AGS to allow members to wear religous and ethnic garb while on duty

Atoms for Peace

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

It's strange that a majority white Catholic country would have a majority white Catholic police force.

Not sure what the religion of the members of the police force have to do with anything.

_Kaiser_

I'd be against this move myself.

It's the exact opposite of inclusiveness - it'll mark these Gardai out as different and by extension somehow not bound to the same conditions as their colleagues.
By all means should other nationalities and followers of other religions be allowed to join the Gardai (so long as they satisfy the entrance requirements), but this is pandering and virtue-signalling. What God you believe in (or not!) should have no place in your performance as a Garda.

Have we not learned enough in this country about allowing religion to hold influence over State organs and practises? All we're doing here is replacing one damaging ethos with another.

jeremyj1968

judeboy101 wrote: »

It would if they took an oath to serve without favour. Displaying religious symbols says they favour one religion over another. Imagine the psni allowing protestant members to wear an orange sash, as its part of an orange mans ethnic identity.

That's a very good point. You would really wonder what the Garda priorities are when these are the sort of announcements coming from them. Are there not other HUGE issues that they need to resolve before making themselves popular with Newstalk.

_Kaiser_

Meilani Melodic Necktie wrote: »

more and more those type of immigrants are coming here so looks like we need to adapt our culture to suit them .. a sign of things to come unfortunately!

And therein lies the problem.

If you come here, you should adapt to our practices, laws and customs - NOT the other way around.

Alas, in the screwed-up, backwards rabbit hole that is "modern" Western society, virtue-signalling is often far more important than common sense!

MrFresh

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I'd be against this move myself.

It's the exact opposite of inclusiveness - it'll mark these Gardai out as different and by extension somehow not bound to the same conditions as their colleagues.
By all means should other nationalities and followers of other religions be allowed to join the Gardai (so long as they satisfy the entrance requirements), but this is pandering and virtue-signalling. What God you believe in (or not!) should have no place in your performance as a Garda.

Have we not learned enough in this country about allowing religion to hold influence over State organs and practises? All we're doing here is replacing one damaging ethos with another.

You misunderstand what inclusiveness is. This is an inclusive policy as it allows others to join despite their beliefs. You're thinking of assimilation, which forces people to conform to existing beliefs in order to be included. There is no harm in adapting the uniform to accommodate these religions just as there was no harm in adapting it to accommodate women.

jeremyj1968 wrote: »

That's a very good point. You would really wonder what the Garda priorities are when these are the sort of announcements coming from them. Are there not other HUGE issues that they need to resolve before making themselves popular with Newstalk.

Honestly, how many resources do you think went into this decision and announcement?

_Kaiser_

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I'd be against this move myself.

It's the exact opposite of inclusiveness - it'll mark these Gardai out as different and by extension somehow not bound to the same conditions as their colleagues.
By all means should other nationalities and followers of other religions be allowed to join the Gardai (so long as they satisfy the entrance requirements), but this is pandering and virtue-signalling. What God you believe in (or not!) should have no place in your performance as a Garda.

Have we not learned enough in this country about allowing religion to hold influence over State organs and practises? All we're doing here is replacing one damaging ethos with another.

Absolutely wrong. This decision allows people, no matter their religion, to join AGS.
It won't interfere with individual members competency to do their job.
And it makes AGS, more inclusive.

RayCun

Meilani Melodic Necktie wrote: »

more and more those type of immigrants are coming here so looks like we need to adapt our culture to suit them .. a sign of things to come unfortunately!

Irish culture is the culture of Irish people.

They are Irish people. Their culture is part of our culture.

They are not they, they are us.

_Kaiser_

bubblypop wrote: »

Absolutely wrong. This decision allows people, no matter their religion, to join AGS.
It won't interfere with individual members competency to do their job.
And it makes AGS, more inclusive.

It ticks the virtue-signalling box for sure.

If someone's religious beliefs make it a problem for them to join the Gardai as is/was, then really it's not for them in the first place.

I'll say it again.. We do not need to be going backwards when it comes to the influence of religion over this State or its organs.

MrFresh

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

It ticks the virtue-signalling box for sure.

If someone's religious beliefs make it a problem for them to join the Gardai as is/was, then really it's not for them in the first place.

I'll say it again.. We do not need to be going backwards when it comes to the influence of religion over this State or its organs.

We aren't. We are going from a position were the state pushed a particular religion on people to a position where people are free to practice their own religion.

_Kaiser_

MrFresh wrote: »

We aren't. We are going from a position were the state pushed a particular religion on people to a position where people are free to practice their own religion.

Which they can do in their own time.

When it comes to their job, no preference or special arrangements should be made in the name of religious beliefs or practises. This applies to any job.

BalcombeSt4

judeboy101 wrote: »

Muslim women cant be alone with non male relatives, nor shake hands. Not exactly good for community policing.

The biggest load of bollox I've ever heard in my life.

MrFresh

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Which they can do in their own time.

When it comes to their job, no preference or special arrangements should be made in the name of religious beliefs or practises. This applies to any job.

Why?

BalcombeSt4

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

It's strange that a majority white Catholic country would have a majority white Catholic police force.

Was pretty strange when the miniroty Protestant population governed a majority Catholic country tho.

_Kaiser_

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

It ticks the virtue-signalling box for sure.

If someone's religious beliefs make it a problem for them to join the Gardai as is/was, then really it's not for them in the first place.

I'll say it again.. We do not need to be going backwards when it comes to the influence of religion over this State or its organs.

No, the religion will not have any influence at all over the members competence to do their job.
Do you think the religion of any member at the moment has any influence over their ability to do their job?