Over at IrishElection.com, Simon puts in on the societal alignments made on the turban ruling and, he seems to offer, how these alignments are reflective of how Ireland's social groupings act with regard to issues of this ilk - those, that is, relating to religion in the public sphere. The turban ruling, Simon argues, is one on which two social groupings, which usually stand miles apart on moral and political questions, can agree. For different reasons, of course, the Irish Times correspondents and Dana voters hold, according to Simon, that Sikhs in the Garda reserve should be permitted, on the job, to wear theirs turbans, as religious doctrine requires. IT correspondents: in the name of multiculturalism; Dana voters: in order to protect religion's place in society, owing to their Catholicism.
I disagree with this analysis. IrishElection.com posts are formatted such that only the opening paragraph of each article is displayed on the opening page. Before I opened Simon's piece in its entirity, all I knew about it was that the piece would go on to argue that these two groupings would agree. The opening paragraph, in other words, did not state what position they would agree on. I presumed it would be a refusal to permit the turban on the beat. IT correspondents: because, whatever about its multiculturalist writers, there are many who are pointed secularists; Dana voters: because (and this might sound smug) they often come across as harbouring a relatively benign tinge racism within their worldview. Having said that, I can't honestly declare Simon's analysis to be without some degree of veracity. To continue speaking of social groupings as if without internal difference or nuance, as is the wont of societal analysis, members of either caste could come to either conclusion - for or against this now infamous turban. And that, I think, says a lot more about the issue and all those other issues that arise when secularism and pluralism conflict: they're too complex to have its alignments fall neatly inline with societal stereotypes.
Whether they vote for her or not, though, society can surely unite on one issue: the little girl was great.
I disagree with this analysis. IrishElection.com posts are formatted such that only the opening paragraph of each article is displayed on the opening page. Before I opened Simon's piece in its entirity, all I knew about it was that the piece would go on to argue that these two groupings would agree. The opening paragraph, in other words, did not state what position they would agree on. I presumed it would be a refusal to permit the turban on the beat. IT correspondents: because, whatever about its multiculturalist writers, there are many who are pointed secularists; Dana voters: because (and this might sound smug) they often come across as harbouring a relatively benign tinge racism within their worldview. Having said that, I can't honestly declare Simon's analysis to be without some degree of veracity. To continue speaking of social groupings as if without internal difference or nuance, as is the wont of societal analysis, members of either caste could come to either conclusion - for or against this now infamous turban. And that, I think, says a lot more about the issue and all those other issues that arise when secularism and pluralism conflict: they're too complex to have its alignments fall neatly inline with societal stereotypes.
Whether they vote for her or not, though, society can surely unite on one issue: the little girl was great.
Labels: dana, multiculturalism, music, secularism, turban
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