Comments on: French ban on Muslim burka brings out multi-culturalist prejudices as liberal-establishment descends into self-parody

By: Earnest Stipe

Earnest Stipe — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:55:30 +0000

Hi would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m looking to start my own blog soon but I’m having a tough time deciding between BlogEngine/WordPress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S My apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!

Robin Shepherd says: It’s WordPress. Not sure though whether that’s the key point or what the designers did. Good luck!

By: wendy

wendy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:40:15 +0000

A late response to this excellent article : Syria’s ruling party has quietly banned the niqab from all public places while our craven politicians are spouting the usual nonsense about ‘empowerment’ of women and tolerance.(Caroline Spelman and Damian Green,et al.)

This ‘in-your-face’ garb should be banned :it gives offence;undermines western values and leads to feelings of resentment and alienation.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:59:45 +0000

Poll: Most Brits back face veil ban

“More than two-thirds of the British public want Muslim face veils banned in all public places, according to a YouGov and Five News poll.”

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3920871,00.html

By: J. Isaacs

J. Isaacs — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:30:16 +0000

Apart from other considerations, the burqa and niqab provide a charter for masked criminals/terrorists.

One of the robbers accused of murdering Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford in 2005 is said to have fled to Somalia dressed as a woman in a burqa. How many criminals/terrorists are moving around the world similarly disguised?

By: Simone Bacchini

Simone Bacchini — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:02:00 +0000

Robin’s “all things being equal” argument makes perfect sense and is truly spot on.

But not all things are equal in the current climate. An increasingly aggressive Islam keeps making demands that their “rights” be respected. But where will it stop?

We’re already having to tolerate – here in the UK, not only in France – segregated swimming pools and Muslim women who will not be seen by a male doctor. Where will it end?

The idea that there are women who freely choose to wear the full veil is beside the point: many do not; and the veil stems from an ideology that objectifies women and denies them equal rights; such ideology – among other things – removes responsability from males and shifts it onto females even as it claims to afford the latter protection form from unwanted attention from the former.

The full veil builds a wall of separation between “us” and “them”; a wall that aggressively affirms difference and causes isolation. It must be resisted.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:17:47 +0000

There was an opinion piece in a French newspaper when they were debating allowing religious apparel in schools which made an impression on me at the time and is also pertinent here. While some girls wanted to wear these things, there were many others who preferred to integrate into the general society, and many of these attested to being forced to comply with the dictates of the most fanatical male chauvinists in their community. Given the status of women in Muslim communities, they are not able to act freely, so one aspect of outlawing the burka is the protection it affords to women, not only defending their freedom of dress choice, but also protecting them from the danger of crossing the street in a modern city while encumbered by floor length robes and with no peripheral vision.

By: Amir Normandi

Amir Normandi — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:00:34 +0000

Burqa Museum of Paris..!
The world should follow France, in advancing the humanity to the current century.
The fanatics need to be pulled out of the dark ages.
A gender specific dress code has no place in this century.
France is home to phenomenal museums; how about one more for: Abaya, Babushka, Burqua, Chador, Wimple, and Sheitel.
Imagine how many poor people could be clothed with the fabrics saved from (not) making women’s veil?

By: AKUS

AKUS — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:21:21 +0000

Steve:
While I agree in some respect I think it is really aggression on the political front more than a statement about a personal aggression directed at men.

I am convinced that in the US before 9/11 you rarely if ever saw a woman wearing Islamic dress, even of the simple headscarf variety. After 9/11 they suddenly became increasingly visible, and I think it is the way Moslem women are trying to get in the face of US society and basically make a political statement to the effect that they support Islamic terrorism. At the University of Maryland campus at College park I have seen women who are clearly African American dressed head to toe in burkas, admittedly not with their face covered, and I have no doubt that this is a political statement made to demonstrate something about being a black woman in American society.

By: Gábor Fränkl

Gábor Fränkl — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:38:10 +0000

“That is also why no supporter of liberal-democratic values is remotely concerned about Muslims wearing headscarves on the street.” I am largely liberal-democrat and I am extremely concerned! Well, duh! But I am not the liberal democrat of the “Liberal Democrat” party whose current boss extolled the virtue of the similarity of their values ot that of the Arabic/Islamic communities generally! Fascinating stuff. Who is the real liberal democrat now, Robin???

By: Gábor Fränkl

Gábor Fränkl — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:23:11 +0000

My opinion in sum is that French society is – despite the close to 3 times more numerous Islamic community – is way ahead in general health than Britain. And somewhat, but altogether not by that much – BRAVER too.