Savage Washington

Luiza Ch. Savage covers political life south of the border. Follow Luiza on Twitter: @luizachsavage

Categories: Savage Washington

by Luiza Ch. Savage on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 2:30pm - 0 Comments

Ban the Burqa (National Review)

http://intensedebate.com/people/Gaunilon Gaunilon

"Breast Milk Sugars Give Infants a Protective Coat"

Every now and then I encounter a headline that looks like it came out of a random-word generator. This was today's.

Lord Kitchener's Own

If Obama is a socialist, then given that our Prime Minister is arguably to the left of Obama, doesn't that make Stephen Harper a Communist?

a-non

Family Guy:
Adam West: Sorry, but according to this map, you're not even part of the United States. Which would make you… …a communist!

Emily

I really wish we'd get past this 'ban the burkka' nonsense, and move on to something more useful.

All the time in history that's been wasted fussing over a woman's clothes….

Olaf

All the time in history that's been wasted fussing over a woman's clothes….

99.99% of which has been by women.

Emily

Ahh yes the 'it was just a joke, haven't you got a sense of humour?' excuse.

The one I've heard a thousand times.
Olaf

Excuse? Excuse for what, exactly? Did I say something to offend you?
Emily

No, you're just boring.
Olaf

Well now you've offended me. And if that was your point, might I ask why your comment had nothing to do with that?

Emily

David Frum seems to be recovering nicely though. Amazing that having tea tossed in his face accomplished so much.
inge

Thank you for the link to "Ban the Burka". It makes the point very well that the serious issue is not a question of women's dress, but women's subjugation.

Mike T.

Subjugating women is a very serious issue, esp. in a country where you can do something about it.

Attacking perceived symbols of that subjugation isn't.

Olaf

Forcing women to wear certain clothes for religious reasons means changing the RCs, the Amish, the Mennonites, the Hutterites….

I'm certainly not a fan of the niqab ban, but I feel obliged to point out that all of these religions/cultures also require men to dress up in… interesting outfits, by modern standards. And none of them force/encourage women (or men) to cover their faces entirely.

Emily

So does Islam….they just have more leeway.

If you're only referring to a face covering as being bad, then there goes balaclavas, motorcycle helmets, cop helmets….

Lord Kitchener's Own

See, Emily, you undermine your points when you start arguing with people who are AGREEING WITH YOU.

Emily

LOL when I find one, I'll let you know
Lord Kitchener's Own

LOL

Ah, I see. So it's not so much that you didn't understand that Mike T. was making the exact same point as you were, it's just that you assume that EVERYONE is disagreeing with you, always, even if they're making the exact same point that you just made.

That explains a lot actually.
Emily

No he wasn't. And enough with the pop psychology.
Lord Kitchener's Own

Well, you said the "ban the burqa" thing was nonsense, and Mike says the ban the burqa nonsense shouldn't be treated seriously, so how are your two points at odds exactly?

John D

They fail to take something crucial into account, and that thing is this: If Europe does not stand up now against veiling — and the conception of women and their place in society that it represents — within a generation there will be many cities in Europe where no unveiled woman will walk comfortably or safely.

I remember reading an article the other day about a neighbourhood (I believe in Montreal) that had a majority of Orthodox Jewish residents, and that number is growing. Someone commented that there are so many Orthodox Jews in the neighbourhood that she gets harassed for wearing anything remotely revealing like a T-shirt. Shall we also ban Jewish dress? If we don't, within a generation will there be many cities in Canada where no un-Jewish looking lady or fellow will walk comfortably or safely?

Emily

Very true. You get stones tossed at you in Jerusalem if your elbows are showing…and women have to travel at the back of a bus.