"The minister strongly supports the freedom of religion for all Canadians, including prisoners,” the email states. “However, the government … is not in the business of picking and choosing which religions will be given preferential status through government funding…..” http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/10/04/bc-non-christian-prison-chaplains-cancelled.html retrieved October 10, 2012.
On a whole bunch of levels this decision, if not downright silly, at the very least, reflects a lack of foresight and consistency in policy. It is of course ethnocentric and very likely racist.
If one assumes that part of the function of
prison is to ensure that when the individual leaves that institution they are
less likely to reoffend, then surely we should do all that we can to facilitate
that hoped-for result. While I personally chose not to utilize the support of a
recognized religion, I can easily understand why for some people it is useful
tool to look at their life and to make some life changes. To deprive anyone of
the option of investigating a personal relationship with the Great Spirit (or
whatever you call him/her) is just silly and I suspect against someone’s
Charter rights. So we are saving a million dollars. Really? How much will it
cost if just one person re-offends and get re-incarcerated?
It does not feel like an accident that there
will be only Christian chaplains left in the prison system. In spite of the apparent political correctness
of the above quote – the minister is not supporting freedom of religion – in
fact he is doing the exact opposite. He is saying that if you are not a
Christian then you cannot talk to a spiritual advisor of your own faith. Most
of us have a choice. If we don’t like or feel a connection to a particular
faith we can walk down the street and enter the next church, temple synagogue
or mosque. If you are in prison that choice is no longer available. Pity.
No comments:
Post a Comment