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Michigan Sikhs Want Religious Swords in School
FoxNews ^ | January 7, 2011 | Staff

Posted on 01/09/2011 1:19:46 PM PST by Tennessee Nana

Members of a Michigan Sikh community are upset after a student was banned from bringing a religious sword to a public school.

The incident occurred at Bentley Elementary School in Canton when a fourth grader was caught wearing a small saber underneath his clothing, reports MyFoxDetroit.com.

The sabre, called a Kirpan, symbolizes Sikhs' efforts to ward off evils and followers say it poses no danger to the community. Any person who has been baptized into the faith -- the world’s fifth largest religion -- is expected to carry the saber all the time.

“It’s a religious symbol,” Sikh leader Teikiran Singh told WJBK-TV, disputing the notion that it was a weapon.

“It just reminds you of your spirituality. It’s a fight against your internal evils.”

The saber was discovered after an unidentified Sikh student and another student were reportedly roughhousing on the playground. The principal initially allowed the child to keep the sword but the Plymouth-Canton School District later determined the religious symbol resembled a weapon and was officially banned.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Current Events; Other non-Christian; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: banglist; education; michigan; sikhs
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To: Liberty1970

No kidding Sikhs are muslim killin machines.


21 posted on 01/09/2011 1:40:32 PM PST by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
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To: Tennessee Nana

Well, if he can carry a sword to school. Then my kid should be able to wear a huge cross and carry a big bible in the open. Talk about Jesus any old time and sing praise songs. Let’s see just how quickly the ACLU jumps on that one.


22 posted on 01/09/2011 1:45:31 PM PST by MsLady (If you died tonight, where would you go? Salvation, don't leave earth without it!)
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To: Tennessee Nana

A couple of years ago, a Sikh kid won this battle in court.

Maybe the Sikhs will have to abandon the public schools and start their own schools. They’d probably be better off.


23 posted on 01/09/2011 1:45:49 PM PST by goldi (')
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To: Tennessee Nana

lol.

Can’t whisper the word Jesus without being suspended but yeah, go ahead and bring a sword...


24 posted on 01/09/2011 1:50:22 PM PST by GeronL (How DARE you have an opinion!!)
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To: goldi

STarting their own schools would be the ultimate solution.


25 posted on 01/09/2011 1:52:35 PM PST by GeronL (How DARE you have an opinion!!)
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To: Tennessee Nana

Well if these kids can take their swards to school I think my kid should be able to take his Saiga shotgun to school.

Pretty stupid huh?

Evening Tennessee Nana.


26 posted on 01/09/2011 1:52:35 PM PST by Joe Boucher
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To: Tennessee Nana

Sikhs aren’t known for violence. I’d welcome any Sikh into my home. Don’t confuse them with Muslims.
When I was in elementary and high school many of us carried knives.


27 posted on 01/09/2011 1:52:35 PM PST by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink)
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To: Joe Boucher

Until America lost its collective mind most boys wore a pocket knife where ever they went, including school. I certainly did. And it was a much better weapon than a symbolic kirpan.

Sihks are mostly very good folks. Let them practice their religion.


28 posted on 01/09/2011 2:01:46 PM PST by Rifleman
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To: bgill

This article is about Sikhs, not Muslims.


29 posted on 01/09/2011 2:05:04 PM PST by dinodino
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To: Domalais

I wonder how many Sikhs have gotten grief for being mistaken for Muslims.


30 posted on 01/09/2011 2:11:00 PM PST by TheDingoAteMyBaby
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To: Rifleman

I had the pleasure of working with a family of Hindus named Patel.
Great hard working folks with great family values.
Guess Patel is like being named smith or jones here, they are everywhere.


31 posted on 01/09/2011 2:15:45 PM PST by Joe Boucher
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To: TheDingoAteMyBaby

A Sikh cab driver here in Sacramento recently was badly beaten by some passengers who thought he was Muslim.


32 posted on 01/09/2011 2:27:30 PM PST by Hugin ("A man'll usually tell you his bad intentions if you listen and let yourself hear it"--- Open Range)
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To: Tennessee Nana

Funny, I’ve been around a lot of Sikhs and never knew they were carrying sabers, not that it would matter to me.


33 posted on 01/09/2011 2:34:36 PM PST by pallis
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To: Tennessee Nana

As long as non-Sikh students are allowed to carry a similar item, if they choose, I’m fine with it.


34 posted on 01/09/2011 2:38:16 PM PST by Tax-chick (The gifts we have, we are given to share.)
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To: Tennessee Nana
If our own American kids can be expelled for having a small knife in a locked car, or even more ridiculous, wearing a cross or other Cristian symbol, then Sikhs, Muslims, Hindu's, or any other pagan kids shouldn't be allowed to wear or carry religious symbols or clothing on school grounds either. HOWEVER, I don't care if a Sikh student carries a harmless replica saber to school, and I don't care if a Muslim kid wears a burka to school. But if they can and do, why can't a Christian kid wear a cross or carry a bible?

More to the point, why do American school officials and many teachers hate Christianity and virtually every religion except Islam, the only one that advocates, preaches, and practices hatred, war, suicide, terror, and mass murder, when virtually all the other major religions at least advocate and preach (although not always practice) love, charity, and peace?

35 posted on 01/09/2011 2:44:31 PM PST by epow (Happiness is a full woodshed)
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To: R. Scott

I would welcome a Sikh into my home too, it’s the muslims and hindus I would not want around. Sikhs have a long history of being allied with the west as well, their family values and things of that nature are on par with western society.


36 posted on 01/09/2011 2:47:13 PM PST by Bulwyf
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To: TheDingoAteMyBaby
Tons.

If you see someone wearing a turban, they're more likely to be a Sikh than a Muslim. Sikhs are supposed to wear the turban all the time; one of five things they're supposed to have at all times. The sword is another.


It's kind of sad, I always see conservatives quick to hate on Sikhs because they see the turban and full beard and start foaming at the mouth. But really it should be the opposite. That sword, for example, is pretty much a religious 2nd amendment. Back in the day, every Sikh wore a full size sword (was changed to a knife later) for two reasons: as a religious reminder to do justice, and to prevent crime and persecution by having an armed populace. Then there's the whole warrior saint thing, their history of fighting alongside Western forces all over the world...


It's really a fantastic culture and religion, and of all the people we should want to immigrate to the US, IMHO Sikhs should be at the top of the list.
37 posted on 01/09/2011 2:49:55 PM PST by Domalais
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To: goldi
Maybe the Sikhs will have to abandon the public schools and start their own schools. They’d probably be better off.

No doubt they would be, but then so would Christians. And thank God millions of us are and more are starting up every day.

My own grandkids (8 and 14) are being home schooled by their devout Christian mother, and they are so scholastically far ahead of their friends who attend public schools that it isn't even close. My greatest fear is that they could possibly choose to attend a secular college and have all their mother's Christian teaching challenged by clever, unGodly professors. The type whose main purpose in life seems to be turning vulnerable young students against every Christian tenet and moral value their parents and pastors taught them.

38 posted on 01/09/2011 3:12:57 PM PST by epow (Happiness is a full woodshed)
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To: Tennessee Nana

First, even -I- as a Pagan priest, do know that —during ‘observances’—, the wearing of a sheathed dagger can be a usual thing.

—BUT—!!!

I know that there are state laws of “how big a blade” exist, and it does not matter your religious bent, you have to follow that.

I know that it is an argument, under the 2nd Amendment, read ‘bear arms’, that was just concluded in the State of New Hampshire.

But Sikhs with swords, by some folks, would equate to Muslims with swords. Both of which would produce more embarrasing moments for the sword wearers, when met by good-intentioned firearm wearers, never mind explaining that to the cops!

Within their ‘house of worship’, I can say nothing. But, on the street, for the safety of all, and for the sanity of liberals, who detest anyone who can disarm a criminal without their permission, I would say ‘No’.


39 posted on 01/09/2011 3:22:37 PM PST by Prussianone
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To: Tennessee Nana

There are kids who are suspended for only DRAWING a picture of guns or other weapons, let alone bringing them to school.

I don’t have any problem with Sikhs taking this symbolic sword to school, but let the other kids bring their pocket knives. Fair is fair.

Oh wait, we’re talking about the public (government) skools, right?


40 posted on 01/09/2011 3:36:58 PM PST by Jay W
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