The Pessimist

The town of Herouxville, Que., wants immigrants that fit in with its citizens and published a statement saying things like immigrants should expect to follow a few local rules like "No stoning women and women are allowed to drive cars". They also had a few things to say about wearing the veil ("don't"). This close minded bigotry managed to get the town onto the national news for a few days.

They seem to have over-stated their case for rolling back political correctness. There does seem to be too much special accomodation in dealing with multicultural populations. But, the criminal code already deals with out right offenses like honour killing, dowery murders, genital mutilation, punative rape, etc. Even general sexual equality resides in the Canadian Bill of Rights.

After some complaints and a bit of common sense, the town council has removed some of the more outrageous statements. But the core remains: fit in, or leave.

I've had my own diatribes on the burqa and cultural gender discrimination. I don't like the muslim headscarf. And there are a lot of other things that I don't like. But, not liking and not allowing are two different things. You don't use the cudgel of state power on things you don't like.

• Man boards jet at Heathrow wearing a niqab.
• British M.P. says veil is a barrier.

Here is my personal annoy-o-meter:

Things I don't like

• baseball caps worn backwards
• low riding baggy pants that show the elastic band on your underwear
• face piercings
• yarmulkes
• turbans
• hijabs
• straw hats and long grey beards

Things that make me uncomfortable:

• goth
• mohawk hair cuts (especially if combined with goth costumes)
• Marylin Manson
• extreme jewish get-ups (long beards, curls and really funny hats)

Things that I believe should be illegal in Canada:

• burqas
• niqabs
• baba kalsa giant yellow turbans with 2 foot swords and curly toed slippers
• flags that feature AK47s

The muslim headscarf should not be illegal. Nor should it be protected. If you can't get a job because you insist on dressing like a 14th century peasant, that's your problem. (Just like you shouldn't expect to get a job in an accountancy office if you're wearing 6 lip rings.)

According to the CBC survey, 68% of muslim women do not wear any head covering. They accept the Canadian assimilation model: first generation looks like an immigrant; second generation looks like a Canadian; third generation is a Canadian who takes pride in their heritage.

My Babusha and my wife's Nona were little old ladies from the old country who could not speak English and dressed in funny costumes. Their children spoke both old and new languages fluently and dressed in Canadian fashion. Their grandchildren (us, if you weren't following) don't speak the old language at all, but still like the pierogi's and fagioli.

If you want to wear your full ethnic costume and dance your traditional dances and eat your ethnic foods, that's great. But the place for that is your home, your church and the multi-cultural festival. I'll be there.

But I don't want to see you in court insisting that you should be able to go to work dressed that way. And if you are going to violate public safety by wearing a face covering disguise, then you should expect the police to take an interest in you.