Belgium has banned the wearing of burkas in public. WTF?
As much as I disagree with religion in general, I think governments regulating what we wear is taking the piss a bit.
That said, there's already laws against walking around with your balls out, and they don't bother me too much.
What a moral dilemma.
Victory for women's rights or unacceptable government encroachment into the private sphere?
Works for me.
For me it has much more to do with a state standing up and saying 'You people have to do as everyone else does here' before that group gets so separated from the rest of us and is seen to be given special treatment (just because of its religious customs). I'm glad to see some of our European neighbours are braver than us in making this initial stand. Let's hope it quickly spreads right across Europe, because that's what usually happens, two or three start a policy and then the others feel brave enough to follow them.
And from a practical point of view it is necessary to ban it too. Remember that male terrorist who escaped Britain wearing one?!
And lastly, yes, the sexual politics angle - it can only do these women good to force them to face the public with nothing to hide behind. Hopefully it can start the long process of them achieving more respect and equality within their own horrendously patriarchial society.
And they must be forced to accept that our society, the society of our land comes before their own enclave.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ May 1 2010, 7:02 PM BSTLet's hope it quickly spreads right across Europe
After Belgium's parliament voted to ban Islamic full-face veils, the German vice-president of the European Parliament has called for a ban of the burka throughout Europe.
Silvana Koch-Mehrin called the full-body veil an attack on the rights of women in a guest editorial in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
"I would like to see all forms of the burka banned in Germany and in all of Europe," wrote the politician, a member of Germany's pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP).
Good for those Krauts I say. Biorst!
Trouble is, islamic extremists actually quite like this ban. Because it helps them whip up anti-West sentiments and feelings. In the same way the boneheaded wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I can see both sides. I kind of like the idea of them not existing, as I'm sure they can't truly enjoy wearing them, and they're so bloody impractical (for everyone else as well as them), but it does seem completely out of order and just plain rude to ban an item of clothing a huge number of people wear.
They'll be after wimples next!
Haha!
You can't ban something with such a cute name.
Quote: zooo @ May 1 2010, 7:18 PM BST... it does seem completely out of order and just plain rude to ban an item of clothing a huge number of people wear.
Wouldn't it be nice if instead of banning them, they could ban the pressure women feel to wear them.
As much as I hate those garments and as absolutely ridiculous as they look, I feel terribly uncomfortable banning things. It's not a route it feels proper to go down.
Quote: Nogget @ May 1 2010, 7:24 PM BSTWouldn't it be nice if instead of banning them, they could ban the pressure women feel to wear them.
Yes.
Quote: Aaron @ May 1 2010, 7:24 PM BSTAs much as I hate those garments and as absolutely ridiculous as they look, I feel terribly uncomfortable banning things. It's not a route it feels proper to go down.
Yes.
Quote: Nogget @ May 1 2010, 7:24 PM BSTWouldn't it be nice if instead of banning them, they could ban the pressure women feel to wear them.
Good flipping point.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ May 1 2010, 7:02 PM BSTAnd they must be forced to accept that our society, the society of our land comes before their own enclave.
Yeah, but our culture is (or should be) a culture of freedom, not a culture of regulating how people dress.
If we're worried about the oppression of women, surely there are better ways of tackling it than banning a symptom.
There are probably plenty of Muslim who women wear these outfits by choice. I think they're idiots, but idiocy is not a crime.
It basically boils down to a security issue. It's impossible to identify someone hidden behind a full body covering.