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| Illustration by Ibrahim Lufty |
When I first heard that the French were going to ban the women in France from wearing the burqa (1) the feminist part of me wanted to jump up and down and say “in your face Sahira law!” and do a little happy dance. BUT... the rest of me, the fair minded, equality loving part of me knew this wouldn’t bode well for the French, the “war on terror” and especially Muslim women.
I can understand where the French are coming from in this quest to rid the burqa from France, but I can also see how that is an infringement of basic human rights and that scares me.
The Pro’s of Banning the Burqa:
1. Safety- Yes, safety in many forms. Mostly because whenever someone, anyone, is covered head to toe in bulky fabric we have no idea who they are or what they are doing. How easy it is for a suicide bomber to dress in a burqa and go undetected as they move to their target and complete their mission. It’s not just suicide bombings either, people could partake in all sorts of crime and hide under the burqa so CCTV, bystanders, etc... could not identify them. How to stop a criminal when you cannot identify a criminal is something technology still hasn’t figured out.
2. Stop the Oppression of Women: In the western world it is illegal to force anyone into doing anything they don’t want to do, unless they are under 18 and you are their parents and then you can force them into awkward family photos and household chores without consequence. However, when it comes to dictating a woman’s clothing, rights and freedoms, the burqa is the ultimate tool of oppression. In accordance with Sharia law(2) women must cover themselves, especially their hair, because men cannot control themselves and it is the duty of the women to protect the men from themselves. If a woman is raped in accordance to Shari law she is to blame and not the man as he was only acting on his natural impulses and she must have done something to provoke the attack. Taking away the main tool of oppression gives these women the freedom to see clearly that they are not responsible for all the evil that befalls the world, but that they are victims of the myth. It will allow women the chance to be seen as a human instead of a dark passing mysterious figure. I know that in my time traveling through muslim countries every time I pass a woman in a burqa I wonder who she is, what she thinks, how she feels, and does she want to be under there? But I cannot ask her these questions, I can only smile as I pass and hope I am seen as a friendly comrade and not a lecherous infidel.
The Cons of Banning the Burqa:
1. Fascism- Fascism is defined as “a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.” (3) Now it might seem a bit harsh for an isolated incident of burqa banning, but in it’s very essence it is exactly that. It is forcibly suppressing the rights of practicing Muslims in France. It is telling the French people and the world that Christianity, Catholicism, and all other religions are accepted, but not the nation of Islam. It is a reaction based in fear and not in intelligent thought of provocative discussion, simply a dictator decreeing his morals and values to be the same for all French people, regardless of their choice.
I can understand where the French are coming from in this quest to rid the burqa from France, but I can also see how that is an infringement of basic human rights and that scares me.
The Pro’s of Banning the Burqa:
1. Safety- Yes, safety in many forms. Mostly because whenever someone, anyone, is covered head to toe in bulky fabric we have no idea who they are or what they are doing. How easy it is for a suicide bomber to dress in a burqa and go undetected as they move to their target and complete their mission. It’s not just suicide bombings either, people could partake in all sorts of crime and hide under the burqa so CCTV, bystanders, etc... could not identify them. How to stop a criminal when you cannot identify a criminal is something technology still hasn’t figured out.
2. Stop the Oppression of Women: In the western world it is illegal to force anyone into doing anything they don’t want to do, unless they are under 18 and you are their parents and then you can force them into awkward family photos and household chores without consequence. However, when it comes to dictating a woman’s clothing, rights and freedoms, the burqa is the ultimate tool of oppression. In accordance with Sharia law(2) women must cover themselves, especially their hair, because men cannot control themselves and it is the duty of the women to protect the men from themselves. If a woman is raped in accordance to Shari law she is to blame and not the man as he was only acting on his natural impulses and she must have done something to provoke the attack. Taking away the main tool of oppression gives these women the freedom to see clearly that they are not responsible for all the evil that befalls the world, but that they are victims of the myth. It will allow women the chance to be seen as a human instead of a dark passing mysterious figure. I know that in my time traveling through muslim countries every time I pass a woman in a burqa I wonder who she is, what she thinks, how she feels, and does she want to be under there? But I cannot ask her these questions, I can only smile as I pass and hope I am seen as a friendly comrade and not a lecherous infidel.
The Cons of Banning the Burqa:
1. Fascism- Fascism is defined as “a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.” (3) Now it might seem a bit harsh for an isolated incident of burqa banning, but in it’s very essence it is exactly that. It is forcibly suppressing the rights of practicing Muslims in France. It is telling the French people and the world that Christianity, Catholicism, and all other religions are accepted, but not the nation of Islam. It is a reaction based in fear and not in intelligent thought of provocative discussion, simply a dictator decreeing his morals and values to be the same for all French people, regardless of their choice.
2. Provocation of Fundamentalists- As currently stated by Osama Bin Laden in a video directed to France(4) “If you want to tyrannize and think that it is your right to ban the free women from wearing the burqa, isn't it our right to expel your occupying forces, your men from our lands by striking them by the neck?", this is a direct attack on the Nation of Islam and only adds fuel to the flames of anger that supply the “terrorists” with the power to grow and fight. The major stance by the recruiters for these terror organizations is that America and the west want to come in a destroy their way of life. Every time we ban a mosque, a burqa, ramadan celebrations, we prove their point. We are in fact attacking the very core of their beliefs. And just because France is the only one to do it, with Italy on it’s tails, they are our ally’s and therefore, we must share the same beliefs. We are all occupying their countries and fighting in their homes, therefore we must all hate the Nation of Islam. That is how they see it. And living in a cave in the middle of nowhere with no information other than what your commanding officer gives you, I can see how they would believe we are hell bent on destroying their world and re-building it into our own.
3. The Hardship Placed on Muslim Women- Imagine you are a Muslim woman living in France. You are married to a strict Muslim man who believes you must wear a burqa at all times while not in your home. You have young children, including a young daughter who you must somehow instill your values and those of France into. Your husband dictates that you must wear the burqa, but now that it is banned whenever you go outside, you are harassed, detained and fined by the police. You are refused service at stores because you are covered in your burqa. So you remove the burqa to get your daily chores done in peace. However, when you get home your husband knows that you have taken off the burqa and he beats you, severely. In front of your children and swears he will kill you if you dishonor him again by going out in the burqa. What do you do? The pressure that this law has put these women under is unbearable and there is no simple way of navigating around. It is the perfect example of a Catch-22. The simple idea that we are somehow liberating these women has now gone into further oppressing them and possibly even getting them killed. At the end of the day the life of these women is far more important than any political posturing by any government leaders. These women are the cure to what ails us in terms of terrorism. By reaching out to these women and making them our friends we can help them help us. Putting them into these positions will only make the divide that much wider, making it that much harder to reach across the aisle.
I do not believe putting a ban on the burqa is safe, effective or fair. I understand the need for safety, especially given the current state of affairs in the world, however there are far more reasonable ways to go about a compromise.
In terms of safety they can decree that NO ONE can wear any sort of head covering, men included, in government buildings, while testifying in court, in schools and other appropriate areas. There must be women guards at all times to do any physical searches on women wearing burqas in these designated areas and those checks should be done in private areas, as any regular person would expect.
There should also be a serious campaign against the oppression of women through any sort of physical violence, familial obligations, or religious pressure. Through all religions, races and beliefs, not just Muslims.
Schools should not be allowed to teach any sort of religion or religious beliefs unless they are teaching them ALL in a religious studies class. These classes cannot promote one religion over the other, just a simple explanation of what they all believe and why. All dedicated religious studies should be done outside of school, after school hours in mosques, temples, churches or halls.
Mostly, there needs to be calm, rational public discussions where people are allowed to share their views, their wishes and desires. All people must be heard, not just the ruling elite. All sides should be considered before making any sort of ruling or law that will impact the people so intensely.
These are just some of the pros and cons of this new law, but there are many more. There are many obstacles we must over come in order to create a more peaceful and respectful world.
What do you think about the banning of the burqa? Do you think it is fair? Is it fascism? How do you think we, as a world, should proceed with these issues?
3. The Hardship Placed on Muslim Women- Imagine you are a Muslim woman living in France. You are married to a strict Muslim man who believes you must wear a burqa at all times while not in your home. You have young children, including a young daughter who you must somehow instill your values and those of France into. Your husband dictates that you must wear the burqa, but now that it is banned whenever you go outside, you are harassed, detained and fined by the police. You are refused service at stores because you are covered in your burqa. So you remove the burqa to get your daily chores done in peace. However, when you get home your husband knows that you have taken off the burqa and he beats you, severely. In front of your children and swears he will kill you if you dishonor him again by going out in the burqa. What do you do? The pressure that this law has put these women under is unbearable and there is no simple way of navigating around. It is the perfect example of a Catch-22. The simple idea that we are somehow liberating these women has now gone into further oppressing them and possibly even getting them killed. At the end of the day the life of these women is far more important than any political posturing by any government leaders. These women are the cure to what ails us in terms of terrorism. By reaching out to these women and making them our friends we can help them help us. Putting them into these positions will only make the divide that much wider, making it that much harder to reach across the aisle.
I do not believe putting a ban on the burqa is safe, effective or fair. I understand the need for safety, especially given the current state of affairs in the world, however there are far more reasonable ways to go about a compromise.
In terms of safety they can decree that NO ONE can wear any sort of head covering, men included, in government buildings, while testifying in court, in schools and other appropriate areas. There must be women guards at all times to do any physical searches on women wearing burqas in these designated areas and those checks should be done in private areas, as any regular person would expect.
There should also be a serious campaign against the oppression of women through any sort of physical violence, familial obligations, or religious pressure. Through all religions, races and beliefs, not just Muslims.
Schools should not be allowed to teach any sort of religion or religious beliefs unless they are teaching them ALL in a religious studies class. These classes cannot promote one religion over the other, just a simple explanation of what they all believe and why. All dedicated religious studies should be done outside of school, after school hours in mosques, temples, churches or halls.
Mostly, there needs to be calm, rational public discussions where people are allowed to share their views, their wishes and desires. All people must be heard, not just the ruling elite. All sides should be considered before making any sort of ruling or law that will impact the people so intensely.
These are just some of the pros and cons of this new law, but there are many more. There are many obstacles we must over come in order to create a more peaceful and respectful world.
What do you think about the banning of the burqa? Do you think it is fair? Is it fascism? How do you think we, as a world, should proceed with these issues?
Other reading on the subject:
- The Sydney Morning Herlad: The burqa is a war on women
The point of view from those in the Nation of Islam, a very interesting blog, at times hard to read, but important to see what is being said on all sides, not just my own.
