Home > Religion & Spirituality > Islam
Should Britain ban the burka?
Results so far:
| Yes | 42% | 154 votes | Total: 363 votes | |
| No | 58% | 209 votes |
Yes
by Kirsty O'Lone
Created on: July 20, 2010
When we visit other countries, we are expected to follow their rules as should be the case for people coming to Britain, especially if they plan on living here permanently. While we in Britain do respect peoples rights when it comes to following their religious practices, there has to be a line drawn somewhere.
We have become a society obsessed with the idea of being politically correct, with some people even suggesting that kids’ schools cannot have Christmas parties as Christmas is a Christian tradition. There are many more examples of political correctness going mad, but the one thing we fail to remember is that these things are part of our British culture. If we carry on going the way we are there wont be anything British left for fear that we may offend someone who has come to live here from another country.
People coming to live in Britain, or going to live in any other country for that matter should abide by the rules and traditions of the society that they are supposed to be integrating into. Of course that is not to say that they should forget their own traditions, but they should accept the traditions and values of the country they are hoping to call home.
In Britain you cannot enter a bank wearing a crash helmet, but it is perfectly acceptable for a Muslim woman wearing a burqa to walk around an airport where surely the issue of security is much greater. Walking around with your full face covered makes it almost impossible for people to identify you; this also causes a problem for the women themselves when it comes to social interaction. Surely women wearing a burqa must themselves feel isolated, we must also take into consideration the fact that wearing a burqa may not be the woman’s own choice.
Many people feel that the burqa is oppressive to women, as it forces them to hide their faces and sometimes they are forced to wear one against their will. In Britain we do not believe in oppressing women, we treat all people equally regardless of age, sex, nationality or anything else. If these women are indeed being forced to wear a burqa then something should be done about it, of course some women will make the choice to wear one freely and that is their choice.
Of course part of the joys of living in Britain is that we are a free society, and as such we have the freedom to practice whatever religion we choose. We also have the freedom to wear what we want; however there are restrictions for safety and security reasons in some workplaces or other situations. Where these restrictions apply, they should apply to everyone but quite often they don’t.
We should not be trying to tell people what they can and cannot wear, and a ban on burqas is not trying to do that. It is simply trying to enforce the same restrictions on Muslim women that are forced on us. If a British person cannot wear a symbol of their religious beliefs in their place of work for whatever reason they are not allowed to, then surely this rule should apply to every single person working at that establishment. If one religious symbol is not allowed in a school or workplace, then all religious symbols should be banned from that establishment.
A ban on burqas in the UK is not trying to prevent people from practicing their religion; it is simply trying to ensure that we are all treated equally in our society. There are situations where it is simply not appropriate for a person to have their whole face covered, whether this is for security or safety reasons.
Maybe an all out ban on burqas is not the right thing to do, but there are definitely good reasons for them to be banned in certain situations. As a multi cultural society we should all be treated equally regardless of our country of origin. People who move to this country should also be encouraged to make more of an effort when it comes to integrating with the society they claim to want to be a part of; the burqa is not a part of British culture.
Learn more about this author, Kirsty O'Lone.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
by Gavin Fernando
Created on: December 26, 2010
In a typical Australian 40-degree summer where tank tops, bikinis or just a complete removal of clothing altogether becomes the staple of our attire, it is no surprise that someone covered head to toe in black cloth would stand out like a shag on a rock. The prohibition of the burqa in public in European countries such as Belgium and France has sparked a lot of debate, and countries like Britain and Australia have subsequently become torn over how to conclude on the ongoing question – should we ban the burqa or not?
One of the central concerns of those opposed to the burqa is the manner in which it conflicts with typical western culture – that is, an open-faced society. People should be able to identify one another on the street and openly express themselves. Australian liberal senator Cory Bernardi stated about the burqa: “It shuts people off in society, it sets different rules for different people… The very least we can expect is that people will be able to see other people’s faces in this country.” There is also the obvious security issue: identification in banks and courtrooms, or using the burqa as a way to commit criminal acts in disguise. According to census data, the vast majority of Brits and Australians appear to be in favour of the ban based on these reasons.
The interesting fact is that people rarely stop to ask these women what they think. We live in a country of civil liberties, where individual thought and freedom of expression is condoned whilst the specific targeting of any minority group is condemned to an illegal extent. In other words, specific attire remains as insignificant to our political system as the colour of one’s hair. If anyone chooses to wear the burqa – whether it be a declaration of faith, a perceived acknowledgment of identity, or even to disguise a terrible haircut – why should they potentially be facing charges? If a Muslim woman herself has made the choice to dress in a certain way, it would defy our central state of freedom for our country to oppose that by law.
This merely reinforces on a grand scale our society's underlying fears of particularly different customs. We’re labeled a ‘multifaith, multiethnic nation’ – how is banning a unique symbol of a particular religion/culture by law going to encourage tolerance and celebration of diversity? In a country where individual freedom and freedom of expression are supposed to be valued and upheld, banning the burqa would be a defiance of our civil liberties. When do we ban something in a western liberal democracy?
Bernardi also contended that this problem needs to be addressed now, before it becomes more prevalent over the years. But perhaps we need to be more worried about the government’s right to enforce by law how we can and cannot present ourselves in public; it begins with the burqa, but how much more ‘prevalent’ will this issue become? If the government bans the burqa, what’s next? Certainly, the face-covering veil should be removed in areas where identification is just common sense, such as banks, airports and courtrooms. But walking along the street – really? This action, very ironically, would be a step in the direction of Shari’a Law, which – with respect to the nations which are governed under this system – is not something the majority of us would want. Undeniably, however, taking away one’s right to wear something is almost as bad as (if not equal to) forcing somebody to wear something against their will.
It all comes down to the fact that we are living in a liberal democratic society. Regardless of our personal opinions on the burqa itself, it is complete rubbish to say “they’re not compatible with our lifestyle”, or even attempt to define our ‘lifestyle’ in an exclusive manner. Our lifestyle is diversity, and difference, and what one might expect to be tolerance. Anyone who claims that the burqa is anti-western or anti-British is in many ways a hypocrite. Perhaps some reevaluation is in order.
Learn more about this author, Gavin Fernando.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next Page >>
Write and get published
Share with other writers
Polish your freelancing skills
Quality articles from proven freelancers
Exclusive rights, fast turnaround
Brand engagement, business blogging -- our writers do it all
INFORMATION
Copyright © 2002-2012 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.
Helium.com: A Service of RR Donnelley