Saturday, November 14, 2009

More Human Rights and Historical Revisionism


Human rights advocates have yet to learn that one does not promote tolerance of a minority by offending the majority.

On November 3, the European Court of Human Rights, acting on a single complaint, ordered the removal of crucifixes from all Italian schools because they were a"violation of the freedom of the parents to educate their children according to their own convictions and of the religious freedom of students."

[In an ironic aside, Germany, Sweden and Norway have rescinded this "freedom of parents" by criminalizing homeschooling. Parents have gone to jail for this offence. One family has been granted U.S. refugee status. See my later posts about these countries.]

The court said nothing about the rights and convictions and religious freedom of parents who want to educate their children in sight of a crucifix. Now we have the illogic of religious freedom of a minority being used to curtail that of the majority.  Fortunately, the order was overturned after a costly on appeal.

These politically correct human rights ideologues are in good company. The last time the crucifix was banned in Europe, it was by the Communists. And the time before that, by the Nazis. At least, the latter two did not hide behind legal gobbledegook.

If not staunched, bleeding-heart, zero tolerance, and equality zealots will destroy the unique character of every nation. Next, will be a ban on all religious symbols visible from public property, the ringing of church bells which may be heard on public property, and the registration of religions. Such violations of freedom exist today in certain Muslim and Communist countries.

In Canada, we have intimations of it. During the Vancouver Olympics, all signs, banners and displays, even on private property, not approved by the Olympic despots were banned by law. This censorship was enforced by the Vancouver police whose salaries were paid for by the very citizens whose freedom of expression was denied.

Back in Europe, minority complaints are already being heard about the the Union Jack with its composite crosses of Saints George, Andrew and Patrick. Next, the dozen other European flags which include the cross, then the Red Cross. How about refusing any ballot marked with a cross rather than an x? Stupidity, even of solemn judges, must never be underestimated. Politically correct too often means socially inept.

We are left to wonder if such judges and human righters are in fact self-loathing activists. These ecumaniacs believe any other religion, culture or point of view must be better than their own. In her book Islam, Karen Armstrong cherry-picks her way through Islamic history to produce a shallow apology for the historical violence committed in the name of that religion.

In The Evolution of God, journalists Robert Wright fairly grovels to explain the spread of early Islam. He excuses Mohammed's raiding of caravans with the observation that contemporary Arabic likely did not contain the word "robbery". Wright does not explain how they translated Thou shall not steal. After all, Mohammad did claim belief in the Jewish bible.

Wrong-headed do-gooders believe that everything must be reduced to the lowest common denominator. Mediocrity assures that no one will be offended, other than by boredom. Activists want the United Nations to declare that gender is a social, not biological, construct. Imagine the mischief that will flow from that, never mind confusion in the washrooms of the nation.

In an Orwellian scenario, human rights commissars will one day ban religious art and artefacts now on exhibit in art galleries and museums. The excuse will be that these institutions are beneficiaries of public money. It is hardly reductio ad absurdum to fear that some day our homes will be subject to approval. After all, we are beneficiaries of the state. And the Ontario Human Rights Commission already has the authority to censor homeschooling materials.

Such home inspections occur, usually by government-approved mobs, in India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Egypt. After the "inspection,"homes are looted then burned to the ground, while the police arrest the homeowners for causing a disturbance.

Equity legislation favours minority groups, while over-riding the wishes of the majority. Human rights advocates rarely (never) speak of minority responsibility, tolerance and accommodation. According to Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, "Minorities must know their place. We must respect minorities, but also protect the rights of majorities."