Comments on: British democratic values threatened as courts invoked against MP calling for Burka ban and Conservative ministers back Islamisation

By: pretzelberg

pretzelberg — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:52:31 +0000

“Conservative ministers back Islamisation”??

Come on, Robin. That’s surely a headline too far.

“the deeply entrenched forces of multiculturalist political correctness in Britain have already begun to mobilise”

How very Daily Mailesque!

Personally I feel uncomfortable re. the sight of a woman wearing a niqab – and I find Spelman’s references to “dignity” and “empowering” preposterous.

Don’t sink to her level.

By: Shlomo USA

Shlomo USA — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:58:45 +0000

Islamists used burqas and niqabs (veils) to establish control over public space. Women who don’t wear them are singled out for abuse in heavily Muslim communities. I don’t believe that most women who wear burqas or niqabs do so voluntarily.

By: Penny

Penny — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:21:54 +0000

“It is part of their culture”

But where does this ‘it’s their culture’ thing begin and end?

I notice that Channel 4 is tonight showing a program about the exorcisms carried out on small children in certain African churches in the UK due to the belief that they are witches.

How do we decide which aspect of which cultural or religious ‘norm’ is acceptable in our society? If we agree that this practice of exorcism is child abuse and should be outlawed, can we then ignore other practices that may be abusive or carry the potenital for abuse – or do we leave it up to each culture to decide?

What a mixed-up, bizarre way to run a society.

By: Jonathan Karmi

Jonathan Karmi — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:59:02 +0000

I find burqas creepy. To me, they symbolise the subjugation of a woman’s personality at the hands of either her husband, her family or her religion, or most probably all three. What is more, they symbolise the backward and even barbaric societies in which they are worn, cultures in which honour killings are seen as perfectly acceptable. For me, those cultures don’t belong in Britain and I don’t see why Britain, as a modern society, should bend over backwards to accommodate them. Burqas have no place on the streets of Britain, just as IRA-style balaclavas have no place.

This is an area where political correctness and multiculturalism are plumbing the depths of unreason and it’s extraordinary to hear Conservatives on that side of the argument. I can imagine many Conservative voters feeling disenfranchised when they read the opinions of Spelman and Green. If those views are commonplace amongst Tory MPs, then chances are they’ll lose a stack of votes to the BNP next time around, which really would be a disaster.

By: Gábor Fränkl

Gábor Fränkl — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:46:48 +0000

As the JPost’s Caroline Glick aptly said in her column’s title about Britain’s general state of confusion and various problems some 3 or 4 years ago: “A dying lion can still cause harm”.

By: chairwoman

chairwoman — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:24:20 +0000

What concerns me most about this issue, is that it is known that a great majority of the electorate would like to see this happen, yet their elected representatives ignore their wishes completely.

All Governments fail to keep their pre-election promises to a greater or lesser degree, but I have never known a Government make a bonfire of their manifesto as quickly as this one

By: Joy Wolfe

Joy Wolfe — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:06:08 +0000

Isn;t it ironic that many European countries and Syria all think it appropriate to have a full face burkha ban, yet yhy UK considers it is not “British”
Too right it is not British any more than it is fro taxi and bus drivers to deny access to blind people with their guide dogs because of non B ritish beliefs
If I were a bus or taxci company owner I would have clear rules about the obligation to carry all passengers and guide dogs and if that is not acceptable to potential employees they should seek employment eleswhere.
Let’s take a leaf out of the australians book. Unlesa people are willing to accept British norms and customs they should not be welcome here.
If political correctness gets an even stronger hold in this country those who have not seen it coming are in for a very unpleasant shock
I also support magistrates and judges, and managers of places where there is any kind of security risk or need for identity to be established who deny access to people who refuse to revela their faces, and as for English teachers teaching with a full veil when the children are unable to see how they form the sounds, that iis simply ridiculous. And for good measure bravo to the swimming pool manager who banned swimming in a full burkha, and boo to the ones who allow public swimming pools to be closed for certain hours when those wishing to swim in burkhas or in a single sex situation commandeer the pool
There now that’s my rant over for the day!!!!
I’m glad to say this is not a racist issue as many Muslims understand the concerns regarding the full veil and are pleased to speak out against it.
And I managed to say all that without even mentioning the terrorist potential of using the burkha to deceive

By: peterthehungarian

peterthehungarian — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:00:45 +0000

Wearing a burka is no more threatening than wearing sunglasses?
Even if this assumption is correct, what would you think about your bank clerk,your MD, your lawyer, the seller in the shop etc wearing sunglasses during his/her professional activity?