Dear Editor,
It is amazing how we continually give beautiful answers, in private and public discourse, that are utterly irrelevant to the questions that are asked or should be asked.
The current "noise-fest" about the JUTC's announced banning of preaching on its buses is a case in point, and a classic illustration of this unconstructive "dialogue of the deaf" approach.
The simple truth is that by specifically targeting and banning preaching on buses (religious or otherwise), without addressing the issue of enforcing existing laws against all forms of "disorderly conduct", the JUTC has exposed itself to being justly accused of unfairly and even illegally discriminating "against religion".
The real issue is not about whether preaching should be allowed in public spaces, including JUTC buses, but about the need for all things, as much as possible, to be "done decently and in order", according to law.
If there is a law against disorderly conduct, and if preaching on the buses or playing loud music, or making any kind of disturbing noise can be defined as "disorderly conduct", then the law should be properly and fairly enforced, not only against "even the Pope", according to SSP Radcliffe Lewis, but against all "disorderly conduct".
Passengers should know that as a matter of law, they may quietly engage others in conversation, whether of a religious nature or otherwise, as long as others in the same space do not find their presentation intrusive or offensive.
Passengers should also know that they have a right to object lawfully to being disturbed by any kind of "disorderly conduct" or disturbing behaviour or practice, regardless of whether the offensive behaviour comes from the preacher, the Pope, or the player of excessively loud or otherwise offensive music, etc.
Carlton A Gordon
Kingston 10
carltongor@gmail.com
Do things according to law
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It is amazing how we continually give beautiful answers, in private and public discourse, that are utterly irrelevant to the questions that are asked or should be asked.
The current "noise-fest" about the JUTC's announced banning of preaching on its buses is a case in point, and a classic illustration of this unconstructive "dialogue of the deaf" approach.
The simple truth is that by specifically targeting and banning preaching on buses (religious or otherwise), without addressing the issue of enforcing existing laws against all forms of "disorderly conduct", the JUTC has exposed itself to being justly accused of unfairly and even illegally discriminating "against religion".
The real issue is not about whether preaching should be allowed in public spaces, including JUTC buses, but about the need for all things, as much as possible, to be "done decently and in order", according to law.
If there is a law against disorderly conduct, and if preaching on the buses or playing loud music, or making any kind of disturbing noise can be defined as "disorderly conduct", then the law should be properly and fairly enforced, not only against "even the Pope", according to SSP Radcliffe Lewis, but against all "disorderly conduct".
Passengers should know that as a matter of law, they may quietly engage others in conversation, whether of a religious nature or otherwise, as long as others in the same space do not find their presentation intrusive or offensive.
Passengers should also know that they have a right to object lawfully to being disturbed by any kind of "disorderly conduct" or disturbing behaviour or practice, regardless of whether the offensive behaviour comes from the preacher, the Pope, or the player of excessively loud or otherwise offensive music, etc.
Carlton A Gordon
Kingston 10
carltongor@gmail.com
Do things according to law
-->