Article is a very poor read with poor judgement throughout by Katharine Birbalsingh. The title only relates to the article with a prediction, out of the blue, that "perhaps" it is around the corner.
But anyways, I wanted to just say: if France proves the burka ban is
quantitatively improving integration, our spineless pussy footing MPs really should start thinking about getting it implemented, and I hope the general Anglo-Saxon as well as Muslim UK public start
getting it too.
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http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/katharinebirbalsingh/100083817/were-not-far-off-a-british-burqa-ban/Everyone I speak to is outraged by France’s new law that bans the burqa in public spaces. Either the fury is sparked by the desire to preserve the right to wear what one wants, or it stems from a sense that the law is inherently racist.
Europeans went to Africa and found topless women offensive and ordered them to cover up. They went to the Americas and found the dress of indigenous Americans equally shameful. We seem to be at the mercy of cultural whim. Once upon a time, to fit in with Western laws, one had to cover up. Now, it would seem that one has to undress.
Balaclavas are also banned in French streets, but is this just a cover-up for that which is inherently racist? I’m not sure it is so simple.
Both the burqa – a full veil with lace to cover the eyes – and the niqab – a full veil leaving a slit for the eyes – are banned. Kenza Drider, a respectable mother of four in Avignon, deliberately tested the French police by wearing the niqab and publicly warned the authorities she would do so, long before Monday (the day the ban was imposed). She believes that the law is “an attack on my European rights, my freedom to come and go, my religious freedom”.
I kind of see her point. And I respect her determination, courage and fearlessness in standing up for what she believes. Her husband has not forced her to wear the niqab: he was surprised the day she decided to start doing so. It is entirely her choice. She feels let down by her country, because it is removing what she believes is her basic human right.
All those who break this law will face a €150 fine or a compulsory citizenship course. Fêtes, artistic performances and sports events are exempt. (Hmm, it does leave me wondering though if women are allowed to wear burqas while skiing? And what about women who have just had a chemical peel, and are too embarrassed to do their grocery shopping with their raw faces in plain sight? I guess from now on, they had better be prepared.)
Should we not be able to wear what we want? Maybe. But are we currently free to do this? Kenza Drider cannot walk down the street naked with a simple strip of tape across her private parts without being arrested. And quite right: her appearance would be considered offensive. Perhaps the exact opposite, in covering up entirely except for a strip is equally repellent: it says, don’t talk to me, don’t mix with me, I’m not like you. But what about topless beaches down the road from Avignon? Even there, ‘strips’ are not allowed and, of course, toplessness is only permitted under very limited circumstances. Perhaps Sarkozy should allow for ‘Burqa Beaches’ and then everyone would be equal under the eyes of the law.
But even without ‘Burqa Beaches’, it all sounds very similar to the laws that govern our ability or inability to remain naked. We can remain naked as much as we like in the privacy of our own homes. The same thing goes for covering one’s face. That’s because no harm or offence is caused to people in doing so.
When I visit Muslim countries, I cover myself up in order not to cause offence. In Western countries, it does not seem unreasonable for me to follow rules too. The question is what the rules should be. What constitutes “offence”? Teaching assistant Aishah Azmi in West Yorkshire in 2006 felt it was perfectly reasonable to teach her children with her face covered. The courts did not agree and her case of religious discrimination was dismissed. France’s line on the blur between state and religion has always been far harsher than Britain’s. But perhaps the burqa being banned in British streets is only just around the corner.
Topic: "We're not far off a British burqa ban"