John Robson: When They Come for the Menorah, Don’t Think It’s Only About Jews

Commentary Can you think of a better time to tell Jews to keep their symbols out of our public spaces than while Hamas supporters roam Canada chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free?” Moncton City Council apparently couldn’t. For the first time in 20 years, no Hanukkah menorah in front of city hall for you. Council has now commendably backed down, and will install the menorah (and the nativity scene they had also nixed). But here it’s important to understand that, as Queen’s history professor Don Akenson once said, people may have small ideas, but “big ideas have people.” Including that sophisticated, inclusive respect for “religion” requires forbidding any actual religious practices....