Editorial Bear

Orthodox Jews trash prison vehicle over electronic tagging
Tuesday January 2, 10:43 AM

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Crowds trashed a prison vehicle in an Israeli city in a row over the electronic tagging of an Orthodox Jewish man.

Prison officers went to Bnei Brak after they stopped receiving signals from the high-tech device that local rabbis decreed could not be worn on a Saturday, the Jewish sabbath, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper said Tuesday. Full article here.

This makes a change! Lunatic demands made by angry radicals... But this time, it's not the Muslim Fundementalists throwing their toys out of their prams. It's the Orthodox Jews.

The shabbat is the Jewish holy day and some sects of Judiasm insist that their followers refrain from using all modern devices and conveniences, such as cars, trains, light switches... Everything.

In New York City, the clever residents have a work-around - a Shabbas Goy, who is a gentile willing to do the work, be that press the elevator button or switch on the lights, for the observant jew in question.

But no such sensibilities out in the middle east.

A criminal, under house arrest for commiting violence in the name of religious extremism, refused to wear an electronic tagging device because it violated the shabbat.

Just like we've witnessed recently with the extreme fringe of Islam, religious fundementalists seem to think that the demands of their religion outway the laws and rules of their native countries - and in the case of violent criminals, the safety of the general public, too.

As a civilised and tolerant society, the west should be willing to accomodate what demands and beliefs certain religions require - as long as they do not infringe on general human rights, civil liberties, existing laws and regulations or the safety of the general public.

Whatever their religion, people who think their beliefs raise them above the law should not be tolerated.