Britain banning the burka is a very unBritish idea. Britain is a free society; we have freedom of speech, freedom to worship who, where and when we want, and freedom to wear what we want.
Burka and the issue of National Security
Of course, there are legitimate restrictions on these due to National Security placed by the Government, no reasonable person would argue with this. There are also restrictions in place in workplaces throughout the various sectors for practical reasons. For instance, it wouldn’t be practical to have a lady wearing the burka to work with children with speech and language difficulties as they need to see the faces and more particularly mouths of the adults that are working with them and so a woman wearing a burka shouldn’t expect to occupy such a position as you wouldn’t expect to employ a Muslim to work behind a bar as they aren’t supposed to consume or handle alcohol or a Jewish person to work in s supermarket as they aren’t supposed to handle pork products amongst others. I wouldn’t expect to see a Buddhist working in a slaughterhouse or a staunch Christian working in an abortion clinic. Anyone who’s serious about their religion will have to accept that in this modern world there will be restrictions as to which jobs they can hold.
The Argument About Burka
Some people argue that if “we” can’t do something “they” shouldn’t be able to this is an absurd argument. One of the most popular arguments for this point of view is the banning of wearing crash helmets in banks. This is because in the eighties a lot of bank robberies were committed by bike helmet wearing thieves, I’m sure that if there was a sudden rash of burka wearing thieves then people would be expected to remove their burkas when entering a bank, but as it is there are surprisingly few burka wearing robbers! As for airport security, it’s only right that it should apply to all. When requested Muslim ladies that choose to wear the burka should remove their veil for a female security officer to check that her passport corresponds.
The other argument that people feel threatened by a lady wearing the burka confuses me, why would you feel threatened? All she’s doing is covering her face.
As far as I’m aware, I may be wrong, Muslim ladies cover their faces for the same reasons that Jewish ladies cover or shave off their hair: to keep their beauty for their husband, what’s the problem with this?
Yes, I understand the argument that body language and facial expressions play a big part in communication but if it makes the other person uncomfortable to remove the veil just to please you would you really want them to?
I object strongly to the people that argue that “us Brits”. Many of the ladies wearing Burkas are British and it’s pure ignorance to suggest otherwise.
As for it oppressing women, most of the women who wear the burka do so out of choice for the few that are forced to do so I can’t imagine that they would be immediately freed from the oppression, more likely that they won’t be allowed out in public or, worse they’ll be sent to places they can. There is also the possibility of the very strict Muslims who believe that the burka is an essential part of their faith, we must remember that not all strict Muslims do believe this, might set up communities on private estates, isolating their women within these estates; this wouldn’t aid inclusion at all.
As a true British citizen, born and bred, with no religion I can see no reason to ban the burka. This is Britain, the land of freedom, live and let live. Britain should never ban the burka.
