After progressive success in Alberta in changing convocation here and moving forward on atheist bus ads in Calgary, it’s a bit of a surprise that the Maritimes are where religion and traditional arguments are winning.
First we have an elementary school in New Brunswick that removed morning singings of Oh Canada over a year ago but are now forced to sing them every day again.
Let’s not argue over whether or not this should be the case, but rather I ask everyone, how many of you actually sang Oh Canada every day at school?
I remember it only happening at assemblies, or at most once per week. And it’s note-worthy that the school in question was still planning on playing the anthem at assemblies.
Second, the Humanist Association of Canada had their ads rejected from Halifax buses for being “too controversial.” The ads merely said “You can be good without God.”
As HAC President Pat O’Brien said:
“It would be interesting to see what vegans think about the KFC ads. I mean, at what point do you stop offending people?” he said.
Similarly, wouldn’t I have the right then to complain that Alpha Course ads offend me?
It’s not even an ad that says “Fuck God,” it merely suggests that atheists and humanists can be good people too.
I’m seriously offended that this ad can be found to be offencive, but you don’t see me trying to shut down Halifax Transit (I can effectively boycott it from 4,600 kms away though).
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What’s happening in the Maritimes is not conservative – it’s common sense.
Religion is very ingraned in the Atlantic. In Alberta, the true religion is money, not faith.
Blah! You had to remind me of my elementary school days….though this was in the 70’s. First thing every morning we had to do the lord’s prayer, sing O Canada, and sing that odd little song…’this land is your land, this land is my land……
Yes, this was in edmonton
Don’t be too rough on the east folk. Newfoundland did recently change their constitution to eliminate catholic schools.
These are some of the reasons I’m trying to get a secular group started here in Fredericton.
Unfortunately, as you already know, I haven’t had much luck in that.
I recall having to sing O Canada and the school’s anthem in elementary school. I also remember getting in trouble for singing O Canada in French when everyone else sung it in English, and for contesting the lyrics to the school anthem (it espoused fairness, strength, and freedom, none of which the school actually promoted, as the first part of this sentence should illustrate). This was just a couple of years before you, Ian, and in Edmonton.
On the flipside, religion never factored in to our other school activities. I don’t recall seeing a single cross during Christmas decorations (lots of trees, garland, and tinsel, though, in abject defiance of scripture), and the closest we got to God showing up was the occasional fantastic character in school plays (Santa showed up in a few Christmas concerts, for instance).
My question to Mark: Is a tradition-for-the-sake-of-tradition argument common sense? Sounds textbook conservative.Br
(As this is over a symbol of ‘patriotism’, I’m reminded of a Maher quote: “Saying you’re patriotic is like saying you have a big dick. If you have to say it, chances are it’s not true.”)
I do remember having to sign forms to opt out of Gideon Bibles that came every year or so.