THE BRITISH INQUISITION

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, has spoken out against political correctness, in the row over the banning of the wearing of a crucifix by the schoolgirl, Sam Morris.

Miss Morris, 16, who has worn a necklace with a crucifix to school for the past 3 years, was suddenly told to remove it and was sent home when she refused. The crucifix allegedly broke the school’s jewellery policy.

Miss Morris has since resumed her school attendance - minus the crucifix.

However, the Sinfin Community School in Derby, does allow Sikhs to wear a religious bangle to school.

Also, despite the growing problems of a knife culture, Sikhs have a special exemption from the 1996 Offensive Weapons Act regarding the kirpan, a six inch long sword, which they are forbidden to use in anger, but can use in self-defence.

Miss Morris’s mother said:

‘Sam has worn this necklace for more than three years. No one has told her to take it off before, and she doesn’t want to remove it. She thinks it is very unfair when other people are allowed to wear religious symbols. It just ends up creating a divide between pupils.

Everyone is being told that they should be living in unity, but this rule is not right. Sam has just as much right to celebrate her own religion.’

The deputy headmaster who sent Miss Morris home said:

‘We are very comfortable with our policy and believe we are being even-handed and fair. Most of our pupils understand allowing Sikhs to wear a bracelet is a compulsory part of their religion. That is why we give them dispensation to do it.

Christianity does not require followers to wear a specific symbol, and Samantha was excluded because she refused to remove her necklace.’

However, Dr Carey dismissed the prevention of a schoolgirl from wearing a crucifix as ‘nonsense’ and said:

‘It may represent a worrying hostility towards Christianity and all religions by a minority of people in leadership.’

Dr Carey continued:

‘It is sad when a child is banned from a school because she wears a crucifix, and it’s called a piece of jewellery. What nonsense. We must avoid the kind of political correctness which is creeping in and undermining, it seems to me, the public expression of the Christian faith.’

Dr Carey further pointed out that there were:

‘[Those] who want to privatise religion, push it to the boundaries, not allow in a voice in the public arena and go the way of France. I think that would be a retrograde step and it would not be the Britain I know ... If you take the Christian faith out of British identity what have you got left?

Now that is not to say you can’t be British and Jewish, or British and Muslim, but we are talking about British identity. The majority of the people of this land identify themselves by a common language, by common culture and all these things matter, and also by the Christian faith itself.’

What Dr Carey says is of course true. But that is why the politically correct are so hostile to Christianity - because they wish to destroy British culture and the concept British identity.