. I think the vast majority of Americans are pretty tolerant, yet a significant minority in America makes things difficult for a lot of minorities. In addition, the whole "security environment" causes well-meaning people to over-react in a lot of situations, and I'm not referring to the "patriot act", I'm referring to basic, usually small, oversteps by American police officers and border officials.
Anyways... on the whole, Canada is a pretty cool place--relative to the rest of the world. I wouldn't say its the best country in the world, but it really could be if Canadians just grew up a bit about other issues; if Canadians stopped being such whiney, loserish, anti-Americans and matured just a bit into responsible, mature and most importantly honest (honest about our flaws, our identity issues, our jealousy and misunderstanding of American power, etc.) people, Canada would undoubtedly be the world's greatest nation.
I'm able to practice my religion more freely here in Canada, than in any other nation in the entire world. Most people don't realize that. America, UK, Australia and some other English commonwealth nations are probably second, but they're not as 'free' in a lot of ways.
I know that the liberals have ruined some of this in the past few years when they rammed through the hate-crime legislation that included homosexuality (thus potentially classifying the bible as hate-literature) and the potential in the future for forcing or pressuring churches, temples or mosques to perform same-sex weddings is also troublesome, but I don't think either of these issues is as severe and real as others see them.
However, on the whole, there's a lot to appreciate in Canada's diversity. I grew up (from Kindergarted to Grade 10) attending a Sikh private school--the only real Sikh private school with a state/provincial cirriculum in the entire continent. Even when I did attend public school, the only comments that I received about my appearance were positive and encouraging. For show and tell (something we did in Grade 12! - in public school), I would bring Sikh swords to class, something nearly impossible to imagine in American public schools. My principal and my teachers were GLAD to see me wearing my religious clothing to school, which includes my kirpaan (dagger).
There's also been a welcome culture shift in high schools in recent years. Back in the '80s and even through most of the '90s, Sikh kids cut their hair often. In my experiences at least, this is becoming much less common. I've heard so many stories of Sikh students cutting their hair, and then being scolded by their WHITE friends and also even by their hair-cutting Sikh/Punjabi friends for "selling out" - I don't really understand it, but I think its funny. Sikh students are becoming more appreciated for their diversity in Canadian schools. This isn't really the case in other countries--including the Sikh homeland in Punjab.
My brother is a salesperson in my parent's wholesale import company, and he spent a whole two weeks, travelling rural Alberta this past summer, the supposedly "American" part of Canada, yet all of his experiences were positive and left him more appreciative than ever of Canadian society.
I don't know what else to say--I'm not bashing America though. I think the vast majority of Americans are pretty tolerant, yet a significant minority in America makes things difficult for a lot of minorities. In addition, the whole "security environment" causes well-meaning people to over-react in a lot of situations, and I'm not referring to the "patriot act", I'm referring to basic, usually small, oversteps by American police officers and border officials.
Anyways... on the whole, Canada is a pretty cool place--relative to the rest of the world. I wouldn't say its the best country in the world, but it really could be if Canadians just grew up a bit about other issues; if Canadians stopped being such whiney, loserish, anti-Americans and matured just a bit into responsible, mature and most importantly honest (honest about our flaws, our identity issues, our jealousy and misunderstanding of American power, etc.) people, Canada would undoubtedly be the world's greatest nation.
posted by Japnaam Singh at
9:02 PM
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