More than half of voters in four other major European states back a push by France’s Nicolas Sarkozy to ban women from wearing the burka, according to an opinion poll for the Financial Times.From the poll we see that 70 per cent favour a ban on the all-enveloping garment with a veil (niquab) in public places in France, 65 per cent in Spain and 63 per cent in Italy. The percentages were somewhat lower in Germany and the UK - 50 and 57 per cent respectively.
As Mr Sarkozy presses ahead with plans to ban the wearing of the burka in public places, the FT’s latest Harris poll shows the move is not just strongly supported in France, but wins enthusiastic backing in the UK, Italy, Spain and Germany.
In discussing the story, the FT showed its lack of understanding that the burqa is not just an item of clothing that some women choose to wear. It is a symbol and the reality of a system in which women have far fewer rights. Their word in courst is worth half of that of a man; they have no right to education or free choice in career or marriage; it is very questionable whether they have any decision in whether they want to hide themselves completely away from society around them.
Yet the article says:
The strength of feeling in the UK and Germany may seem particularly surprising. Britain has a strong liberal tradition that respects an individual’s right to full expression of religious views. But here, some 57 per cent of people still favoured a ban. In Germany, which is also reluctant to clamp down in minority rights, some 50 per cent favoured a ban.The burqa is not a religious symbol or apparel; it is a cultural one and its purpose is to negate and defy the very liberal tradition and individual freedom that is referred to in that paragraph.
It's fascinating how pundits in the national press continue to express such surprise at the public's desire to ban the burka - as if UKIP's stance were on the same level as arbitrarily deciding to outlaw hats.
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to accept that many of these commentators aren't perfectly well aware of the burka's cultural connection with Saudi Arabian Wahhabism & yet that never seems to be mentioned any more than the fact that any number of prominent Muslim scholars have said that the burka is no way a requirement of Islam. You have to wonder why newspaper editors are so curiously silent on this.
Is it political correctness? Or the cultural cringe? The fear of suggesting that our Christian culture & enlightened values might actually be superior to that of a bunch of head-chopping fascist loonies who'd like to bomb the western world back to the 12th century? It certainly seems like it.
It's not as if the press & the British media in general don't have form with this kind of behaviour. When the furore over the Dutch cartoons of the Islam prophet erupted none of the papers would even print the damn cartoons. They claimed of course that they were being culturally sensitive but you could smell the fear on them from a mile away. What they were really worried about was that printing the cartoons would attract some Al-Queda supporting Islamist to attack them but of course they couldn't bring themselves to admit that. It was sheer, blatant cowardice & all it did was embolden the enemy. It didn't placate them, it merely increased their contempt for us.
I'd like to suggest that mentioning the media's gutless track record of confronting Islamic extremism might be a useful line of attack for any UKIP supporter the next time the media try one of their smear jobs.
And lest anyone think I'm being unfair to the national press of course there are some reporters/papers doing marvellous work in keeping us informed about Islamic extremism. One such is The Sunday Telegraph which recently posted a shocking expose of the infiltration of the Labour party at regional, local & national level by Islamic radicals. Has Labour done anything about this? Of course not. Read about this here at the Harry's Place blog:
[url]http://www.hurryupharry.org/2010/02/28/entryism-exposed/[/url]
We have about 3 million Muslims in the UK, and Germany has about 4 million which is roughly 4%.
ReplyDeleteHelp Ukipper Nick Hogan and show your feeling against an unjust and discriminatory law!
ReplyDeletehttp://bastardoldholborn.blogspot.com/2010/02/nick-hogan-jailed-over-no-smoking-ban.html
You guys just simply do not understand the phenomena of the niqab. Ninety percent of the women that wear the niqab choose to wear this garment and have adopted this garment in the past 20 years. This has resulted from Saudi funding of esablishments in the UK. In addition a large proportion of those who wear the niqab are converts / reverts to Islam! But will you ever mention the Saudi's no.
ReplyDeleteNothing is ever as simple as some people who do not sign their postings think. The idea that women "choose" to wear the niquab can be said only by people who simply do not understand the situation of women in families where this is expected. As for not mentioning Saudi, as a matter of fact, a lot of people do mention it and describe its influence. Many of those people manage to sign their articles and postings.
ReplyDeletehttp://innperlenburg.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/34/
ReplyDeleteNo doubt this would be the Islamic version of the flight from the Garden of Eden
IM ALL FOR FAIR & BALANCED, SO IF WOMEN VISITORS TO CERTAIN MUSLIM COUNTRIES, ARE NOT ALLOOWED TO BEAR SHOULDERS, ARMS, LEGS, OR WEAR SWIMWEAR, WHICH SEEMS TO BE RIGIDLY ENFORCED, IT SHOULD BE ACCEPTED BY ALL GROUPS, THAT WE THE WEST, CAN ALSO SAY WHAT WE DO & DO NOT FIND ACCEPTABLE, THEREFORE WE CAN SAY WE DO NOT LIKE THE FACE COVERED. WHY DO THE BEINGS WHO SUPPORT THE BURKA COMPARE IT TO NUNS GEAR, IVE NEVER SEEN A NUN COVERING HER WHOLE FACE. IF I GO OUT IN A LONE RANGER MASK I WILL BE, AT THE LEAST, APPROACHED BY THE POLICE TO SEE WHT MISCHIEF I AM UP TO.
ReplyDeleteSO FAIR & BALANCED PLEASE,
DAVID CURTIS
An aquaintance, in his 50,s, rides a mororbike, was buying petrol, kept helmet on, visor up, was refused service, so asked "Would you serve someone wearing full face veil, answer yes. Now that is not fair & balanced, no matter which group you belong to, Aetheist, faith group of any persuasion.
ReplyDeleteThat situation needs changing, but we have weak politicians who pander, grovel to keep things sweet.
David Curtis
i would recomend that anyone interested , looks on Utube at the video of Shaheed Malik, MP for Dewsbury, and a one time Government Minister, to see him expressing his desire for a Muslim PM. Try to ban the Burka then folks.
ReplyDeleteDavid Curtis
How proud we are of this nation in which two men can "marry" but a woman who chooses to preserve her modesty is seen as a cancer!
ReplyDeleteWhen debating burka ban, particularly with a wearer or someone who favours it,may I remind them that we westerners, visitors to muslim countries, have to rigidly follow their laws regarding exposing arms, other areas, or have to cover head, no alcohol, no kissing in public.
ReplyDeleteHave you noticed how we westerners accept these laws, rules without complaint, so why are we not allowed a few of our rules to be observed & respected by all when in OUR land.
It seems to me that muslins want things their way no matter where they are.
If I were to go into public space with a highwaymans mask on I would be at the very least spoken to by the police, or arrested on suspicion of going equipped.
The ban is to be on ALL face coverings.
David Curtis, as I have no reason to hide behind "anonymous."