Banning the Burka would be rather un-British?

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/2dhhtrp

At last the immigration minister has finally spoken out to say "the banning of the Burka would be rather un-British”

Excuse me isn't the wearing of the Burka 'RATHER UN-BRITISH'

/// Farooq Murad the new head of the Muslim Council of Britain (pointed to the spread of mosques and sharia, or Islamic law, as positive signs of the greater freedom Muslims are given in this country.///

/// He warned that any moves to restrict the expression of Islam by banning the veil or blocking the building of minarets would alienate the Muslim community and threaten social cohesion. ///

Once again we have been warned by the Muslims.

Only last week a witness took the stand at Southwark Crown Court, dressed in this garb with only her eyes showing, how can this be allowed?

http://tinyurl.com/3yqolup

[123everton]

The denial of free expression, the denial of free religious expression, whether you like it or not, is decidedly un-British.
A ban stipulates that you can't win the argument so we'll ban it anyway.
All Faroq Murad has said is that if you curtail the religious and personal free expressions that everyone else takes for granted then there could be friction.
He talks about cohesion, not war, not bombs, not violence.
A ban on the burka is a fascist law, because it implies that the law is an instrument of the expression of state power, and that obeying the law is matter of blind obedience to the detriment of reason or conscience.
I ask anyone, would you obey a law that goes against your conscience?

[jno]

individuals may choose to act in an un-British way as long as it's not illegal. British governments should certainly not.

[sandyRoe]

It's the British way to let people wear whatever they want. What business is it of the state to dictate what we can wear?

[TheNovice]

it's time politicians asked the people and not assume they not how the british people feel. The Muslim community seems rather good at alienating themselves by wanting these islands to grant them exemption from our laws and let them live by their own rule - very very un British I think. Live here by all means but 1 set of rules and laws for all is the only way forward. And if that's not for you then....jog on!!!

[LeMarchand]

"Freedom to wear whatever you like"?

Not true. I'm pretty sure that certain risqué T-shirts, Nazi uniforms, KKK outfits and overly revealing outfits would not be tolerated in public.

"I ask anyone, would you obey a law that goes against your conscience?"

Are you advocating that we should pick and choose which laws to obey. I don't condone my taxes being used to support illegal wars, corrupt MPs etc etc. Is it OK not to pay tax then?

[jno]

even so, Le Marchand, the examples of potentially unacceptable dress you mention are not banned. (Total nudity might be.)

[maclarencat]

I will agree to feeling intimidated by the Burka I suppose it is because as humans we are so used to judging peoples reaction by facial expression that when that is taken away we are a bit bewidered. I have travelled in Muslim countries and this is not a religious dress this is a dress of choice or country law. As I understand it the Koran does not demand this from women and they are free to choose not wear it. As such, a lot of the arguments for the Burka are washed away. Free will to wear what we choose does not come into it. We are not free to wear anything we like in this country. If you walked down the street naked you would soon be asked to cover up as you were causing offence. what would happen if you chose to walk down the street in a white sheet and white pointy hat!! I am sure that would not be tolerated either and nor should it be, so why do we have to allow people to wear the burka. If they are wearing it because of modesty what does that say about the way the women think of men? If they are wearing it merely to make a religous statement then we do not have to allow it . I for one would vote to have it abolished in public places.

[anotheoldgit]

67% of voters want the burka banned, haven't the politicians learned yet to listen to the people?

What would happen if this 67% went about their daily business with their faces covered in ski masks, would this be tolerated?

Should someone start a FaceBook page perhaps?

[maclarencat]

There is a page on facebook called ban the burka

[Gromit]

A ban is unBritish, so those calling for a ban are being unBritish.

[anotheoldgit]

/// A ban is unBritish, so those calling for a ban are being unBritish ///

According to Damian Green the immigration minister.

And we all know they will tell you anything to stop rocking the boat.

They will say Britain is a tolerant nation, try telling that to the residents of Dudley.

[spacechimp]

"the denial of free religious expression, whether you like it or not, is decidedly un-British."

Since when? I am atheist but I make no mistake that this has historically been an establishmentarian protestant country where adherence to Catholicism hasn't been tolerated, let alone to other faiths.

Secondly, religious conviction is not a licence to do whatever one pleases. Stoning women to death because they say they have been raped, for example, is not part of the British way of life and would not be tolerated.

[rov1200]

Giving in to Muslims have now come back to haunt us. It was reported only today that blind people are being chucked off buses or denied taxis because their religion forbids the contact with dogs. I wonder if the driver was sacked? No of course not, he was taken into the office to explain our customs but we quite understand their consternation.

[modeller]

I have read the Koran and the Hadith and in neither book does it say that anyone should cover the face or any part of the head . Which means neither a veil or even a head scarf are prescribed.
What the holy books do say is that men and women should dress modestly. That was 1500 years ago, since then it has been the clerics who have interpreted the word ' modestly ' to mean what they wanted it to mean . Which in turn increased their power over the individual .
This is not restricted to Islam all religions do the same thing . Religion gives power to the clerics over all their believers.

[olddutch]

Common sense dictates All Brits and All British visitors should always have their faces open to view in public places.

[zita-green]

How do women in burkas get any vitamin d?

[Meg]

Totally agree with you.

[tamborine]

We should all have the same right to cover ourselves likewise in public, whether muslim or not.

[oscardoodles]

Hmmm.......what is British?...If you can define British then you may have an argument.I know some British men who tell their wives and girlfriends what to wear and not wear....Is there a British way of life?..Moral code?..Sense of fair play?...I think all of these things went south years ago because 'liberal' thinking was diluted and b&stardised to the point of stupidity.We are reaping what we allowed athers to sew on our behalf without questioning the motives..