http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070130.IMMIGRATE30/TPStory/?query=immigrants

Interesting article.

I am puzzled. I have NEVER seen a sikh carrying a sword in Blore or Chennai. But I have seen right in Brampton. Once I saw couple of young sikhs (in Brar, Brampton) carrying the sword. Talking in local accent in English. Could be CBCDa or CBCSs.

Should the religious customs be left at home not displayed outside?

DIO

having lived in Punjab for quite some time I'll tell what I know about sword carried by amritdhari sikhs ...

Amritdhari sikhs are supposed to have 5 K's (Kesh [hair], kanga [Comb], Kacha [underwear Large], Kada [Bangle - mostly solid steel now a days] and Kirpan [sword] ...

These were part of the dress when sikhs were formed by guru gobind singh and these were to identify them and they had some responsibilities ( like helping people in distress without caring for the odds against them )
All these 5k's had relevance at that time especially sword was required very much ( I cannot say about modern society --- but it is a tradition to have all 5 K's if one is amritdhari sikh )

Eldest son by hindu ( I am not sure about muslims ) parents was made to follow sikhism ( that is why I guess sardar ), and in villages in Punjab and haryana many people still raise their eldest son as sikh

And if you get a chance to go to Punjab and may be in Delhi you will find a lot of amritdhari sikhs with all the 5 ks ...

Now a days people generally use these as just symbols ( sword is not generally more than 6 inches )

also In my opinion some people want to carry it and go to courts in Canada for that just to test the system ( sikhism is not to be adopted until one understands the duties and responsibility attached to sikhism so only adults have to take and independent decision --- not the kids [ as in hindu dharm one decides to have a guru after becoming adult generally after marriage and not have a guru forced upon children] )

Generally Amritdhari sikhs have to follow a very strict code of conduct and discipline and sword is not to harm any innocent person
Also in todays world some amritdhari sikhs are very strong believers in their duty and responsibility
( my roommate in college days became amritdhari sikh thus I know that some people do believe in it strongly )

IMO the decision to wear a symbolic sword is individual and as long as it is not used against innocent people should be ok

My 2 cents

And how do airlines treat this "sword". do they let them get on flights with it ? especially post 9/11 ?

I have seen kripans carried in Brampton.

This news is all over US in a different context. It has been featured in various CNN news segment and also in the special talk show segment.

May be it is a sign of things to come. With Toronto becoming more populated with visible minorities the whites will be forced to move away and keep their boundaries.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....

"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"