Halloween Thoughts

I have heard that some schools are not allowing costumes on Halloween, and instead are doing a black and orange spirit day, to try to be more inclusive.

I'm not sure about this.  On one hand, I'm of the "You moved to Canada by choice, you need to join with us, not demand we change to suit you"; on the other hand, I do want to be inclusive and mindful of the unique differences that make up our country.

Yesterday was Halloween, and our school does allow costumes (no masks, no weapons, etc).  It was our first indoor lunch recess, and the kids were all on the carpet watching Spongebob Square Pants Halloween videos.  One by one, they were called off to get their costume on.  At the end, there was one boy without a costume.  There is about 16-18 kids in the class.

This boy is in JK, and his brother is in SK, in the other classroom.  I know the family is Muslim, and the mother wears a full hijab (head, most of face covered, and body covered in dark robe).  The boys speak with an accent and are often hard to understand.  The boy asked me if there would be Halloween tomorrow again.  He looked sad when I said no.  Once all the kids were in their costumes, he started to cry.  Luckily, the teacher had returned, and had a few extra costumes (apparently it also happened the day before in the other classroom).  He picked one out and was happy.  I'm not sure if his brother had a costume.

Would a "black and orange day" made a difference?  Last week was "Pajama Day" and these boys did not wear their pajamas, so I'm inclined to believe they wouldn't have worn black and orange.  He was one child, out of 18.  Should those other 18 (many who are also first or second generation Canadians), miss out on a North American tradition because of 1 child out of 18?  Yes, some schools have higher numbers than this (and in the French Immersion program at this school--which starts in grade 1--there are a LOT of minority children), but many schools are still pretty much mixed, or around this number.  Even at a school where, say, 10 of the 18 are Muslim, or Hindu, etc, is it necessary to tailor everything to those 10?  Didn't they come here to become Canadian, to leave their problems in their old country?  I can see hanging on to your cultural differences that are a strong part of your heritage/religion, but what about adding in the new traditions of your new country?  This one child felt very left out by not participating in the sacred Canadian tradition of  dual weather costumer selection (inside the school and the crazy weather in the evening).  It could have easily been avoided, and he would have come home feeling even more Canadian. 

Would a "black and orange day" make him feel Canadian?  I don't think so.

To Each Their Own

This was originally published in 2006 on my knitting blog, but now that I have a non-knitting blog, it's better suited to here!

I'm in a Yahoo parenting group, called "Slightly Crunchy Attachment Parenting" and there seems to be a lot of Mormons and ex-Mormons. Someone (not necessarily a Mormon, but I think likely), posted a link for the latest in swimwear (this was early in the summer). It was tongue in cheek, but it is definitely a real business! I particularly love the 'slimming suit'. It's important to be modest and not show much skin....but we must look as slender as possible while showing nothing! Quick, go take a look! I'm sure we'll have a few weeks of summer sometime again :)

This summer (2013) we were planning a trip to a water park, outside Ottawa, Ontario (our nation's capital!).  I noticed on the website that "burkini's" were allowed on some slides.  I had an idea what a burkini was, but since they're not at all bikini's, why play on that word? 

I'm looking at my list of labels to add to this post....do I add the religion label?  Since these swimwear requirements are due to religion, I guess so!

Your Local School Board

The local school board publishes a calendar full of lots of usefull info about the schools, and of course, multicultural awareness.  For example, for the month of May, here is the list of important days:

Wesak
International Day of Families
International Day Against Homophobia
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
Victoria Day
Declaration of the Bab
National Missing Children's Day
Ascension of Baha u Ilah
Asion Heritage Month
South Asian Heritage Month
Speech Language Hearing Month

Mmmm.   See any familiar North American "holiday" missing for May?

More

Thanks Cheryl for the comments on the last post. It's nice to know there's someone reading :)
It got me thinking a bit more about clothing and immigration, etc. Adapting to a new culture while still being proud of your 'old' one and trying to incorporate the two. The 'holiday' season is a great example of this. The incredible hoopla about not being able to say "Merry Christmas" or have Christmas trees up in public buildings. I don't believe in Christ, but I still say "Merry Christmas". However, I know that in reality, especially in larger urban centers, many of the people you run into also do not believe in Christ but still have strong---very strong---religious views. Just different. Even years ago, if you knew (or guessed that) someone was Jewish, for example, you just knew not to say "Merry Christmas". You might not say "Happy Hanukkah" but you wouldn't be inconsiderate and force your seasonal greeting on someone you knew wouldn't appreciate the sentiment. So, I sort of see the point of not saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone you come across. Even the white chick hairdresser (is--not an 'obvious' non-Christian minority) might be pagan, or Jehovah, etc. LOL. It's a consideration that's pretty easy to adapt to. Now, being that I don't believe in Christ, perhaps it's easier for me to think this way. We DO celebrate "Christmas" and I wish there was another term for it (this was a big debate on a parenting group I'm in). Happy Santa Day? Keep the religious salutations to the religious buildings and settings they belong in.

Further along this line is the idea of cultural dress versus religious dress. I imagine it can be fairly easy to give up cultural dress (a kilt; Bermuda shorts; cowboy hat) when you come to a new country, particularly if there's a different climate. However, for some cultures, religion IS their culture. While the wearing of the bourqa might be a cultural imposition on women, it is rooted in a deep religious faith. And then, on the flip side, we never ask an Arab man how he feels to be 'forced' to wear the traditional, culturally based robes and headgear. It's just what you wear as a man in an Arab country. But should it still be worn here in Canada? Well, as soon as a nor'easter whips up under those robes, I'll bet someone discovers the joys of pants, LOL.

What about turbans? Are they religious or cultural? Most religions have 'rules' regarding keeping the head covered, but each faith interprets it differently. And each culture tends to have it's own religion. Remember the big hoopla about police officers insisting they should be able to wear turbans instead of the police caps? Police caps, in a way, are a cultural uniform; should religion trump culture and professional uniformity? And then there was the fascinating case last year about the motorcycle rider who insisted he could not wear a helmet because he must wear his turban. My solution--let him wear the turban, but have him sign a waiver--attached to the digital documentation of his health card--that says he will be responsible for the financial cost incurred if injured due to not wearing a helmet.

On further thought, I think a waiver like that should be enforced for everyone. Let's also add seat belts to the list. If you are injured in an accident due to not wearing a seat belt, you should be financially responsible. If you're still alive. What else can we add? There's the debate about if alcoholics who need a liver should be ahead of 'innocent' victims on the transplant list...

Okay, getting really off the immigrant theme here. LOL. But this is my blog, and it's fun to have a place where I can 'rule' my own little imaginary world :)

Observations

Orangeville was a very white town. It's changed a lot since we first moved there, but it was still mainly white. I've gotten comments that Whitby is also very white. Maybe, for a 110 000 people town, but after my ultrasound today, I will have to say that just because a town appears white, doesn't mean that it's not full of immigrants.
Every person (staff and clients) I saw/heard at the ultrasound office was white, but all had accents. And not British accents.
Ahead of me was a white teen girl and her mother. They were sitting and chatting, in a foreign language that sounded eastern European. It was a little agitated, and then all of a sudden, the teen slaps her leg and dramatically says "No! Are you serious?" and carries right on in her native language.
Hidden multiculturalism...I wonder if white immigrants face the same sort of racism/issues as non-whites?
I was waiting one day near the pharmacy in Wal-Mart. There were two ladies (sisters) chatting away. Two young boys, dressed in long white robes and white caps come walking by. The ladies snicker and make a few comments about Hallowe'en, and "you're in Canada now, eh". Would they say something like that to a white person wearing a religious necklace charm representing a non-Western religion? Would they scoff at a Texan wearing a big cowboy hat?
When we were house hunting, we drove around one new neighbourhood. Rob made several comments about there being no white people and he couldn't live there. The kids did find one white couple. They got quite excited. Then I heard them telling their friends that we didn't pick one house because everyone was brown and black and dressed funny. Would we have encountered reverse racism?

I find immigration and emigration fascinating. It's not something I think I'd ever do, and it must take a phenomenal amount of courage to leave your homeland. Why do some people think this is a reason to ostracize a stranger?

I Don't Understand....

Recently, one of the Yahoo groups I'm in had an 'arguement'. Someone thought there was suddenly an increase in religious talk/postings. Someone mentioned that their beliefs are very important to them and so naturally it just 'comes up' in everyday conversations. Well, I don't understand how religious beliefs could come up in a discussion about diapers. Anyway, I was just reading through old emails from the group and came across one that must have been near the start of the 'arguement'. I don't get this woman's logic at all (some details have been altered):


"i have made and sent many pads to goods4girls dot org. But the pads I make just to donate, I dont donate to G4G because when I asked if i could inclose a Christian bookmark with the kits I was sending, she said "no, that it was a secular charity". Well, that was fine, she created the charity! who am I to insist that my personal beliefs get pushed into her idea?
so I just contacted some missionaries and sent the pad kits to Africa that way. My mom has been helping me quite a bit, in fact, she created her own NFP charity with a Christian emphasis, called Project Paprika (name changed by me). Which basically means that we make up the kits with 5 pads, a wetbag, and a Christian bookmark, and that we send it with a missionary, so that they have a platform to teach the girls hygene, taking care of yourself, and also sexual purity. so yeah, whether you donate with a religious agenda or not, the girls definately need the pads!"


It's fine for her to not impose her beliefs on a secular charity, but it's okay for missionaries to 'teach' these girls? I understand the teaching of hygene, etc, but all that could be done by health care workers. Doesn't anyone believe that these people might just be happy with their own beliefs and don't need missionaries? White people have done so much harm to so many people/cultures around the globe; often with the disguise of 'spiritual teaching'. I find it shocking that there are people out there who still feel that their religious beliefs need to be pushed onto others.

Why Can't You Own a Canadian?

Why Can't I Own a Canadian?
October 2002

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,

Jim

as found on http://www.humanistsofutah.org/2002/WhyCantIOwnACanadian_10-02.html