jack straw and the veil?

Question

taken from todays paper. a black balaclava exposing the eyes and mouth would not attract attention on the ski slopes but it scares the pants of bank clerks and kidnap victims waiting to have there throats slit.the burka and veil go unremarked in their country of origin,but in britain.they sharply define one section of society and deliberatly excludes the rest.so muslims thats just one of the reasons people dont like your style of dress.on one hand you want exceptance in to society then you wear clothes like that.kind off defeats the object dosnt it.so to my question should the veil and or burka be outlawed in the name of multicultural harmony.and dont forget its not excepted for someone to wear a crash helmet or balaclava in to a bank so why is the burka allowed.

to aisha c ,my point was they exclude themselves not the other way around.

Answer 1

The veil is woren for religious reasons whilst balaclavas and crash helmets aren't. They are used for other purposes. So i think u shouldn't compare them with the Veil as there is no comparison. One thing i don't understand is that in this so called free society that we live in who is Jack Straw to say what can or cannot wear. What someone wears is no bloody politicians business. We live in the society where their are Goths, Punks, Moshers and so many other groups of people who dress differently from the norm. But they don't get picked on do they. I think he should end this nonsense by apologising and then get on with his job. Which at the moment more important as his party is going down hill. And also one of his own colleagues John Prescott is stunned by Straws remarkes and has asked him to end this nonsense.

Answer 2

Being Scottish I feel strongly about this. Our National dress has a wee knife to tuck into sock, its called a Skean Dhu.

Knifes are baned in Scotland therefore we accept that we cant carry this knife and as such replace it with a plastic replica.

In addition, if we let our sons go to School in a kilt with no underwear on, that would be a problem for obvious reasons. So we behave the way we are told and act civilised.

I can't see why we have to pander to these pathetic demanding ignorant and most probably ugly group of people.

To hide once face means you have something to hide and we don't need people of that ilk in the western world. There aint no sand blowing in your face here.

Answer 3

The way I see it is: the veil is worn by women because of their faith. The veil is meant to cover the face and hair of the woman because of her faith.

Yes, the veil does show that the woman is a follower of Islam. No, that does not mean she can be discriminated against.

I consider the veil an extention of wearing a pentacle or a crucifix, but obviously with more meaning and reason behind it than to "show faith".

Why does wearing something you feel your faith commands give others any reason to exclude you?

Also, the masks worn by hostage-takers on videos are not burkhas. They are not a symbol of faith, they are to hide identity. Big difference.

Be careful how you word racism.

Answer 4

i agree with jack straw in some ways.
i mean if we european women go to the middle east dressed as we would normally do that is an offence, so as a sign of respect we cover up.
when other cultures come to britain they want us to adapt to their terms and conditions and want respect. so in our OWN country WE have to ADAPT to THEM, not them to us. that is wrong and disrespectful towards us. you don't like it, well, you stay were you're from.

in another case, i think that if they have chosen to wear the veil, that is their choice and we will respect it, but being in our country, not theirs, if it is requested that for medical reasons, private meetings, security checks, job interviews etc...they should try and accomodate us(it does not say anywhere in the Quoran that they have to wear it).

jack straw only voiced his opinion, there is no need for all these stupid parades in trafalgar square, and constant news coverage, and protests and criticism. remember, our country, you want to have your rights and we give them to you, so if someone else is voicing an opinion, shut up, listen, and take it in.

i am sick and tired of all this.

Answer 5

According to some Muslims interviewed for TV news recently, they're not interested in being integrated or accepted into British culture and society, since they believe that their own culture is far superior to ours, and therefore we should adopt their way of life rather than expecting them to fit in with ours. In other words, not only do they want their own women to remain veiled but they also expect all other women to do the same. I don't know how typical that point of view is.

Answer 6

There's a big difference between a black ski mask and a veil.
The veil wearer generally comes wearing a dress.
The mask wearer generally comes in pants, see the difference?
I say each to their own, live and let live.
Hope this helps.

Answer 7

confident it is fantastic for him to ask. it is fantastic for them to decline, which they don't seem to have completed while asked. donning a veil over the face isn't mandated by using the Islamic faith. it is a prepare in some sectors and communities. it is very own selection.

Answer 8

I agree 100% with what Jack Straw said. He said it in a kind way in order to avoid offending them.