Article

Human right to the barber of your choice?

A A

 

November 19, 2012

The ridiculous nature of human rights in Canada is in full display this week as news spreads of the complaint from a woman who was denied a men’s haircut at a barber shop that only cuts men’s hair. As Ezra Levant explains:

So a lesbian walks into a Muslim barbershop, and asks for a “businessmen’s haircut”. It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it really happened, and now a government agency called the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario will hear her complaint. Faith McGregor is the lesbian who doesn’t like the girly cuts that they do at a salon. She wants the boy’s hairdo. Omar Mahrouk is the owner of the Terminal Barber Shop in Toronto. He follows Shariah law, so… they don’t believe in touching women other than their own wives.

Putting aside the frontal assault on a business man’s right to choose his own clients on his own terms in a competitive market, and ignoring the disrespect shown to a religious tradition and besides the idiocy of the complaint, what really is at stake here are real human rights. As Rex Murphy concludes, “Should the dim day arrive, under some demented ethos, that picking your own barber is declared a human right, then it will be the effective end of true human rights — their having been remorselessly trivialized to the point of absolute nullity.” Mr. Murphy is absolutely correct and his whole column is well worth the five minute read. It’s time to do away with this ridiculous, tax-funded farce!

Freedom of Association, Freedom of Religion Email Us 

Get Publications Delivered

TO Your Inbox

Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about upcoming events, action items, and everything else ARPA
Never miss an article.
Subscribe