andrewducker: (Default)
andrewducker ([personal profile] andrewducker) wrote2012-03-07 11:00 am

Interesting Links for 07-03-2012

Re: Jews in Scotland may be disenfranchised by a Saturday vote.

[identity profile] cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com 2012-03-07 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I think it's a (2d?) continuum between "letting people make up all sorts of commandments on the spot in order to manipulate and disadvantage other people" and "respecting things that are completely core in someone's identity". If someone can only vote between 5:15 and 5:17 on the first Tuesday of March, then they probably have to accept they can't vote. If someone can only vote if the voting hours are extended to 10pm, for one particularly important referendum, hopefully that can be worked round.

Re: Jews in Scotland may be disenfranchised by a Saturday vote.

[identity profile] del-c.livejournal.com 2012-03-08 09:53 am (UTC)(link)
It would be simplicity itself to require everyone present at an important civic event to dress modestly, and not more disruptive than to require all voters to vote on a work day. Just a small polite consideration to your fellow voters who happen to be religious, in order not to disenfranchise them. It does sound to me like your willingness to respect the religious depends on the religion.

How much respect did you have for Sunday trading restrictions? (yes, I know Christian law is an arbitrary and inconsistent set of rules, observant Christians seem to observe just the ones they feel like, and many nominal Christians don't seem to observe any of them. Thank goodness other religions aren't like that!)

[identity profile] spacelem.livejournal.com 2012-03-08 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
Why are they forbidden from attendance? They can't work, but voting isn't work (unless I'm missing something).

Okay, counting votes is work, but the thing about the postal vote and not letting others work seems rather difficult to justify to me, as the person who'll be doing the work hasn't signed up to the "no work" clause (or else they wouldn't be working!).

[identity profile] spacelem.livejournal.com 2012-03-08 11:15 am (UTC)(link)
Wow, that's... pretty restrictive O_o

I suspect if turning a light switch counts as work, their religious text might possibly need updating somewhat.

[identity profile] spacelem.livejournal.com 2012-03-08 11:21 am (UTC)(link)
I just did a quick google search on what you can and can't do on a Saturday. Apparently you can flush the toilet (you must in fact, because hygiene trumps work), but you can't tear anything (such as the toilet paper), so an orthodox Jew must tear the toilet paper in advance.

I remain content being not religious.