Ban the Burqa

[texan1]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Badran
It is complicated. There are women of course who get pressured and in some places even forced into wearing this. However, lots of others do not. So, the problem is not with the dress, it is with the attitude towards women. To solve this, we certainly must not merely also force women to wear something, just because we believe its better. In other words, these people who force women to wear burqa or niqab must be faught, but we shouldn't fight them by enforcing our own view on how women should dress. (Not wearing it)

Especially because most women who wear this in the countries which proposes these laws are the ones who wear it willingly, so this is quite insulting. We only add to the oppression towards women with this attitude, if we keep deciding for them what and what not to wear.

I agree with this. just because a faction of society sees the burqa as oppressive doesn't make it so. some women find staying at home to rear children as oppressive too.

I guarantee there are women being forced to wear the burqa; I don't personally know a single one. oppression should be stopped in all forms.

Good points! It is nice to hear from you on this issue. I often feel so outraged at the way women are treated by the radical Islamic groups and I have to remind myself that they are in the minority. And curtailing the freedoms of the majority in order to respond to the offensive/harmful actions of a minority would be an act of desperation, and probably wouldn't work.

 

[Badran]

I do see the burqa as a sign of oppression, but to force any woman to not wear them when she want to wear, would also be considered oppressive. I just don't see how banning burqa would help secularism because it would still alienate women, who may or may not be already be alienated by their culture or religion.

Secularism is about having religious-neutral law and society, it is not about banning religion altogether. Politics, law and education required these to be free from religious interference, but people are free to believe what they want, follow whatever religion they want. Secularism doesn't and shouldn't govern what women should or should not wear.

If you can prove that the religion or Muslim community, or Muslim husband, father or brother are forcing a woman to wear the burqa, then perhaps the law and government step in, and take action against of the above. A blanket ban on burqa would not work, but action could probably take place on individual case.

I agree with all you said. For the first part about burqa or niqab being oppression, i think we should put in mind the different motives, reasons and circumstances under which women decide to wear it, so that we can determine which is oppression and which is not.

The obvious one is when its forced upon a woman thats oppression.

Then another situation is that when a woman was raised or made to believe somehow that she is required to wear it, otherwise she would be bad, that would be a lesser form of oppression, but still counts i think.

Then there are those women who know very well that she is not required to wear it at all, and that this is not an obligation in anyway. But, she still wants to do it, as an extra effort. This idea portrays itself in many ways in both men and women, who willingly do extra stuff to be closer to god according to their beliefs. In this case, while i think niqab or burqa is not the thing to do if one wants to be closer to god, but obviously its not oppression in anyway we look at it. So, in other words, it is oppression in some cases, and not in others.

 

[Badran]

IMO, this arguement does not belong in a religious forum. The reason behind that is that the burqa is more of a cultural symbol than a religious one. In Islam, a woman is allowed to show the face, hands and feet.
If the Burqa forms a security threat, as in if its used by criminals to hide their identity, i am all for banning it. Any other reason for banning it breaches a persons freedom.

I agree, but the problem is that the reasons stated are not security threats, or at least thats not whats mainly proposed, because the security threat can be very easily dealt with.

I also agree that niqab and burqa are not from Islamic teachings, but we have to remember that this is not how all people look at it.

 

[Badran]

Someone mentioned security problem. This is the only place it's reported on
Air Canada Probe Ordered After Security Breach - Jewish World - Israel News - Israel National News
Video relating to the article

No doubt women should show their faces in such situations, thats out of the question. There are many ways such problems can be avoided.

 

[Badran]

Good points! It is nice to hear from you on this issue. I often feel so outraged at the way women are treated by the radical Islamic groups

Me too. There are lots of horrible stuff going on with women in some places today.

and I have to remind myself that they are in the minority. And curtailing the freedoms of the majority in order to respond to the offensive/harmful actions of a minority would be an act of desperation, and probably wouldn't work.

Exactly.