Well done Belgium. Veil banned

[Nuttybear]

I fully support this. Really wish the liberals would put aside there protection of these men and free the women here. I vote for bring the same law here. I despise the veil and all it stands for. I saw a woman trip and fall because she could not see the kerb!!! Her husband/uncle/dad then had to guide her over the next kerb. I saw them again in the supermarket I so wanted to throw eggs at him but it would only make her plight worse. I know a minority want to wear the veil. Well, there are countries that support that decision. I know it might make matter worse for some but there must be a stand to free these women of this 13th century habit. Wearing of the veil is not in the Koran. All for modest dress, if you so wish but, unable to look around your world freely is wrong.

aggree with riven

Cagedbird. As an enlightened Muslim perhaps you could pinpoint that part of the Koran where it was a woman that chose to cover prior to The Prophet being jealous of one of his wives....

Nuns don't cover their face! That is the main point.

That's different Riven...nuns are only covering their heads, It's ridiculous that you have women walking around London with just their eyes showing....If you want to come and live in a western country then you have to adapt, just like western women have to adapt in muslim countries.

It's also a security issue...

"Surely taking away someones right to wear what they want is a form of oppression?"

Agree completely. Banning it is not the answer.

So is drug taking, but that's not allowed! It's what is best for the individual and the wider society. I don't think in Europe there is a place for something which itentially sets people apart from the wider society, it makes intergration much harder.

Everybody is judged for how they choose to dress. Some people would not approach a person in a veil. Some people would not approach a person in tradional 'foreign' clothing. Some people would not approach a person in goth or punk clothes. Some people would not approach a person in a white addidas tracksuit and hoop earings. Some people would not approach a person in a sequence boob tube. Some people would not approach a person in a twin set and pearls and bob with hairband. Some people would not approach a person who they don't know for any reason at all. Some people talk to everyone.

People are aware that their clothing sends off signals and can live with the fallout of that.

Perhaps we should all wear Mao suits so everyone can feel comfortable aproaching us.

intentionally rather

Oh posie, that isn't in the Quran, or maybe you with all your knowledge could point it out for me. The Prophet's wives used to cover up because he was the Prophet. They also had their own houses (one of his wives used to teach) and in their own houses or gatherings where there were no men, they were free to uncover in front of other women and their family.

I don't actually see what this has to do with it because as I have already stated muslim women are not required to cover their face.

people don't campaign for Their Right to wear a balaclava when they go to the bank and expect to be taken seriously though, do they? It's common sense

Good on the Belgian government for taking the lead. About time.

nicely put misshannigan

And i support religious expression but not extremism....so what is your beef with me?

Agree GS...

(I think France got there first though...?)

Actually Muslim women who wear veils serve the anti Islamic movement well. As it is a form of religious expression it is not the same as a Juicy Couture clad chav, it is clothing that sends a very precise message.

V. true PP, they're not helping the massive anti-Islam feeling that's spreading all across Europe..

What do we want? Freeing people from oppression!

How do we get it? Oppressing people's freedom!

Oh, hang on, d'oh!

I don't have a problem with them voting on a ban on clothing which does not allow the wearer to be fully identified. There have been instances of men with criminal records wearing niqabs or burkas to avoid identification.

I am torn about this.

On the one hand I think that banning the vale singles out one religion only and I don't see that that can be seen as a good thing. Personally I would ban all religious symbols in public, and all religious expression in public - religion should IMO be confined to the privacy of one's home or the setting ie church/mosq/place of worship designed for each individual religion. It would therefore also be illegal for jw's to come knocking at my door.

I do wonder though why women wearing the vale in western countries are so content to give out the message that they are oppressed when they say that they aren't? Whether they like to admit it or not, the vale is a symbol of oppression in many countries, Saudi, Afghanistan, and for women to willingly wear it does IMO send out the message that they see this as a good thing.

I wonder whether Saudi women see themselves as oppressed, or whether they are happy the way they are because they've never known any different.

What is the point of wearing a veil?

I wear sunhats and sunglasses...otherwise I would be screwing my eyes up and almost unable to see.

But I cannot think of a practical reason to wear a veil.

One of the main complaints in the 19th century was the convention that meant women had to wear incredibly heavy and restrictive underwear. This was a cultural norm, not a religious one. Slowly, it did become acceptable for women not to wear undergarments that weighed 6 lbs. The same for trousers, once they were forbidden for women, now we wear them all the time.

I wonder how many 19th century women who wore corsets as that was expected, actually enjoyed it? Or did they feel that was the only option. The fact that these undergarments ar enow not used by any women and the invention of the bra was adopted universally in this country does perhaps suggest, that wearing clothing because everyone else does does not mean you are wearing practical or comfortable clothing.

Please can they now ban high heels?