Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Burqa Strains Multicultural Australia

A cross post from Global Voices:

Since the proposed bans on the wearing of the burqa in France, the issue has been simmering in the Australian blogosphere. An Australian radio shock-jock, and ex-police officer, drew criticism recently over his opposition to the wearing of the burqa in public.

Michael Smith argued that bank staff and shop assistants are concerned with possible criminal misuse. He also suggested that young children are frightened by encounters with women wearing the “full-on burqa”, comparing it to “kids crying, getting the fright of their lives when seeing Santa Claus”.
Burqa Strains Multicultural Australia

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah. Can see the point about bank staff. Wonder when a motor-cyclist will sue because not being allowed to have the head fully-covered in a bank, while gender-and-religion differences cause "special consideration".

And what about a motorcyclist full-on-burqa wearer? What difference would wearing a helmet or not make in a bank?

There's no such problem with hijab... just feel really sorry for those poor women fully covered in dark unventilated clothes in the height of summer.

Besides, the Koran advocates modesty, and doesn't really prescribe a particular form of dress, and my view that this is relative to the norms of the wider society, and the borders of what is considered modest or provocative in a host society.

cockleman said...

re the burqa,i was born in Australia and all my life i have lived in a society (aus) it is a country of pretty laid back people and customs and just about everyone coming to australia has assimilated and accept the australian way of life .we are laid back (even calling our swimming stroke THE AUSTRALIAN CRAWL).
At one time watching anyone walking down the street you would have no idea what a persons religion was and it is or was a private matter between the individual and their god .
And now we have people coming to Australia who do not want to adopt the way of life here,they want to change our laws to accommodate their culture (SOME ASPECTS OF SHARIA LAW)They call us infidels and treat their woman like non entities .
they complained that it is offensive to contaminate
meat because pig products are being cooked at the same premises , they feel they were being discriminated because maccas meat was non halaled so now all meat from maccas and hungry jacks and kentucky fried is halaled and the MAJORITY of people have to cop it sweet. i have mentioned it to muslims and they say i am a racist !
In conclusion i still believe that opening our arms to anyone who wants to settle in Australia is great BUT let them come and live under our laws and adopt the easy laid back AUSTRALIAN CULTURE

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