The Burka - To ban or not to ban?

[Pete999]

There are many forms of headdresses that woman & man wear, for example nuns and Sikhs. I see nothing wrong in women wanting to wear headdresses that cover everything but their face, Hijab I think its called.

Although I know some people find that sort of clothing equally as offensive, you only have to walk down a High St during summer and see scantly clad women (I'm not talking models!), who could do with covering up a bit, that includes bear chested males in speedos!

I was listening the Jeremy Vine show the other week, when they were on about Anjem Choudary, being interviewed on his show. A Muslim cleric argued the programme should of not be aired, but went on to say, when the BBC did, it should of had someone like him to counter Choudary's arguments. For example, talking about the Burka or Burqa, the fact is that it is not worn in many Muslim countries and its banned at the Hajj to Mecca (women are forbidden to wear the Burqa and Niqab, as they must have their faces uncovered).

For me I find it uneasy when I see anyone, who has their face covered. Someone's also mentioned motorcyclists having to remove helmets, going in to pay for fuel, as robbers have used to avoid detection. Criminals often cover their faces to carry out their crimes. Perhaps that's why most find that sort of headgear either offensive or disturbing. Sometimes I feel troubled, when seeing police cover their faces with a fireproof balaclava, but I suppose we have to accept they do that for a reason.

After recent events in France, I can see why bans are taking place. In needs a cautious sensible approach, you could imagine the clamour, if Sikhs had been the terrorists in France. I believe there is an 'anti-mask law' at demonstrations in the UK, so legislation can be sensibly introduced.

If very few women wear the Burka, and it's not supported by Islam, and if it's done here for security issues, public safety & confidence, I see no reason why we can't consider banning them.

Shame on the BBC for giving Choudary air time, all these years he has been preaching his hate, finally got sentenced, 5 Years what a joke. he will be locked away with more of his kind, become some sort of Muslim super Con, as I said a joke.

 

[D Skelton]

Some interesting replies here.

Well, I said I'd air my views so here they are...

Currently, I'm not fully decided on what side of the fence I sit on. My views on this issue are somewhat paradoxical. The burka as a garment is something that I detest. I detest what it stands for and I detest the statement that is made by those who do choose to wear it.

The burka as a concept in the most part stands for the subjugation of women. The idea that the women who wear them are essentially the property of the husband, and that no other eligible man should lay eyes on her is a concept that I cannot abide by in a Western, secular democracy. The justification within Islam for treating women in this way is not hard to find, and I personally believe it should not be welcome anywhere, let alone on our shores.

The women who wear the burka rarely choose to do so of their own free will, and those who think they do are more than likely completely indoctrinated anyway. There are on the odd occasions where women who despite not being told they have to wear one, wear one anyway. They wear it as a political statement. They're essentially saying "look at me, I'm a Muslim, and I'm going to wear this to show you all just how devout I am regardless of what you think".

The burka, to me, symbolises everything that is wrong with the failed experiment of multiculturalism. The idea that you can take large numbers of people with completely incompatible cultures, backgrounds, ideologies and values, shove them all into a tiny melting pot, and expect them to get along swimmingly, is in fact obsurd to all except a vocal minority on the far left of the political spectrum.

All the above being said, the liberal in me just cannot stomach the idea that we should legislate to control what people wear. There is no law preventing me from walking down the street wearing a motorcycle helmet or a balaclava, so why should we introduce laws to prevent women from wearing burkas?!

Now rules on private property are a different story. I believe that companies and land owners should be fully within their rights to restrict items of clothing on their land as they see fit, so long as those rules are applied fairly across the board. An example of this can be seen at petrol stations and banks with regards to facial coverings. It's my firm belief that if you are to restrict motorcycle helmets, then in the interest of equality for all, you should also restrict burkas, and vice versa.

We live in a society where people should be able to choose freely how they dress, what they say and think, and what to believe in. We live in a society that is simply better than the societies around the world who impose theocracy upon its citizens and it's resultant and inevitable authoritarian restrictions.

My personal view thus far...

A ban on the burka goes against every priciple I hold dear, however, for those in a position to impose their beliefs upon others, those who force people to wear items of clothing they don't want to wear, the husbands, the brothers, the fathers and the imams who tell women "you must wear this black sack for the rest of your days whilst out in public"... The punishments should be swift and the punishments should be harsh!

 

[spary]

multiculturism is white genocide.

fire away leftwing loonies lol

 

[Dan]

multiculturism is white genocide.

fire away leftwing loonies lol

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...elop-RED-eyes-darker-skin-better-looking.html

The other side of that argument is you'll be inbred if you go extreme.

We need mixes of races to evolve and get rid of common diseases etc

 

[telectrix]

as usual with your posts, a balanced view. if i had a hat i'd take it off to you, but my religion won't tolerate the removal of hats by baldies, as the hairpiece :mamazed:comes off with it.

 

[Dan]

as usual with your posts, a balanced view. if i had a hat i'd take it off to you, but my religion won't tolerate the removal of hats by baldies, as the hairpiece :mamazed:comes off with it.

Who's posts?

 

[spary]

my cats inbred

 

[gazdkw82]

I think it needs to be banned, mainly for security reasons but also because I think it would actually promote integration and to echo a previous statement, im fed up of hearing about it now. just ban it and move on

 

[RmBo_0]

I'm in the middle on this, where ever it is banned to cover your face ie petrol stations, banks then they shouldn't be allowed to wear them. I think as soon as we start giving people special treatment then we are segregating them from everyone else. But let them wear what they want anywhere else.

 

[Des 56]

Working class women (even up to the seventies here in Wales) very often wore headscarves as a type of uniform
It was in effect a statement of belonging

If the Hijab was a universal item that the believers in sky fairies were required to wear by their fellow fantasists there may be justification for society to supply a reason for any banning order,

No religion requires a believer to do so,therefore it needs to be banned for all of the security and cultural problems that have been mentioned earlier

If I had my way,all these religious fools (which ever sky fairy they believe in) would only be permitted to practice and display their nonsense out of sight of society and in their own homes

 

[telectrix]

Who's posts?

my post waas aimed at damian's post.

 

[Marvo]

....wiw, i'd ban them, if only from a security standpoint.

My opinion is they should be banned on security grounds......

By the same token you'd also advocate banning sunglasses, large floppy hats, nun's cornetts, hoodies, umbrellas and snorkel parkas?

The way i see it is that if you are going to live in another country, you should integrate yourself in to that country's way of life and customs. That's why there is so many problems. Everyone trying to live as if they are still in there own country. It's not just in the UK. My wife's grandfather has lived in Spain for about 15 years and knows about half a dozen words of Spanish.

Not sure why you'd want everyone in the UK to look and behave according to one rigid set of customs. It would be a pretty boring place.

I'm dead against the banning of burkas purely because I hate the idea of the state being able to legislate the micromanagement of peoples lives.

Surely by legally dictating how people can and can't dress you're basically stooping to the depths of doing exactly what ISIS extremists are doing. Sure, I get it if you just dislike Muslims and want to ban burkas to show them the middle finger and ---- a few of them off but I think anyone who seriously thinks it's going to have any effect other than that is seriously mistaken.

 

[Dan]

Like I said. To force people NOT to wear them is as bad as a country forcing them to wear them.

Being free to do what you please is the way we'd love it, within reason.

 

[Barry White]

It comes down to them all looking the same and the safety issues involved.
Covered up with a burka it is impossible to identify the person correctly as they all look the same. So how do you identify anyone who commits a crime?
Driving is worse if it slips they are blind and again how do you identify the driver ?
A number of people have escaped the country dressed in burkas mainly men.

Whilst I dont believe we should have laws to "ban the burka" I do believe in public places and whilst driving etc no face mask/cover should be worn. Then it becomes complicated what about the balaclava on a cold day???

 

[Midwest]

Driving is worse if it slips they are blind and again how do you identify the driver ?
A number of people have escaped the country dressed in burkas mainly men.

Whilst I dont believe we should have laws to "ban the burka" I do believe in public places and whilst driving etc no face mask/cover should be worn. Then it becomes complicated what about the balaclava on a cold day??

Got an answer for that. We could just follow Saudi Arabis lead, and ban women from driving!