Crucifix ruling divides Spain

A court in the Spanish city of Valladolid has ruled in favour of parents who wanted the crucifix banned from classrooms at their children's school. The daily La Vanguardia calls for a more balanced discussion about the judgement, which has divided Spanish society. "Does it make you more progressive just because you want the symbols removed, and are those who want them to stay ultra [conservative]? And is there a middle ground between these two positions? ... First of all, I fail to understand why a crucifix is supposed to be a despicable symbol of intolerance while the head scarf worn by a Muslim girl is seen as a sign of tolerance. Where did advocates of multiculturalism get the idea that tolerance towards other religions is of no use to the Catholic religion? You will say that it's not the same when a symbol is used by an individual as when it's used as a collective symbol. And this is true. But a society which has been Catholic for 2,000 years and which is peppered with Christian symbolism cannot be compared with other religions that have only just arrived."

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