BC Getting Tough on Helmet Laws

[OpenGambit]

killing people is part of my religion. these bs canadian murder laws infringe upon my freedom

Good luck with that.

[eastcoast_gsx]

I don't think that the law, or legislators should be drawing a line in the sand about whats a religious tenet and whats not

and I said that you are free to do that. As stated above, all you have to do is not wear a helmet, get a ticket, go to court and argue you should be given the same exemption.

Ok, if I went in and said that I had a vision and in that vision my "god" told me it was forbidden to cover my head at all, no hats, no helmets, no nadda, I would be laughed out of the court room, no matter how genuine I believed in this tennant. (probably ordered for a psych exam as well)

So in direct contradiction to your first post, someone has in fact made a judgement as to the legal applications of my religious beliefs. I agree with your first post and this is my point that these folks CANNOT and SHOULD NOT make this distinction, but that does not seem to be the case.... The more we allow seperate and distinct application of societies laws, the more fragmented we will become, guarenteed.

All for one, and one for all.

[OpenGambit]

Ok, if I went in and said that I had a vision and in that vision my "god" told me it was forbidden to cover my head at all, no hats, no helmets, no nadda, I would be laughed out of the court room, no matter how genuine I believed in this tennant. (probably ordered for a psych exam as well)

So in direct contradiction to your first post, someone has in fact made a judgement as to the legal applications of my religious beliefs. I agree with your first post and this is my point that these folks CANNOT and SHOULD NOT make this distinction, but that does not seem to be the case.... The more we allow seperate and distinct application of societies laws, the more fragmented we will become, guarenteed.

All for one, and one for all.

Context.

the first statement is made in the context of trying to put a particular belief in a box of "religous" or "cultural". Its not the same point.

regardless, I don't really care how the law develops in this area. I just say what it is.

[jay-d]

Sigh..

Eastcoast, it's easy to speculate and say that my religion says this and says that and you can fight for your beliefs, for sure! I believe it takes 12 followers to start your own religion and by all means if that's something you really believe in, then make it happen!

Sikh's on the other hand, we're about 300+ years old, we've fought countless battles. The turban is a huge (and I cannot stress that enough) part of our faith. Our ancestors have bled, died, starved, and were tortured, to be able to express our faith and wear a turban. It's engraved in is.

I grew up in Chatham, ON, the ONLY Sikh (along with my brother) and the amount of racism that I've witnessed is insane. This is why we moved to Mississauga, where a diverse society exists. I don't follow or practice Sikhism, though I love playing the part externally because it's made me a much more confident person. If I was practicing Sikhism to it's fullest, then I too would probably fight for an exemption in Ontario because of the history.

It's a difficult thing to debate, and as the saying goes, you'll never understand it because you'll never walk a mile in our shoes.

[GayManLoveIsOK]

hmmm...i have an issue with the helmet law allowing turbans...if the person wearing the turban rides a motorbike, has an accident resulting in a head injury, and then requires costly treatment that could have been prevented if he wore a proper helmet...then everyone has to pay for it. had he been treated equally and therefore required to wear a proper helmet, we might have been spared this costly incident...if you are going to be exempt, then why does everyone else have to pay for it?

[OpenGambit]

Its always easy for other people to take the "its just a hat" point. When its clearly not like that at all.

Religious percecution was a big part in the founding of North America.

[OpenGambit]

hmmm...i have an issue with the helmet law allowing turbans...if the person wearing the turban rides a motorbike, has an accident resulting in a head injury, and then requires costly treatment that could have been prevented if he wore a proper helmet...then everyone has to pay for it. had he been treated equally and therefore required to wear a proper helmet, we might have been spared this costly incident...if you are going to be exempt, then why does everyone else have to pay for it?

you pay for other people's beliefs and choices all the time. I am sure I am paying for yours.

[jay-d]

hmmm...i have an issue with the helmet law allowing turbans...if the person wearing the turban rides a motorbike, has an accident resulting in a head injury, and then requires costly treatment that could have been prevented if he wore a proper helmet...then everyone has to pay for it. had he been treated equally and therefore required to wear a proper helmet, we might have been spared this costly incident...if you are going to be exempt, then why does everyone else have to pay for it?

Why are we allowed to ride squid then?

This argument has no basis really because if that's how healthcare worked, then we'd all be living in a bubble.

[EngineerJoe]

and I said that you are free to do that. As stated above, all you have to do is not wear a helmet, get a ticket, go to court and argue you should be given the same exemption.

Although we agree, this is not a risk I want to take...

Sigh..

Eastcoast, it's easy to speculate and say that my religion says this and says that and you can fight for your beliefs, for sure! I believe it takes 12 followers to start your own religion and by all means if that's something you really believe in, then make it happen!

Sikh's on the other hand, we're about 300+ years old, we've fought countless battles. The turban is a huge (and I cannot stress that enough) part of our faith. Our ancestors have bled, died, starved, and were tortured, to be able to express our faith and wear a turban. It's engraved in is.

I grew up in Chatham, ON, the ONLY Sikh (along with my brother) and the amount of racism that I've witnessed is insane. This is why we moved to Mississauga, where a diverse society exists. I don't follow or practice Sikhism, though I love playing the part externally because it's made me a much more confident person. If I was practicing Sikhism to it's fullest, then I too would probably fight for an exemption in Ontario because of the history.

It's a difficult thing to debate, and as the saying goes, you'll never understand it because you'll never walk a mile in our shoes.

Growing up in Windsor with immigrant parents, I can see where you are coming from. My family is middle-eastern and yet I still received comments (jokingly of course) such as "paki". I'm assuming if you ever wore a turban, some people in Chatham would assume you were (or were associated with) terrorists...

[jay-d]

Although we agree, this is not a risk I want to take...

Growing up in Windsor with immigrant parents, I can see where you are coming from. My family is middle-eastern and yet I still received comments (jokingly of course) such as "paki". I'm assuming if you ever wore a turban, some people in Chatham would assume you were (or were associated with) terrorists...

Ah, Windsor! I remember frequenting that place!

It wasn't so much terrorists because back then, they weren't really a problem as they are now. It was more just being different and standing out. We'd get called names, get pushed around for no reason and just overall crappy experience. It wasn't as bad for me as it was for my brother for whatever reason, but it was definitely difficult.

Uneducated rednecks right.. what you gonna do!

[kellen]

Good luck with that.

i know rite

[eastcoast_gsx]

if the person wearing the turban rides a motorbike, has an accident resulting in a head injury, and then requires costly treatment that could have been prevented if he wore a proper helmet...then everyone has to pay for it.

I would say that is not a valid point, if a person is wearing a helmet, the public is more likely stuck with the rehab bill due to serious injury without death. If they are not wearing a helmet, they are likely dead and no burden to us.