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Seriously, I consider such attire similar to wearing gang colors. In regulated areas such as schools, I think mandatory uniforms should be used, thus prohibiting burkas.
Another excellent reason for abolishing gov't schools, and then parents/guardians can choose which type of private school they want their children to attend.
There can be expectations that when you take a legal photo for a legal document that your face is shown, or you do not get a license.
Agreed.
For those who voluntarily chose to wear a burka and do not want to have a picture taken of their uncovered face, then they do not apply for a driver's license.
Maybe they should have a special stamp on their burka or license that says they are a bonifide Muslim so as to cut down on the robbers who wear them for thievery?? I don't know...I hate to tell people what they can and cannot wear, (as long as they don't wear something too revealing in public that would require me to put blinders on my kids).
Telstra BigPond News and Weather (http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2010/07/14/French_parliament_approves_burqa_ban_484538.html - broken link)
It says that the French lower house has just passed a ban on wearing Burqas. I am not sure how I feel about this, I can see many points for and against.
There is also a move to ban Burqas in Australia as well...
I would be very interested to see what other people think about this. I think it's hard to get past the infringement on a person's basic rights to dress how they want to and practice whatever religion they please as long as it hurts nobody else. On the other hand as the second article states, the head-wear is becoming the disguise of choice in robberies. It has not become a law in practice yet so it will be interesting to see the outcome.
Is there any such move in the USA? If there was, would you support it or would you be against it?
Hm. This is a very difficult question. The problem is, veiled women are impossible to identify at face value. This opens the door to anyone putting on a burqa, committing crimes, and there being no way to identify them (brown eyes?!?! doesn't give the police much to go on)
Would I support a law that prevents women from veiling in public? Not at this time. I have not heard of any trend here where I live of burqa clad women or men committing violent crimes.
If there were a rash of violent crimes committed by burqa wearing individuals, I might rethink it.
It is such a touchy topic because it goes right to the heart of what this country was founded upon, the right of individuals to practice their religion without discrimination.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady Ice
Good question. I think that because it is only worn by those adhering to a religious belief then it would be considered religious attire. I happen to agree that it is symbolic of oppression of women, BUT in a supposedly free society the choice should fall on the woman what she wishes to wear shouldn't it? I guess what it comes down to is if she wears it because she wants to or because she feels she has to for fear of the consequences of not wearing it.
Would a ban liberate the woman or restrict her even more?
I think it would liberate some and restrict some. For some women who are wearing it for whatever reason but would rather not, such a law might enable them to be rid of it and giving them good reason to do so. For those women, however, who truly feel the need to wear it, it might really be a prison sentence. Because if they really feel the need to wear it, and CAN'T, they might not leave the house. And surely this woman would not feel liberated, she would feel more restricted than if she was living in the most orthodox Islamic nation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady Ice
and that's the reason most often cited for a ban, because it is so easily used as a disguise. So how do you protect a person's freedoms when there are those that use those very freedoms to commit crime or even worse?
I don't know. :
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jazzymom
There can be expectations that when you take a legal photo for a legal document that your face is shown, or you do not get a license.
A license is not a right but a privilege.
As far as I am concerned regarding the licenses, a burqa should NOT be allowed to be worn for the photograph. Bottom line, not allowed. The issue of a woman driving with a burqa is another matter, for I am not convinced that a woman in a burqa would be able to see well enough to drive, frankly. But we can take that up in another thread. I have never worn a burqa so I could be wrong on this, and if I try it out and can drive fine, I'll stand corrected.
A female muslim making a pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, may not veil her face. If she must be unveiled in Mecca, I don't see a reason she cannot be unveiled for 5 minutes at the DMV.
I completely disagree with Jazzymom that a license is a privilege not a right. As far as I am concerned, a driver's license is the right of any individual who is of age, pays the necessary fees, passes the exam, and maintains a good driving record.
For those who voluntarily chose to wear a burka and do not want to have a picture taken of their uncovered face, then they do not apply for a driver's license.
This makes me wonder how burka wearing women immigrate....Isn't a passport photo mandatory?
Hm. This is a very difficult question. The problem is, veiled women are impossible to identify at face value. This opens the door to anyone putting on a burqa, committing crimes, and there being no way to identify them (brown eyes?!?! doesn't give the police much to go on)
Burkas being used by criminals as disguises is becoming commonplace.
I would be very interested to see what other people think about this. I think it's hard to get past the infringement on a person's basic rights to dress how they want to and practice whatever religion they please as long as it hurts nobody else. On the other hand as the second article states, the head-wear is becoming the disguise of choice in robberies. It has not become a law in practice yet so it will be interesting to see the outcome.
Is there any such move in the USA? If there was, would you support it or would you be against it?
The real problem, at least here in the US, is that we live in a society where technicalities and precedents are extrapolated way beyond the original intent of the law.
Suppose you enact a ban on 'religious attire,' intending to prevent wearing of the burqa. How do you think people are going to react when this law is suddenly invoked against...let's see...Jews wearing yarmulkes, or (great cooga-mooga!) Christians wearing crosses. If religious attire is illegal, then it's gotta be stopped, period.
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