Cabinet Minister Jack Straw has said he would prefer Muslim women not to wear veils at all.

 

The Commons leader said he did not want to be "prescriptive" but he believed that covering people's faces could make community relations more difficult.

 

Mr Straw has said he asks Muslim women at his Blackburn constituency surgeries if they would mind removing veils.

 

Some Muslim women called his remarks insulting, but other Muslims said they understood his concerns.

 

Meeting strangers

 

Mr Straw is Labour MP for Blackburn, where about 30% of residents are Muslim.

 

He sparked controversy when he told his local paper he asked female constituents visiting his surgery to uncover their faces - something they had all so far agreed to do.

 

Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme if he would rather the veils be discarded completely, Mr Straw replied: "Yes. It needs to be made clear I am not talking about being prescriptive but with all the caveats, yes, I would rather."

 

 

Find out about different styles of Muslim headscarf

 

Mr Straw explained the impact he thought veils could have in a society where watching facial expressions was important for contact between different people.

 

"Communities are bound together partly by informal chance relations between strangers - people being able to acknowledge each other in the street or being able pass the time of day," he said.

 

"That's made more difficult if people are wearing a veil. That's just a fact of life.

 

"I understand the concerns but I hope, however, there can be a mature debate about this.

 

"I come to this out of a profound commitment to equal rights for Muslim communities and an equal concern about adverse development about parallel communities."

 

'Separateness' fears

 

Mr Straw, seen as a potential candidate for Labour's deputy leadership, stressed it was a choice for women and he was making a request and not a demand.

 

 

"What I've been struck by when I've been talking to some of the ladies concerned is that they had not, I think, been fully aware of the potential in terms of community relations," he said.

 

"I mean, they'd thought of it just as a statement for themselves, in some cases they regard themselves as very religious - and I respect that - but as I say, I just wanted to put this issue on the table."

 

He added: "You cannot force people where they live, that's a matter of choice and economics, but you can be concerned about the implications of separateness and I am."

 

Downing Street said Mr Straw was expressing a private opinion.

 

The prime minister said it was reasonable for people to express opinions.

 

'Dangerous doctrine'

 

Mr Straw's comments have provoked a mixed response from Muslim groups.

 

The Islamic Human Rights Commission labelled the article "astonishing" and accused Mr Straw of discrimination.

 

The Protect-Hijab organisation said the "appalling" comments showed "a deep lack of understanding".

 

But Dr Daud Abdullah, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said he could understand Mr Straw's discomfort adding that women could choose to remove the veil.

 

But Conservative policy director Oliver Letwin said it would be "dangerous doctrine" to tell people how to dress.

 

He said he did not want to "slip gradually" into a situation where we did not allow differences because they create separations.

 

"If a person is making a statement about how they want to dress, I think it's pretty important we live in a country where you're allowed to do that," he said.

 

 

Source - BBC News

 

I have to ask though, Mr Straw has been MP of Blackburn now for HOW many years....? And now all of a sudden he decides to take umbrage with this at this precise time, are we supposed to believe that veiled muslim women weren't coming to his constituency surgeries in all the years before....? Why make an issue of it now?? I'm highly suspicious of the timing of all this, we've had the Pope's speech, the hullaballoo surrounding the Muslim copper and now Jack Straw making his ill-timed comments designed purely to make political capital. Talk about poking a caged animal with a stick...

 

Does he really believe that he's actually making things better, that it's actually gonna improve community relations to bring this up with everything that's going on in the world - you know, Afghanistan, Iraq, the Govt's refusal to speak out against Israeli army attacks on Lebanese civilians...? I dont think it helps personally, I think it just makes things worse....

for once I agree with Jack Straw - 110%.

 

Burkhas are disgusting and simply not acceptable in this modern day.

 

I find them all the more abhorrent considering the decades and decades women in the UK have stuggled for full equality. To allow something as totally shocking and dark-age as a burkha - no, it just isn't on. Protecting themselves, usually under their husband's order, from "the evil eyes of predatory and sick-minded men" - oh please - in 2006 Britain???? And how damn presumptious of these women to assume men would lust after them.

 

Veiling was originally an age-old custom, mainly Muslim, used as "a sign to distinguish the FREE WOMEN FROM THE SLAVE WOMEN, so that none should molest her thinking her to be a slave girl (Qur’anic Ayat 33:59). Errr...... here's more of this utter lunacy:

Quran-(33:59)---“ O Prophet ! Tell Thy wives and daughters. And the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (face) when abroad, that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And God is oft-Forgiving, most merciful.â€

 

In the minds of Mullahs, WOMEN are the source of temptation and evil, while the poor innocent man (?) plays the role of the victim (ie - the woman tempted me beyond reason.... how's that for an excuse for sexual assault, eh?). But problems are: Modern civilised women, unlike 7th Century women, do not like to sit idle at home, they participate in ALL areas of life - as EQUALS.

 

At the beginning of the last century, the more affluent Muslim women shunned the burkha, thinking it an affront, and adopted the hijab, the scarf covering the hair and ears. Women who failed to adopt this new style were considered 'lower classd' - and to this day, mainly in Saudi Arabia, this belief is still held - modern day women there do not wear burkhas.

 

Whilst religion is another thing - I do think dress codes, at times, need to be enforced. Shoe removal is common in some countries, as is hat removal..... veils/burkhas have no place whatsoever in our society and they offend me deeply. I'd like them all removed right now.

for once I agree with Jack Straw - 110%.

 

Burkhas are disgusting and simply not acceptable in this modern day.

 

I find them all the more abhorrent considering the decades and decades women in the UK have stuggled for full equality. To allow something as totally shocking and dark-age as a burkha - no, it just isn't on. Protecting themselves, usually under their husband's order, from "the evil eyes of predatory and sick-minded men" - oh please - in 2006 Britain???? And how damn presumptious of these women to assume men would lust after them.

 

Veiling was originally an age-old custom, mainly Muslim, used as "a sign to distinguish the FREE WOMEN FROM THE SLAVE WOMEN, so that none should molest her thinking her to be a slave girl (Qur’anic Ayat 33:59). Errr...... here's more of this utter lunacy:

Quran-(33:59)---“ O Prophet ! Tell Thy wives and daughters. And the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (face) when abroad, that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And God is oft-Forgiving, most merciful.â€

 

In the minds of Mullahs, WOMEN are the source of temptation and evil, while the poor innocent man (?) plays the role of the victim (ie - the woman tempted me beyond reason.... how's that for an excuse for sexual assault, eh?). But problems are: Modern civilised women, unlike 7th Century women, do not like to sit idle at home, they participate in ALL areas of life - as EQUALS.

 

At the beginning of the last century, the more affluent Muslim women shunned the burkha, thinking it an affront, and adopted the hijab, the scarf covering the hair and ears. Women who failed to adopt this new style were considered 'lower classd' - and to this day, mainly in Saudi Arabia, this belief is still held - modern day women there do not wear burkhas.

 

Whilst religion is another thing - I do think dress codes, at times, need to be enforced. Shoe removal is common in some countries, as is hat removal..... veils/burkhas have no place whatsoever in our society and they offend me deeply. I'd like them all removed right now.

 

Whether they offend you or not is utterly irrelvant mate, it aint up to you or me or Jack fukkin' Straw; surely the choice lies with the individual woman herself, and there is a lot of evidence to say that in the vast majority of cases, Muslim women in UK who wear it actually choose to wear it and the hijab; and we're only talking about a number of 2% here in the UK, so, really, what's the problem, it's a tiny minority, why make an issue of it...? Sure, there are some who may be forced to wear it by husbands or brothers, and that is wrong, but is it any more wrong than your boss forcing you to wear a suit to work when you dont really want to..? Because, seriously, how many of us would actually choose to wear a suit and tie? I personally hate them, but find myself forced to conform to work rules, what choice am I given....

 

Bottom line - I dont like this guy, or anyone else for that matter going around basically telling people what not to wear, hell, it's burkhas today, tomorrow it could be Hoodies or the Cradle of Filth "Jesus is a C/unt" T-shirt that is prohibited because it 'offends' people's sensibilities... Did you know that in the US, post-Columbine, many schools in the US actually stopped people from wearing black T-Shirts or long coats to school...? Did you know, again in the US, when the Iraq war kicked off, a guy in New York was arrested for wearing a CND "give peace a chance" T-Shirt...? How's that any less fukked up...?

 

 

...but Scott, the issue here is opression - and I disagree that most women choose to wear burkhas - I think you'll find it's quite the opposite.

 

For many years in Europe women were opressed - told what to wear (but not in a t***** and Susanna kinda way)...and it took decades, maybe centuries, of hard slog and tough fighting to over-rule the invisible society laws that deemed women not be seen uncovered neck-to-foot, and for women to be taken seriously in the workplace, to get equal rights, equal pay, and to be allowed to do just as men are allowed to - and rightly so.

 

For all that to be totally overturned and for it now to be sodcially acceptable for women to wear ridiculous garments with just slits for the eyes - to shield them from us 'sick-minded' men.... come on, mate... there's some freedom of expression even you must find questionable....

 

I hope Straw has started the ball rolling on banning these garments in 2006 Britian - it's long overdue. I find burkhas ominous, degrading and insulting - and so do many others - so, if they offend people in the way they do - especially women, far from our thoughts being irrelevant - it's time to act on this and send them back to the dark ages where they belong.

...but Scott, the issue here is opression - and I disagree that most women choose to wear burkhas - I think you'll find it's quite the opposite.

 

For many years in Europe women were opressed - told what to wear (but not in a t***** and Susanna kinda way)...and it took decades, maybe centuries, of hard slog and tough fighting to over-rule the invisible society laws that deemed women not be seen uncovered neck-to-foot, and for women to be taken seriously in the workplace, to get equal rights, equal pay, and to be allowed to do just as men are allowed to - and rightly so.

 

For all that to be totally overturned and for it now to be sodcially acceptable for women to wear ridiculous garments with just slits for the eyes - to shield them from us 'sick-minded' men.... come on, mate... there's some freedom of expression even you must find questionable....

 

I hope Straw has started the ball rolling on banning these garments in 2006 Britian - it's long overdue. I find burkhas ominous, degrading and insulting - and so do many others - so, if they offend people in the way they do - especially women, far from our thoughts being irrelevant - it's time to act on this and send them back to the dark ages where they belong.

 

I dont really like the idea of Burkhas to be honest, but considering that I've worn some pretty outrageous things that have been frowned upon in my pathetic little provincial sh!thole of a town over the years, and have had to put up with narrow-minded pricks having a go at me, then I'm really the one of last people who can judge what another person does or wears to be honest..

 

And I dont think that Mr Straw is in a position to lecture the Muslim community either, considering he is a representative of a worthless, corrupt Govt who has committed mass murder upon a Muslim country.... He is really the LAST person who should be saying anything to the Muslim community after the sh!t he's done. Any meaningful change has to come from within at the end of the day, you cant force change upon people, we tried that in the 19th Century with not much success; and we're now up to our necks in sh!t in Afghanistan and Iraq because we are forcing our will upon the people there.... The changes that were made in European society came from a force within European society, not from a force outwith European society or culture. And it didn't take just a matter of a few decades mate (which is pretty much the period of time most of these countries have been functioning as States), it took THREE HUNDRED YEARS give or take, for us to develop...

hmm

 

i agree with jack straw.... i think hes dead right in saying hed prefer it if they didnt wear a veil.... it does set you apart and it wouldnt be tollerated by irish men in camo gear with balaclavas on! even hoodies are intimidating..

 

... ok asian women arnt going to pose a threat in that way, but in the same way they are failing to integrate.

 

 

interestingly on tv this a.m. muslim women were adamant that they are not being suppressed by this dress code, but chose it by way of free will to express their faith.

hmm

 

i agree with jack straw.... i think hes dead right in saying hed prefer it if they didnt wear a veil.... it does set you apart and it wouldnt be tollerated by irish men in camo gear with balaclavas on! even hoodies are intimidating..

 

... ok asian women arnt going to pose a threat in that way, but in the same way they are failing to integrate.

interestingly on tv this a.m. muslim women were adamant that they are not being suppressed by this dress code, but chose it by way of free will to express their faith.

 

...But would Jack Straw go out of his way to 'suggest' people not wear hoodies, army surplus gear or camo trousers (which are kinda fashionable these days, not just worn by Irish paramilitary types) though..? Somehow I kinda doubt it...

I think this Goernment has done all it can to demonise people who wear hoodies, Scott.....

 

What Rob says is correct, I think - the wearing of a burkha - the women who wear them and the men who make them wear them KNOW how intimidating and uncomfortable it makes non-Muslims feel - I think, more than anything, it's worn as an antagonistic thing - especially as, in most Muslim countries, burkhas are never worn these days, as I said above - only by the lower classes of women, it's seen as a statement that you're poor in these countries.

 

Muslim women in Britain are hardly going to be as poor as they'd be in their native country - so what's the point in wearing them?

 

Again, as I said, I find it insulting to the male population of Britain that these garments are worn as a statement that we are all 'sick minded'. That we are all potential 'rapists'. How dare they think and insinuate this by wearing this offensive item of clothing.

 

Totally, utterly, wholly unacceptable. Ban them NOW.

 

I think this Goernment has done all it can to demonise people who wear hoodies, Scott.....

 

Muslim women in Britain are hardly going to be as poor as they'd be in their native country - so what's the point in wearing them?

 

Totally, utterly, wholly unacceptable. Ban them NOW.

 

Would you deny a person the right to wear a hoodie though...?

 

The point is, that young British Muslim women are choosing to do it, and there is a lot of evidence to suggest that it is a free choice on the part of many, whether we like it or not. Ironically though, they dont seem to realise that they actually draw more attention to themselves than those who just wear the hijab, :lol: but hey-ho, horses for courses innit? Therefore, if it is their choice then I accept that in the same way I accept the right of a Jew to wear a skullcap or a Sikh to wear a turban or the right of a Hare Krishna to wear their orange robes; or even a 'yoof' to wear a hoodie....

 

And I'm sorry, but 'banning' an item of clothing, whether a Bhurka or a hoodie or a "Jesus is a C/unt" T-shirt is something that I find totally unacceptable, whatever my own personal opinion may be of the items in question, we live in a FREE COUNTRY!!! And that means we have to respect people's choices whether we agree with them or not...

 

 

 

...and sometimes, Scott, whether we like it or not, certain items of clothing are deemed unacceptable in a social environment. To most westerners, especially western women - a burkha is a sign of opression, and it's totally unacceptable.

I think they should be banned for the same reasons people put above.

 

On tv once a woman's veil thing fell off and a man started beating her. It's rediculous. We're in the year 2006!

I think they should be banned for the same reasons people put above.

 

On tv once a woman's veil thing fell off and a man started beating her. It's rediculous. We're in the year 2006!

 

Yeah, and you know what happened yesterday, an old Muslim GRANNY was racially verbally abused by some racist b/astard and had her headscarf torn from her head.... Not 24 hours after Jack Straw's ridiculous comments....

 

Like you say, this is ridiculous, we're in the year 2006....

...and sometimes, Scott, whether we like it or not, certain items of clothing are deemed unacceptable in a social environment. To most westerners, especially western women - a burkha is a sign of opression, and it's totally unacceptable.

 

And just who are you or I to decide that Russ..? And who is Jack Straw? And if these 'veiled women' are so bloody oppressed as you imply, I seriously doubt their husbands or fathers would be letting them go out to Jack Straw's Constituency Surgeries to give him a deserved verbal pasting. In fact, when was the last time that you took such an active role in the political process as these 'oppressed' veiled women..? I dont suppose it's maybe occurred to you that in this particular context where a young British Muslim woman is actually choosing to wear it, it is in fact a pretty fukkin' willful act of defiance in many ways, she is asserting that she is a Muslim and that she is rejecting Western society's hypocritical "values" (and you certainly don't have to be devout Muslim to do that....), it's actually quite political when you think about it... For my mind every bit a political statement as waving the Irish tricoleur around in 1916 Dublin or wearing a "George Bush - Intenational Terrorist" T-shirt (which is presumably another item of clothing Jack Straw would 'prefer' not to see at his Constituency Surgeries...)...

 

I dont actually hear that many 'anti-veil' comments coming from women (in fact, most of the Muslim and non-Muslim women that I've seen interviewed are saying that it's a personal choice for the individual woman concerned..) , most of the comments I hear against it are coming from blokes, and it was a white bloke who assaulted that Muslim Granny yesterday in Liverpool and tore her headscarf off.... Strange that.....

 

White, Christian men arbitrarily deciding what Muslim women 'should' or 'should not' do...? Dangerous precedent, just as bad as what you're against surely....

Scott...

 

living in Britain was a choice for these women - they entered into a Christian country and society that is thankfully liberal (to a point).... and some aspects of their religion, however difficult this is for them to fathom, are simply unacceptable in this society, whether they like it or not.

 

I was recently in Portugal, quite a religious country..... when you leave the beach to drive home - it's ILLEGAL to drive topless - shirts MUST be worn. Same goes for women - they're not allowed to drive wearing bikini tops - for fear of 'outraging public decency'.

 

Of course, I had to abide by these rules, whether it was 35 degrees outside and 50 degrees in the car or not (which it was). I was in another country and, of course, you need to abde by what is acceptable in that country - end of. Did I argue, rant and rave, start rioting or screaming about my personal rights being contravened? Of course not - when in Rome, surely it's only polite to do as the Romans do - don't you agree?

 

No religion is above the law, Scott, and sometimes, when you sacrifice living in your own country which practices your own faiths - you HAVE to adopt and integrate. If the UK is, as these women seem to fear, full of us 'sick-minded' lecherous males.... why on earth are they here? The world's a huge place - and almost surely wearing these offensive garments is accepted in some other country.

 

In Britain, it's simple - it's NOT accepted.

 

 

Scott...

 

living in Britain was a choice for these women -

 

Wrong, the ones I'm talking about were BORN here, so as far as I'm concerned they have every right to make a Political statement as you or I do, they are BRITISH!! Or do you actually believe that somehow people of different ethnic origins should be all 'happy happy joy joy' and grateful to the great white, Christian Massa for being so 'good' to let their grandparents, whose labour the country needed and exploited, settle here decades ago...

 

Bollocks to it..... <_< Everyone has a right to be pissed off about this fukkin' Govt as far as I'm concerned....

 

And the last time I looked the Hijab and the Burkha was not actually illegal, so, moot point going on about Portugal..... If you're gonna ban the Muslim veil then you're gonna have a real hard time justifying the Nun's habit, which pretty much does the same thing... Yeah, I'd REALLY love to see Tony the Christian trying to get round that one.....

Bollocks to it..... <_< Everyone has a right to be pissed off about this fukkin' Govt as far as I'm concerned....

 

 

 

 

..... and thats a theme that runs through most of your posts m8!...lol.. ]

 

the problem with that is that your objectivity might be brought into question, when you seem to want to bad mouth the government at every turn... ok... im not saying that you are wrong, but it might just taint your views on peripheral subjects.

 

 

 

 

the problem with that is that your objectivity might be brought into question, when you seem to want to bad mouth the government at every turn... ok... im not saying that you are wrong, but it might just taint your views on peripheral subjects.

 

Well, sorry mate, but when you hear of an old Muslim granny being assaulted, verbally abused and having her headscarf ripped off her head by some racist prick mere HOURS after a Govt Cabinet minister "suggests" Muslim women remove items of their clothing when they go to see him, then it tends to make me think, "Hmmmm, maybe a bit ill-advised mate...." whether it was his intent or not, it is NOT his place to tell people from another culture what is 'appropriate'. And is it really such a 'peripheral subject' anyway...? Like I say, surely he's had Muslim women wearing the Burkha come into his constituency surgeries for ages, I dont believe that it's somehow a recent occurrence given the length of time he's been an MP in that particular constituency, so why bring it up now, why not 10, 15 years ago...? I think they're doing it deliberately to be honest, we've had this, the Pope's speech, John Reid, all coming pretty close behind each other, because they know that it's gonna p!ss people off and then the press can say "bloody Muslims, always causing trouble...". I dont see the point in doing things that are just gonna cause more friction and more racial tensions. He's just doing it to score a cheap political point IMO...

 

I think anyone with any sense despises this Govt.... I've not heard anything coming out of a Cabinet Minister's mouth recently that I would agree with in any way whatsoever, backbench Labour MPs (ie, the ones who are unlikely ever to be in a position to really change things for the better), that's a different matter....

 

Scott...

 

it is EVERYONE's right to speak out about something we find, as a society, utterly abhorrent. If these women were born here, also, then they would know the unease these items make 99% of British people feel - so it goes back to my post which asked - are these women wearing them as some sort of antagonistic point?

 

You can be liberal, all-giving, all-encompassing - but integration works TWO ways, Scott - and from where I'm standing, I see little or no attempt by the Muslim communities to integrate into British society - and that's just wrong, Scott. Totally wrong on every level.

 

And as for him having the audacity to 'suggest' they remove their veils - I hope sincerely he goes one further - and ensures these items are banned from our society.

 

Now.

I like 93.7% of the public on BBC website where 183,000 people voted, find Burkhas (veils) totally unacceptable.

 

I totally agree with Russt, from personal experience living in Swindon, Muslims make little or no attempt to integrate into British society, unlike the large number of Hindus, Eastern Europeans & Afro-Caribbeans that we have here.

 

In short Scott, I have to say that you are totally & utterly wrong on this issue.

 

If I was to live in an Islamic society I would not expect to carry on as if I was living in the United Kingdom, so why the hell should they expect special treatment, asking for the introduction of Shari law, etc in their own communities in the UK?

 

Still Scott, I expect you approve of this:

 

Brave heroes hounded out

The Sun

October 07, 2006

 

MUSLIM yobs who wrecked a house to stop four brave soldiers moving in after returning from Afghanistan sparked outrage last night.

 

The house in a village near riot-torn Windsor had BRICKS thrown through windows and was DAUBED with messages of hate.

Four young Household Cavalry officers who had planned to rent it were also the target of phone THREATS.

 

They were yesterday forced to look elsewhere to live — after top brass warned them against inflaming racial violence near the Queen’s Windsor Castle home.

 

Last night furious Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said: “This is a shocking development.â€

 

Colleagues of the officers branded the vandalism a “disgraceâ€. A source at the regiment said: “These guys have done nothing but bravely serve their country — yet they can’t even live where they want in their own country.†The £3,000-a-month detached home in picturesque Datchet, Berks, is less than a mile from Windsor Castle. It was attacked as extra police were drafted into Windsor — where battles have raged for days between Asian and white gangs.

 

The young officers — from the same regiment as Prince Harry — had planned to use the four-bed house for rest and recuperation after months risking their lives on the frontline.

 

Louts struck two days after the four arrived in uniform in an Army Land Rover to view it.

 

The source said: “A gang of local Muslims set about keeping them away. They hurled bricks through the windows and then wrote offensive graffiti across the front of the house.†The vile messages included one in 4ft letters on the drive — warning: “F*** offâ€.

 

Sources inside Windsor’s Combermere Barracks — where the officers are based — confirmed Muslims had made calls threatening the men.

 

The scandal comes as Tony Blair today pledges the Army in Afghanistan can have ANYTHING it needs to hammer the Taliban. Writing exclusively in The Sun he declares that Our Boys are “the best in the worldâ€.

 

A Household Cavalry insider said of the Muslims’ insult to Britain’s heroes: “Everyone in the regiment is really upset. It’s one thing coming under attack in Helmand in Afghanistan but quite another getting this abuse in England. The officers were determined to face down the yobs and still move in — but didn’t want a race riot on their hands.â€

 

Police hunting the vandals confirmed: “One line of inquiry is that it is racially aggravated.â€

 

The house’s owner Johanna Ledwidge refused to comment beyond saying she was very upset. A shocked neighbour in the quiet street said: “We pride ourselves in this neighbourhood that we welcome all cultures.â€

 

Tory MP Philip Davies said of the attack: “This is outrageous.

 

“If there’s anybody who should f*** off it’s the Muslims who are doing this kind of thing. Police should pull out the stops to track down these vile thugs.â€

 

Sir Andrew Green, director of the think-tank Migrationwatch UK, said: “Incidents like this are absolutely inexcusable and seriously undermine efforts by all sides to achieve integration. Those who choose to live in this country owe a loyalty to Britain.â€

 

A spokesman for letting agency Kings, who are marketing the property, said: “It was an isolated case of vandalism. We do not know the reasons behind it.â€

 

 

...but Scott, the issue here is opression - and I disagree that most women choose to wear burkhas - I think you'll find it's quite the opposite.

 

For many years in Europe women were opressed - told what to wear (but not in a t***** and Susanna kinda way)...and it took decades, maybe centuries, of hard slog and tough fighting to over-rule the invisible society laws that deemed women not be seen uncovered neck-to-foot, and for women to be taken seriously in the workplace, to get equal rights, equal pay, and to be allowed to do just as men are allowed to - and rightly so.

 

For all that to be totally overturned and for it now to be sodcially acceptable for women to wear ridiculous garments with just slits for the eyes - to shield them from us 'sick-minded' men.... come on, mate... there's some freedom of expression even you must find questionable....

 

I hope Straw has started the ball rolling on banning these garments in 2006 Britian - it's long overdue. I find burkhas ominous, degrading and insulting - and so do many others - so, if they offend people in the way they do - especially women, far from our thoughts being irrelevant - it's time to act on this and send them back to the dark ages where they belong.

 

ok, one- i think you'll find that many women (in this country anyway) do themselves choose to wear the bhurka. thankfully, the UK is a free country, everyone has the freedom to choose what they want to wear, be it a headscarf, a bhurka, a bikini, a miniskirt or whatever else- it's all about choice. Surely if these women have themselves chosen to wear it (and, yes, I do know that this is not the case with all women), we should respect that??!

 

two- you say "there's some freedom of expression even you must find questionable...." why is that when muslims spoke out against the cartoons of the prophet they were told to shut up because it was a matter of "freedom of expression", whereas in this case, where muslim women are exercising this freedom, it is deemed "questionable"?

 

three- why do you find them insulting? the women wearing them are doing so because they want to dress modestly, it is not intended to be a personal insult.

 

Straw's comments could not have come at a worst time. why on earth did he not speak out about this earlier? why did this suddenly become such a pressing issue? I in no way condone the attack on the house by the muslim youth (posted by thisispop) and at the same time I don't condone the attack on the elderly muslim woman in Liverpool. Both are outrageous, and imo, stem from a lack of respect and understanding of eachothers cultures and beliefs, at such a sensitive time, Straw's comments are just adding fuel to the fire.