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Sydney, Australia: The Sikh community in Australia has demanded that religious kirpan be allowed in schools after the government made an amendment in the Constitution preventing the ceremonial knife being worn in schools.
According to the Weapons Act 1990, “A Sikh may possess, in a public place, a knife known as a Kirpan to comply with the person’s religious faith.”
The amendment now states: “It is not a reasonable excuse to physically possess a knife in a school for genuine religious purposes.”
The Sikh Council of Australia and Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner have said that the amendment was discriminatory to ordained Sikhs required to wear the Kirpan, reports News.com.au
The Kirpan is a sheathed ceremonial sword or knife, generally with a dull blade. Knives in schools have been an issue in Queensland since the stabbing death of a 12-year-old schoolboy in 2010.
Former premier Anna Bligh’s office had told the Sikh Council of Australia this year in writing that even though there is minimal risk that a Sikh might use their Kirpan to commit an offence in Queensland, the rationale for keeping all schools completely knife-free is strong.
Department of Education, Training and Employment assistant director-general Marg Pethiyagoda said the wearing of a Kirpan at school would be considered case-by-case.
When a state school principal becomes aware that a Kirpan carried by a student or staff member on school premises has a sharp edge or is pointed or is being used to threaten or harm, according to Pethiyagoda, the Kirpan may be retained by the principal and the matter referred to the police.
Source: Yahoo News
A knife is merely an object, its not the knife thats dangerous but the mind that controls the hand that holds it. Responsibility rests in the teaching. Create an environment of respect, compassion and understanding and the danger is removed
If Guru is so powerful, if the angels like Arch Angel Michael are so powerful, if the Canadian Great spirit bear is so powerful, why not ask each that while visibly wearing the kirpan it be made invisible only to all those who are calm and safe and non threatened and non judgemental within themselves and be made invisible to all others? For it is projected fear that sees the kirpan as death and not infinity, For it is fear that sees the kirpan not as the body and blood and spirit of Jesus Christ or Yeshua or eee—ah—ooo—aye yaweh So why not pray for blindness for the mamukhs? Whatever you shall ask, to protect them, would it not be given? For they do not want to see the light, so why not keep them in the dark. Is that not being of service? Is that not Seva? There are many times in my environment that I have not seen things that others have. And there are many times I have seen things others have not. Why not pray for mamukhs to keep their mouths shut and silent about what they THINK they see and open their mouths about what they KNOW is TRUTH and safe? Are we not hear to protect and serve those who are blind? Are we not here to look after our brothers and sisters? Should we not all enter naked into our schools so that our jewelry is not used to strangle a student to death? What of the Christian Crosses on chains? What weapon do I see? The crosses can be used to stab and blind. Why can Sikhs not see? Defend yourself with others weapons and keep yours sheathed. I pray that Arch Angel Michael surrounds each child with a shield of light that protects others from their own thoughts that would have them be a target of attack in the first place. Thoughts of injustice create injustice. Injustice causes anger, anger causes stupidity, stupidity causes thoughts of having one’s knife removed and used against oneself to attack. What is within you Sikhs that is causing the world to attack you with your own Kirpan?