French ban burkhas

[ratewhore]

There is an issue with the burka in terms of personal identification. Businesses should be allowed to deny entry to anyone whose face they cannot see (try going into a petrol station with a crash helmet on).

A more realistic approach is to allow it but legislate for the ability to remove it when asked by, say, the police. Trouble with this of course, under NL, is that this type of legislation is usually expanded to include local councils, the tax man, what have you...

[Mich the Tester]

A more realistic approach is to allow it but legislate for the ability to remove it when asked by, say, the police. Trouble with this of course, under NL, is that this type of legislation is usually expanded to include local councils, the tax man, what have you...

Will they expand it to include those of us who just want to see her get her kit off?

[ratewhore]

Will they expand it to include those of us who just want to see her get her kit off?

You need to leave Amsterdam for your own good. Filthy pervert!!!

[Diver]

Yes, this goes too far. The fact that it may be ‘a sign of subservience that imprison women’ is not the point. If they want to wear it, then fine. Appreciate they might not always get a full say in the matter, but you can't have a blanket ban to deal with some cases.

There is an issue with the burka in terms of personal identification. Businesses should be allowed to deny entry to anyone whose face they cannot see (try going into a petrol station with a crash helmet on).

But to ban it in the street. What next - banning shorts/skirts for people with fat legs.

Definitely ban fat birds in Lycra

[xoggoth]

It should be banned in certain situations where it matters, eg for witnesses or at border controls. Employers, landlords, sellers, lenders etc who need to make a decision about someone's honesty should also be allowed to refuse to consider an applicant where a full covering is insisted on at interview.

Otherwise, this is not really an important issue and banning runs counter to what should be an important principle, personal choice except where others are significantly affected. Maybe they should focus on more important things, like stopping Shariah courts deciding on child custody, marriage and inheritance. Our own cowardly government even backed off from making forced marriage the criminal offence as it should be.

PS I would not be surprised if it did go through. The French do not have a great reputation on religious freedom. Check out US State Department reports on religious tolerance.

[ratewhore]

Check out US State Department reports on religious tolerance.

[Moscow Mule]

Isn't freedom of religion a European Human Right?

That's why those Sikh chaps are allowed to wander around with massive knives on their belts.

[TykeMerc]

Isn't freedom of religion a European Human Right?

That's why those Sikh chaps are allowed to wander around with massive knives on their belts.

I know a fair few Sikhs and have never seen any of them wearing a visible knife.

I doubt that the French government would have released this news unless they thought they'd have a good chance of the bill making it into law.

At the risk of sounding racist/religionist I wouldn't mind seeing a similar law here in the UK. Not that a UK government would ever have the balls to try.

[ratewhore]

Not that a UK government would ever have the balls to try.

I could think of at least one party that would do. They haven't got a snowballs chance in hell of forming a govt though. Thank God...

[RichardCranium]

Isn't freedom of religion a European Human Right?

It is, but although the Niqab is a part of Islam, it is not a requirement. It is a cultural choice.

That's why those Sikh chaps are allowed to wander around with massive knives on their belts.

Errm, not quite. You won't find many Sikhs in Britain visibly wearing a sharpened blade. They tend to accept they are defended by the state and so the discreet wearing of a blunt knife (effectively ceremonial) is sufficient to represent their faith.

It is just as illegal for a Sikh to go wandering around with a sword as it is for you and I; they do not have an exemption in British law. Edit: yes they do, but they should not be wandering around with massive knives on their belts. If they are that is personal choice, not a religious requirement.

And in general, don't have a go at the Sikhs. They should not be bundled in with the general purpose "paki-bashing" or anti-Moslem blind racist hatreds.

Edit: those Sikhs who do carry a sharpened blade publicly are being a pain in the arse for the hell of it.



Edit edit: I have changed this post so many times in light of subsequence Googling that I am tempted to delete it. I had not realised that over the years the Kirpan has been referenced explicitly many times in British legislation. As I understood the law in the early 1980s, there was no necessity for such an exemption and the British Sikh community had come to a compromise that meant they conformed with the law at the time. That is, that anyone with a good reason could discreetly carry a sheathed knife up to 5" in length (e.g. going fishing, Scouts going to camp, catching rabbits, etc.). Having made this explicit exemption for religious reasons, we may as well allow everything for everyone else too.