France to ban the Burqa?

[seagulls4ever]

Thats easy for you to say although I am willing to bet that neither you nor anyone you know has been taught by a woman in a Burqa so I don't think you can claim that its perfectly OK.

Whilst not directly harming children it could well be upsetting especially for the younger ones and especially when they are upset to have a figure completely covered in a black cape trying to comfort them and show compassion.

Fair enough that's your view, but why should that mean ALL women are barred from wearing one, when those circumstances are extremely rare? Like I say, as long as it's not harming anyone, I don't see the problem.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Fair enough that's your view, but why should that mean ALL women are barred from wearing one, when those circumstances are extremely rare? Like I say, as long as it's not harming anyone, I don't see the problem.

Theres quite a few reasons why, but I'll leave it to Sarkozy to sum up:

"In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity."

"The test for us (France) is to offer these women the opportunity for freedom"

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Secularism as I understand it is the separation of the state from religion. Which, I think, is a fine idea. So, when the French banned the wearing of religious symbols a few years back in schools, whilst being a bit extreme(IMO) it was understandable. However, I'm not sure what right the French government would have to completely ban-if that's actuallywhat's being proposed- the wearing of burqa's(sp?!). That seems a step too far to me. Ban religious symbolism from scholls, governmet offices and anything else directly related to the state's infrastructure, but to ban someone from wearing something completely that is neither offensive or harmful to others is not right. What effect does a woman wearing a burqa who has gone to the supermarket to buy some milk have on the state? I don't get it.

 

[dougdeep]

Freedom of choice innit.

That's exactly what it isn't.

 

[Seasider78]

Its a disgrace and another attack on human headwear from the type of people who banned us from wearing motorcyle helmets into banks. What next no balaclavas in petrol stations?

Whatever happened to personal freedom..................

 

[Screaming J]

About time somebody stood up to Mc donalds.

Yes. When I first heard about this it was on the radio as a quick news snippet and I misheard Burka for Burger and I started pontificating about the snobbishness of French Cuisine, the Michelin Guide etc, etc. Rather embaressing really leading to suggestions that I must invest in a hearing aid (amongst other things!).

 

[dougdeep]

Whatever happened to personal freedom..................

Do you honestly think women like wearing them?

 

[Common as Mook]

Do you honestly think women like wearing them?

How do you know for certain that they don't?

 

[User removed 4]

How do you know for certain that they don't?

i read it in the daily mail.

 

[User removed 4]

i read it in the daily mail.

read this, very interesting.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1195052/Why-I-British-Muslim-woman-want-burkha-banned-streets.html

 

[Pavilionaire]

That article is very interesting and makes perfect sense.

I'd be fascinated to read the counter-argument defending the burkha.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I went to three days of the Twenty20 WC and a similar thought struck me. There were a lot of second and third generation British Asians at these games, the vast vast vast majority of whom were strongly supporting the country left by their parents/grandparents above the country of their birth and home.

Can people look at these kinds of examples and seriously say that 'multiculturalism' is working?

Why are you bothered about such trivia?

An example close to home ... Roz is a "second generation Australian immigrant" (born in England, with an Australian citizen for a mother and Australians in her ancestry going back to the 1820s).

If we were sitting at the County Ground right NOW, she'd be supporting her boys in the green, baggy caps.

What's the problem?

 

[Simster]

I went to three days of the Twenty20 WC and a similar thought struck me. There were a lot of second and third generation British Asians at these games, the vast vast vast majority of whom were strongly supporting the country left by their parents/grandparents above the country of their birth and home.

Can people look at these kinds of examples and seriously say that 'multiculturalism' is working?

I think that says more about the culture of cricket support than it does about multi-culturalism. Cricket is a British-empire game, and fan support in this country reflects a pride in heritage than in the nation itself. That's just the way it is - West Indian descendants do the same thing.

Most of my British Asian friends support India in the cricket but England in just about everything else. Indeed, one particularly good British Asian mate of mine went to Japan/Korea to follow England in 2002 with a bunch of his mates from home, half of whom were also Asian. I'd say he was fairly typical of British Asian sports fans.

 

[Silent Bob]

That article is very interesting and makes perfect sense.

I'd be fascinated to read the counter-argument defending the burkha.

I completely agree with the principle of it, but you could argue that if anything simply banning it won't make things better for a lot of these women, it could make things worse.

 

[User removed 4]

Why are you bothered about such trivia?

An example close to home ... Roz is a "second generation Australian immigrant" (born in England, with an Australian citizen for a mother and Australians in her ancestry going back to the 1820s).

If we were sitting at the County Ground right NOW, she'd be supporting her boys in the green, baggy caps.

What's the problem?

because it turns this country into one great big transit shed for various races/cultures with very little in common, if you cant see that supporting the team of the country that your parents , grandparents, or in some cases great grandparents left behind is going to make you identify with it and have more loyalty to it then i think you need to take a fresh look at things. do you really think this sort of attitude prevails in australia ? if the roles were entirely reversed and roz was born and brought up in australia of one english parent, and insisted on supporting " the boys in blue caps with 3 lions on" she would be told her fortune f***ing sharpish .

 

[User removed 4]

I think that says more about the culture of cricket support than it does about multi-culturalism.

i think thats a complete bag of bollocks, absolute head in the sand , liberal wishful thinking.

 

[Simster]

i think thats a complete bag of bollocks, absolute head in the sand , liberal wishful thinking.

But as I say, these Indian cricket fans also support England in every other major sport, so you're clearly wrong.

 

[User removed 4]

But as I say, these Indian cricket fans also support England in every other major sport, so you're clearly wrong.

i would be more convinced if there was a viable indian football team, so clearly your evidence is inconclusive.

 

[sten_super]

Why are you bothered about such trivia?

An example close to home ... Roz is a "second generation Australian immigrant" (born in England, with an Australian citizen for a mother and Australians in her ancestry going back to the 1820s).

If we were sitting at the County Ground right NOW, she'd be supporting her boys in the green, baggy caps.

What's the problem?

The problem is that it is one (trivial) example of divisions in our society. As I've said in previous posts, it may be something that dilutes with time, over generations we become more of a joined culture. But at the moment at times it is very much 'us' and 'them' (from both sides). And it is precisely the 'us' and 'them' attitude which causes and/or augments problems in areas such as Bradford and Burnley.

 

[Simster]

i would be more convinced if there was a viable indian football team, so clearly your evidence is inconclusive.

Fair point, I hadn't thought of that.