Multiculturalism here - Collegiality of society comes first

A MODERN, European society is no more than an attempt at the organisation of all its members, no matter what their religion, no matter what their origin, no matter which cultural background informs their ambitions, for the mutual security and benefit of every member of that society.

For that society to be secure each member, no matter how recent, must be treated equally and afforded the respect each and every person can anticipate if they play a part in creating, sustaining and enriching the society in which they live.

Though we now imagine these unquestioned rights to be almost natural laws that was not always the case.

It is not so terribly long ago that a Catholic could not own a horse worth more than £5. The dreadful memory of non-Catholics who wished to marry a Catholic being forced to surrender any ambition they might have had to raise the children of that marriage in their own religion is a far more recent and bitter memory.

Images showing the number of, and seating offered to, Christian churchmen, and more specifically Catholic churchmen, at an event as recent and as central as the presidential inauguration of President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, in January, 1974, remind us only too vividly of the influence they once had in our Republic.

Amazingly some Catholic clergy are still in a position to veto the appointment of teachers to some state funded schools because of their position on schools’ boards of management.

So, if any society is in a position to understand how religious or cultural differences can divide and be the seedbed of hatred it is our own.

And that is why Garda commissioner Noel Conroy was right not to allow a person who insisted on wearing a turban join the Garda Reserve. Integration Minister Brian Lenihan was right to support the commissioner and hopefully this position will be maintained and is a reflection of a government policy to be implemented across all areas of civic life.

It is entirely unfortunate and should not be seen as a slight of any kind towards Sikhs who began wearing turbans in the mid-15th century as a symbol of liberty, equality and the universal nature of human dignity.

Our society has secured liberty, equality and human dignity by acknowledging that these principles can only be sustained if individual religions and cultures recognise that it is necessary to put the collegiality of society ahead of symbolic, public religious observance.

The other side of this coin, the equity that sustains the principle, is that everyone is guaranteed the absolute right to private religious observance as long as it observes the laws of the state.

As this must preclude the wearing of turbans, and all other religious symbols while serving in the Garda Reserve it must also preclude our Army providing a guard of honour at ceremonies welcoming the relics of Catholic saints to Ireland.

If we have the right to tell a civic-minded Sikh that a cherished belief debars him from serving in our law enforcement services we have the obligation to realise that State forces have no role in any religious observance.

This will challenge many traditional Catholics but surely the core message of that faith is one of tolerance and love. Surely that faith is strong enough to retreat from the frontline of everyday State housekeeping to leave space for the development of an integrated and welcoming society.

Of the challenges we will have to overcome to create a new and diverse Ireland it is a relatively minor one but one that will require a steadfast opposition to the failed, discredited precepts of multiculturalism.