Was Jack Straw wrong to suggest talking to a piece of cloth made him feel uncomfortable?

Answer 1

Jack Straw was absolutely correct.
The intolerance is and always has been from the Moslem's who come to Rome and do not wish to live as the Romans.
The wearing of the bourka has nothing to do with Islam but is a tradition from the Bedouin tribes who stole women in inter tribal raids that was pre Islam, then hid the faces of the women in the veil to avoid detection.
In Saudi Arabia westeners (infadells) are not even allowed to have a church and must meet in secret to observe their religion.
If a christian dies in Saudi Arabia they are not permitted to be buried there.
The Mutawa (religious police) of the Wahhabi tribe patrol seeking out any infringement of their ideas and beat people with sticks.
I have seen middle aged western women respectably dressed have their legs lashed by the Mutawas.
I have seen a man (father) and his married daughter arrested because the name on the passports did not match.
I was arrested for having a meal in a restaurant with a woman who was not related to me.
I have seen thier own citizens have linbs cut off in Riyadh in the name of god.
Tell me about the tolerance of Islam.
Please "our politicians" do not import this to the UK and tell us we must be a tolerant society, go and see these countries, not in the corridors of power, see it on the street. Raise it at the UN, put sanctions on these despotic regiems.
If the Moslems dont like the UK way of life "go to Saudi Arabia" and live with your own culture and religion.

Answer 2

No he wasn't wrong. He thinks it is time that any differences are debated and hopefully resolved. My personal view is the wearing of the veil is certainly not a part of British culture and those people who wish to reside in this country should respect our culture or live in a country that accepts and respects their cultural or religious traditions.
If a Western woman visits many Arab countries she will be expected to wear a scarf or veil out of respect for their culture. Why the double standards?
The veil is, as Jack Straw says, a difference, a barrier to integration. Personally I don't regard myself as either racist or intolerant but if a local shop was staffed by veiled workers I would not use it. If a neighbour decided to wear a veil I would cease to communicate as they have introduced a barrier that makes communication, as I know it, impossible.
I have never and would never suggest that if someone disagrees with the way things are done in this country they should go home, but, I would remind them that they chose to come here in the knowledge that there would be social differences and a requirement for some social adjustment.

Answer 3

When processing personal data persons such as MP's need to properly identify the individual concerned (it is law!!!).

You cannot say that you have done all you can to ascertain the identity of the individual if the person won't allow visual identification to take place.

Its nice to know that such a trivial matter can raise such uproar in the Well adjusted mature and rational members of our Islamic communities... Allah must be proud of his brightest and best...

Answer 4

actual appropriate for elevating a controversy which would be too tender for many to advance. we could recover from this worry of being categorized a racist each and every time pointing out something that the liberal father or mom-reader does not like. fifty 3 out of fifty six could be a touch deceptive statistic interior of a inhabitants that has an particularly super muslim community - besides the indisputable fact that it nonetheless stands proud worryingly.

Answer 5

No, if people have the right to cover their faces then surely he has the right to ask them not to when talking to him and also he has the right to express the view that covering the face makes divisions in society more pronounced.
I will not teach a child or young woman who has the full veil and I know mental health professionals who will not make a mental health assessment on a person who has their face covered. I would not teach someone with a paper bag on their head or someone hiding in a broom cupboard either.
I need to see if what I'm saying has gone in or not and that's what our facial expession shows.
Autistic people have trouble reading facial expressions and so don't always make good relationships.
These people are putting me in that position and I don't like it.

Answer 6

Jack Straw was correct, if people were meant to hide their faces we would be born without features, after all what are they hiding?
it is our features that give us indiviguality, and that is even before we open our mouthes to speak.

Answer 7

Not given that he clearly wanted to get into the headlines. The plan worked nicely.

C'mon, how many veiled muslim women do you think can visit any politicians office, without having a full security search and having to remove their veil first?

Answer 8

what would the muslim feel like if jack straw confronted them with a black balaclava with slits for eyes, do you remember the early 80s when custom cars used to black out their windows. the police did not like it, they could not see who was driving so they banned it for the front of the car.

Answer 9

It wasnt wrong, but it seemed unprofessional. Someone at the top notch, a global and educated person, should show more tolerance and respect regardless of how diverse or strange the cultural or religious practices seem, from your own.

Answer 10

He didn't suggest it, he said it did. And he was not wrong to say how he felt about something. You would have to go a long way to find a more tolertant coutry than the UK.