Is it right for countries to ban the Islamic burqa? [ENDS 01/08/2010]

[Creeper]

I believe it should banned, firstly the burka is not a compulsory piece of clothing in Islam, research tells me that a simple hijab is enough yet some Muslims go over the top. - People can see this as intimidating, and I can see why.

However, we have accepted these people to come to our country, the UK. A multi-cultural society. A place of freedom.
We are over in Afghanistan where most women do wear the Burka, and they also happen to live in the UK. It doesn't exactly make sense to ban it if we're there; it would cause more problems.

It's true it's not a compulsory piece of clothing in Islam, but you've just admitted that we ''accept'' people coming into the UK, which is indeed a multi-cultural society and a place where freedom is for everyone, so why are you going to ban something outright such as the burqa; something which they do indeed wear in the Middle East as a sign of their ''freedom,'' from the UK if we're so liberal as you've described?

All people want is some form of control, looking around in Alton Towers the other week - it actually scares me how out of scale the problem has become, and this is up north we are talking about here. I feel that a ban on the burka is perhaps too far for my ideal world but would be appropiate in the present situation. If immigration were to be handled properly and managed properly then I believe many would not wear the burka, as they would be the ones out of place in their neighbourhoods - not the other way around as is the case today.

People want control of who they see, hear about, associate with and it is slightly intimidating seeing women wearing the burqa's all the time. Just the other week in Bradford a post office was robbed by a man wearing the burqa; the problem with it is that it covers the entire face. I think a partial ban, where it's not allowed in public places would be a lot more effective and indeed give control back to the people as to what is acceptable in their societies. I don't think immigration is a problem in this issue; people immigrate, not their religion and their own individual religious beliefs or in this case, the full burqa.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Asylum seekers often come in planes you know. ALL the people you see at callais are ALL illegal immigrants because they have not applied for asylum in france.

If they come in planes then they are coming here for one thing only; the welfare state. Britain is surrounded by the wonderful European Union which you have just shown below how great it is with its human rights and so forth, so why do they not stop off at the Czech Republic? France? Germany? Italy? if the EU is so great for all of these things, why are they bypassing it?

Alton Towers is in the midlands Are you scared that people are not white? is that an issue for you?

Is it an issue for me when we have areas that are minority white areas? yes.
Does that show that 'multi-culturalism' is not working? yes.
With that in mind, does Powell stand a good chance of being proved correct? he damn well does.
Does that worry me? yes it does.
Do I think immigration should be balanced settling, not colonialistic? yes.

Do not try and tar me with the racial brush.

I'm glad that we have joined a bloc that makes sure it rules protecting civil liberties in respect to privacy, data protection and data handling - ALL which the UK government seem very reluctant to abide by AND i like the CoE's human rights laws and the like that we have here now too. I don't feel that being subject to european and 'FORIN' courts really are against my civil liberties.

Who voted for the UK government? the British people.
Who voted for the European Union and its Courts to even exist? the British people didn't.

To be subject to foreign courts is the erosion of civil liberties and habeas corpus, the idea that you are innocent until proven guilty and that you are subject to the Queen and her courts rather than foreign courts. To add to that, I count voting and democracy as a civil liberty which you surely do not, because time and time again you ignore that these insitutions have no democratic right to exist and you go on pretending that you somehow care about civil liberties.

Like most of the left, it only applies to certain things you find in your favour - nevermind everybody else.

[Technologic]

People shouldn't be allowed to drive in them....can see for ****

[coopera11]

I find it wrrong that the burqa is banned by any country, this is the modern world and in this world we should be accepting cultural differences and being diversifiied and imbrase how they want to live and dress.
We should not push them away for a minority that has caused all this hate, but imbrase them and welcome them with open and loving arms we do not have to be the best of friends but get on and not push what they wear in there culture to an illigel peace of clothing.

Lets say someone else from a different religion went to live in a different country and and that person got banned from wearing what they wear how would they feel and how would they treat and think of that country for pushing there religous thoughts, beliefs and doings to the side.

It is wrong and always will be wrong.If the world wants to move forward in such an already diversified planet they have to understand and embrace this or just not be diversified at all!

[Eckuii]

In this country a woman or anybody in this country has to unveil their face in order to board a plane or for any other security reasons. I dont see a reason that the Burka should be banned. The only reason I would support a ban is for these areas.

However, what should be banned is the disgraceful husbands who force women to wear these clothes. To me, this is a type of domestic abuse to be controlled in such a way.

[coopera11]

However, what should be banned is the disgraceful husbands who force women to wear these clothes. To me, this is a type of domestic abuse to be controlled in such a way.

I completely agree with this, no woman should be forced to wear it nore have to wear it all the time.

But still have the right to wear it where they want to and when they want to for there religious views, they have there views and we should not be forcing them to think nore dress differently due to it.

[abdellah123]

It's all about the country's constitutionel rights. If the country has a law protecting them, then no can do..I know that here in Canada some laws give us the rights to practise our own religion, so now the big problem the government is facing is there own law!
Well if you ask me, it backfired, but as for Public Safety and National Safety, I say it's the countrys job to chose whats right.. or just place security men in every entrance of every single building :>

[HotelUser]

I completely agree with this, no woman should be forced to wear it nore have to wear it all the time.

But still have the right to wear it where they want to and when they want to for there religious views, they have there views and we should not be forcing them to think nore dress differently due to it.

This is a main factor as to why I believe they should be banned. The basis of gender inequality is closely intertwined with stupid cultural icons such as the burqa.

Banning them is not undermining its supporter's human rights as much as not banning them undermines the human rights of others, through security risks and through modern support of an element which represents gender inequality.

[Repair]

My instant reaction was yes. Anybody or anything could be hiding under them. Its like walking into a bank with a mask on, most peoples reactions are "Oh, its a robber" so why should they be allowed to wear there masks when other people can't. A wanted criminal could be hidden under one right now, walking streets without anybody giving him/her a second look. And for another reason it intimidates me so much, you never know if there looking at you, or what there looking it. It could be used as an aid of stealing, you could just slide it under your Islamic Burga. So yes, it should be banned. And that's the end of it

[louder]

it's simple really. hoodies are banned in some places, football tops are banned in some places, trainers are banned in some places, crash helmets are banned in most places. the reason for this is because people can find it intimidating or provokative(sp). i don't think there is anybody who could argue against burkas being as intimidating as a crash helmet or a hoody in a situation like a corner shop.

i'm not saying they should be banned all together, but i think there needs to be compromise. we have to with our 'unacceptable' clothing, so there's no reason that muslims can't obey either.

i fear myself sounding like my nan with my next statement, but i kinda see where she's coming from when she says it. she just don't have to be so racist.
if they're moving here for what ever reason at all, then they should have to follow our rules, rather than trying to change them.
i am aware that britain is and always has been made up of loads of different cultures. in fact, hardly anything that we consider british originates from britain. but, there are rules in certain places, and teenagers with hoodies, motorcyclists or football fans haven't kicked up a fuss about, so i don't see why an immigrant, or even somebody who's parents immigrated, should be allowed to. in all fairness it's more our country than it is theirs, and we've been kind enough to 'let them in'.

i'm just worried that the people who can do something about these small problems are too scared to say anything in case they get called racist or whatever. but i think somebody needs to, because it's going to get slightly out of hand.