First France, now Belgium banning burqas

Mar 2009
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Looks as though Belgium is following in the footsteps of France with banning burqas in public, also for security reasons. Muslim women in Belgium are quite upset with this. Perhaps the Government has a good point in banning this?
Muslims in Belgium hit out Friday at a looming public ban on the full-face Islamic veil or burqa, saying claims it was being introduced for security reasons were simply an excuse to crack down.

"I think they're trying to wind us up," Souad Barlabi, a young woman wearing a simple veil, said outside the Grand Mosque in Brussels around the time of Friday prayers.

"We feel under attack," she said, a day after Belgian lawmakers had voted for a nationwide ban on clothes or veils that do not allow the wearer to be fully identified, including the full-face niqab and burqa.

There were two abstentions, but significantly, no one voted against in the house -- a rare sign of unity amid a power-sharing dispute between Belgium's linguistic communities which seems certain to lead to early elections.

"There are other problems that are more important," Barlabi noted.
YahooNews
 
Apr 2009
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Disunited Queendom
Perhaps the Government has a good point in banning this?

No, they don't. It's a ridiculously authoritarian idea, and utterly horrendous. If the Government started deciding what clothes I am allowed to wear, I would take up arms.
 

myp

Jan 2009
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I am with Dirk on this one- completely absurd and unnecessary. As Ben Franklin once said, "those willing to give up liberty for security deserve niether and will lose both"
 
Jul 2009
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Port St. Lucie
When they start banning crucifixes because they might be used as a weapon, the red dots of Hindus because they may offend someone's fashion taste, sunglasses because they hide the eyes, cargo pants because they easy hide things, ect. I might not call this sectarianism. As it is... This is clear sectarianism and should have never happened. If a ban like this went into effect here, people would riot (non-Muslims included).
 
Apr 2009
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Disunited Queendom
Most racism in Europe is against Muslims. Now if they'd banned the yarmulke, for example, my fantasies of revolution would come to fruition.
 

myp

Jan 2009
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I agree David. This is actually the first I heard of the bans in France and Belgium and at first it took me by complete surprise since it is something that would never happen even in today's America. On a side note, I wonder how everyone who needed to compare us to Europe when it came to health care feels about this. If all of Europe adopted this policy, would the people who feel Europe is more "forward" than the US also support similar policy in the US?
 
Jul 2009
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I agree David. This is actually the first I heard of the bans in France and Belgium and at first it took me by complete surprise since it is something that would never happen even in today's America. On a side note, I wonder how everyone who needed to compare us to Europe when it came to health care feels about this. If all of Europe adopted this policy, would the people who feel Europe is more "forward" than the US also support similar policy in the US?

Not unless they wanted the fastest growing religion and 2nd most powerful religious group (after evangelical Christians) in America to, um, wage Jihad. :giggle:
 

myp

Jan 2009
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Not unless they wanted the fastest growing religion and 2nd most powerful religious group (after evangelical Christians) in America to, um, wage Jihad. :giggle:
Lol, I don't see it happening either and I don't expect a lot of those Americans who loved comparing us to Europe to support such a policy, but I just find it a bit hypocritical. I really don't understand why we have to ever compare ourselves to others- how about we just try doing what we think will work best because everyone knows there is no perfect system.
 
Apr 2009
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Disunited Queendom
On a side note, I wonder how everyone who needed to compare us to Europe when it came to health care feels about this. If all of Europe adopted this policy, would the people who feel Europe is more "forward" than the US also support similar policy in the US?

The reason the US is fortunately a little more liberal in these matters is because almost everyone in the US can trace their family back to immigrants. ;)

And I will say, although some people are stupid enough to think it's justified, or even accept it, there are people that are very much opposed to this. I am one of them. I completely oppose the idea of Government controlling clothing. It's ridiculous, and I'm shocked it's even being discussed.
 
Dec 2009
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Canada
I'm against it. What's next, they ban the hijab as well?

A lot of my friends are muslim. I don't want any of that coming here.
 
Mar 2009
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I'm for it, for security reasons. There are strict rules in most countries with regard to passport photos, as well as being able to identify faces. It would be very easy for the burqa to be used to hide a face. Quite a number of women are also being used as suicide bombers, so it would be important for security reasons that they should show their faces where identification is needed.

I believe that one should do as the Romans do when you are in their country, and if Westerners visit the Middle East, they have to abide by rules, which would be frowned upon in the West. Such as all women who enter Saudi Arabia, who need to be accompanied by a father or husband in order to get a Visa, and once they are in Saudi Arabia, they cannot attend all social functions with men, etc. Similarly, if there are rules in the Western countries, for security reasons, that faces should be visible for identification purposes, then these should be adhered to. If there were no terrorists around the world, then it would have been a different matter, but if people find it acceptable to go through all the invasive security checks at airports, then for the same reason the burqa legislation is a practical regulation for security reasons.
 
Jul 2009
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Port St. Lucie
I'm for it, for security reasons. There are strict rules in most countries with regard to passport photos, as well as being able to identify faces. It would be very easy for the burqa to be used to hide a face. Quite a number of women are also being used as suicide bombers, so it would be important for security reasons that they should show their faces where identification is needed.

I believe that one should do as the Romans do when you are in their country, and if Westerners visit the Middle East, they have to abide by rules, which would be frowned upon in the West. Such as all women who enter Saudi Arabia, who need to be accompanied by a father or husband in order to get a Visa, and once they are in Saudi Arabia, they cannot attend all social functions with men, etc. Similarly, if there are rules in the Western countries, for security reasons, that faces should be visible for identification purposes, then these should be adhered to. If there were no terrorists around the world, then it would have been a different matter, but if people find it acceptable to go through all the invasive security checks at airports, then for the same reason the burqa legislation is a practical regulation for security reasons.

You mean rape and pillage? :giggle:

You're wrong btw.
 
Mar 2009
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David, please, no one-liners. Can you explain your points in a meaningful way?

I don't have the foggiest what you mean by:
You mean rape and pillage? :giggle:
How does this question relate to any of my points? What does it refer to? Or are you just being sarcastic ... and if sarcastic, about what precisely?

And why am I wrong?
You're wrong btw.
Wrong about what?
 
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Jul 2009
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David, please, no one-liners. Can you explain your points in a meaningful way?

I don't have the foggiest what you mean by: How does this question relate to any of my points? What does it refer to? Or are you just being sarcastic ... and if sarcastic, about what precisely?

And why am I wrong?Wrong about what?


It's a joke, you said act like Romans while in another country.

As for being wrong, you're saying that people should act immorally (in their view) just because you find it inconvenient. You don't see the issue?
 
May 2010
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I think it is not fair for the minor communities living in different parts of the world. We or our Government should not put these types of sanctions on other communities. Why punish all people due to the behavior of few people?
 
Apr 2009
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Disunited Queendom
I think it is not fair for the minor communities living in different parts of the world. We or our Government should not put these types of sanctions on other communities. Why punish all people due to the behavior of few people?

Agreed. I also don't agree that it's the Government's business to decide what people should or shouldn't wear. It should be the individual's business.
 
May 2010
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I think it is a disgrace to ban burqas in countries, it is very harmless and especially when it comes down to someone's religion or culture . Why should they not be able to express themselves with these burqas. I could see the practicable sense of banning them in an airports as you need to see people's faces. But otherwise I think people should be able to wear them.
 
Apr 2010
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I think it is not fair for the minor communities living in different parts of the world. We or our Government should not put these types of sanctions on other communities. Why punish all people due to the behavior of few people?

There is a need because those few people happen to be Muslims. The Muslim community needs to be reminded that terrorism is wrong, violence is wrong, and jihad's (holy wars) are wrong. If banning the Burka achieves this reminder, then I am all for it. Remember, the rights of the many outweigh the rights of the few.
 
Jul 2009
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There is a need because those few people happen to be Muslims. The Muslim community needs to be reminded that terrorism is wrong, violence is wrong, and jihad's (holy wars) are wrong. If banning the Burka achieves this reminder, then I am all for it. Remember, the rights of the many outweigh the rights of the few.


1,000,000,000+ people isn't the 'many'? ;)
 
May 2010
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There is a need because those few people happen to be Muslims. The Muslim community needs to be reminded that terrorism is wrong, violence is wrong, and jihad's (holy wars) are wrong. If banning the Burka achieves this reminder, then I am all for it. Remember, the rights of the many outweigh the rights of the few.

Are you 100% sure that those are Muslims? How about saying that those people were Christians wearing Burqas to put blame on Muslims because only Muslims wears Burqa to hide her face which was the teaching of Islam.
 
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