Dear Editor
Given the discernibility of John Spellman his unsubstantiated states article on Turban vis-a-vis the Canadian Legion decision doesn’t really deserve attention yet what he has repeated must be convincingly repudiated to set the record straight Spellman belongs to the school which is utterly naive and Sikh bitter. He doggedly refuses to accept Sikh values customs and practices In Canada we have the so-called experts on matters Sikh who may be White Americans Australians Indians or Christians but oddly the Canadian Universities media and the Canadian Government cannot find one practicing Sikh who is best Suited to give authentic views on Sikh issues may they be religious or social. Shame on all of them Refusing entry to Legion halls to “fewer than six” does not matter (0 Spellman Dr. Spellman even one is too many what to talk of six! The Legion is an organization funded both privately and publicly. Is the sale of poppies and returns there from not public funds? Since when is a “human rights consultant” is to be taken as an authority? Whatever Spellman the Goeblian may say it is an established fact that the turban of a Sikh is a religious requirement. Yes it is no less a social requirement as well. For a Sikh maintaining the honor and dignity of turban is preeminent. When Spellman categories the panj kakar (five Ks) as symbols he is absolutely wrong. Panj kakar are panj kakar; nothing less.
Spellman says some Sikhs violate the Sikh code of conduct. Then what? They are not a threat to Sikhism which is not so fragile as to break. One may ask how it impinges upon Spellman.
The fact is that most persons Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike fail to live up to our professed ideals this is a common failing. Then why pick upon Sikhs? If a Sikh speaks of happenings in the Punjab be I warned not to bring outside politics in Canada “Leave your baggage behind” is the usual outer. Why should Spellman speak of orthodox Sikhs in Punjab? Sikhs will not allow Universities to carry out research to degenerate Sikhism. Spellman should know that Universities are a service and if services are not acceptable these should be improved replaced and if necessary May even be term mated is for this reason that professors in University of Toronto would no longer teach there and the one in Vancouver would hopefully soon be disciplined or if desirable even replaced. If the functioning of the ethnic chairs funded by ethnic communities and Multiculturalism Canada at Universities were investigated God alone knows how detestable would be the findings. The activates of these chairs have not received even: the slightest dose of analytical and critical scrutiny; this is an irrefutable statement. To the best of my knowledge no editorial or op-ed piece or comments on chairs have appeared so far.
Professor Spellman must know that “In none of its meanings is academic freedom absolute” (Canadian Encyclopedia); “Academic freedom is never unlimited” (The New encyclopedia Britannica); “Neither students nor teachers can expect academic freedom to be unlimited. The rights for exercise any liberty implies the duty to use freedom responsibility…In addition to the limits met by individual responsibility there are specific checks imposed on academic freedom by society” (The Encyclopedia American International Edition); “Threats to academic freedom may arise when the scholar develops those commonly held by At such time individual citizens pressure groups or even the community at large may wish to interfere with teaching and research” (Colliers Encyclopedia).
It is teachers like Spellman who are turning Universities into cesspools across Canada and helping to create a “Canadian Salman Rushdie.” The Fabricate report should be a warning to us all. Academics must appreciate that Academic Freedom has limitations.
Sikhs know they are safe in Canada and so are their heritage and religious values; the concept of Final Solution of the Third Reich does not exist in this land. Yet it cannot be denied that the community is not unaware of western animus against Sikhism. They do not need western scholars to interpret Sikhism. In western scholars residues of colonial arrogance are visible and they are known for their calumny and accusatory and they unlike the writer of these lines enjoy the privilege of access to publishing houses and print media. Cultural imperialism is implicit in Professor Spellman’s occidental outlook. He would be advised to respect Sikh sensibilities; please no more gratuitous provocations.
Sutantar Singh
Ottawa Ont Canada
Article extracted from this publication >> July 1, 1994
