veil wearers show us disrespect?

Question

Muslim teaching assistant wants to work in Britain but how can a child build a trusting relationship with her when she has her face completly covered by a veil? Ms azmi is living in Britain and, while she has every right to her religious beliefs, she is not living in a Muslim country. It seems abundantly clear she is disrespectful to us.
When we visit or go and live in other countries, we are taought to respect there way of life and there beliefs. Understandably they would be upset if visitors didnt do this. So why is it that we are being made to feel uncomfortable for speaking out and wanting our way of life and beliefs respected? If a Muslim wants to come and live in Britain i have no objection to it but what i do not appreciate is having there rights rammed down my throat.
If a muslim country had an influx of Christain foreigners, would they allow churches to be built and permit there laws to be changed to accommodate them? I think not. So why should we?
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Answer 1

People that hide their faces all the time have something to hide.

Answer 2

Capitalism is an economic system and as such I don't think it is due any "respect". If you are saying that the middle east "disrespect[s]" capitalism, I am not sure how that is true. They've had businesses there for hundreds of years that have required investments of money. Yes, if another country acted against the US, the US would fight back. That is why Bush said we were invading Iraq, and his conflating of Saddam with the 9-11 attacks got many US citizens to support the war on Iraq. You say: "I mean supposedly these are acts of a group of individuals who hold no specific nationality.......unless of course Americans remember that 15 of the 19 highjackers were Saudi Arabian!" Yes, the hijackers were Saudis, but US government cannot collectively punish an entire government or country or region for the actions of a few criminals...wait a minute...I suppose some could say that's what we are doing in Afghanistan and Iraq..

Answer 3

There isn't a lot of point complaining that a woman's right to cover her face is being eroded. This woman was attempting to teach bilingual children better English, something that is hard to do if they can't see your mouth. More importantly, in this country people generally consider it important to see someones face, and to wear a veil in such a country is to ignore the customs and beliefs of the population. No-one was forcing her to not wear Islamic clothes or a headscarf, just the veil. All she had to do was not cover her face in front of the children, and the school was absolutely right to dismiss her for refusing.
Dressing in such a way is not only a barrier to integration, but also quite sinister. When you see some figure in long flowing black robes with just the eyes showing, how do you know whether it is even a woman, or Michael Jackson who often goes shopping wearing them?

Answer 4

I agree with you, it's a shame that they can't integrate into the Western world properly. As I understand it, it doesn't actually say that they have to wear a veil in the Qu'ran, just that they should dress modestly and cover their hair. I guess that some muslims take this to mean that to be modest they must cover their face too. This is extremely hard for me to understand, my face is part of who I am, it is my identity.
In western society covering your face also implies that you have something to hide, your expressions can't be read and your face can't be seen so you could be anyone thinking anything. Now, I'm not saying that all muslims have something to hide, but that is the ingrained western perception of covering your face.
If I were to go to a Muslim country, I would show respect and cover my arms, legs, hair and face because that is the norm in that country. Why is the opposite not true?

Answer 5

I'm not sure that the veil is the main issue here. The teacher is a mohommedan and therefore will teach (indirectly) some of her religious ideas. This should definitely be illegal in Britain. We don't want foreign and backward ideas put into our children's brains. If she's left to carry on, the children will grow up thinking that it's OK for people to walk around in masks. This is not British.
I don't somehow think we want the place turned into little Arabia.

Answer 6

Well said!! Absolutely spot on!

We visit Turkey we dont walk around the streets in our bikini tops like we would do in Spain as we respect their beliefs thus if they want to come to this country and live then they should respect ours

And the idiot who said if Muslims cant wear veils then Christians cant wear crosses- how ridicolous!!!! I think a veil covering someones face and their whole identity cant be on the same par as wearing a cross which in most cases is tucked into someones top!

We constantly have Muslim opposition being forced down our throat as they are paraniod and if they dont like the views of the White British people whom belong here then go back home!

Answer 7

I agree with your thinking....
But firstly, girl wonder has to sit back and think about her answers before embarrassing herself like she does....when was the last time she saw a christian with a crucifix covering their faces.....crucifixes are worn around the neck and dangle around the chest.....veils are worn across the face to purposely hide the face from view...Now that's the difference between a crucifix and a veil.
As for your question....the school authorities who suspended Ms Azmi did the right thing..and they should NOT back down on there decision.
This country has a recent history of backing down as soon as a Muslim group cries out that they are offended...The Muslims have played the race card a few too many times and from the reaction of the majority of the country it seems as though people, including some Muslims, are sick of the pampering that the minority of these people expect to receive.
I believe people have a right to support what ever religion they wish...but people must respect the ideas of others......Britain does respect the Muslim culture after all.

Answer 8

The veil row is nothing to do with religion. In Western civilisation, a covered face means you are a highwayman, paramilitary, bank-robber, rioter etc, in other words up to no good and wishing to hide your identity to escape the law. It's not discrimination, it's just the way it is and has always been, and that's how people here interpret a covered face. We know we need to be wary of the person who refuses to reveal their face.
Why go to another country and insist on having things changed to suit your cultural customs? That's what upsets people, and it's nothing to do with turbans, crosses, hari-krishna robes etc.

Answer 9

Just a comment--if you can't see your teacher's face, it would be hard to form a relationship with her, but much more rewarding. You would miss out on a lot of the body language that way. Perhaps this is the up side of wearing a veil--men can't know what you're thinking if you keep quiet.

We Christians, by the way, are learning to form a relationship with a God whose face we cannot see, at least not now.

Answer 10

I absolutely agree with you. I think that anyone should respect and abide by the cultural rules of the country they are in. Far too many allowances have been made for the different cultures in Britain. I think they should be allowed to have their own places of worship and then they can wear their veils or whatever there. If they dont like our culture then what the hell are they doing here. They cant have their cake AND eat it.

Answer 11

Its demeaning for men to be treated as lechers by these dazzling sex objects! (Sorry I mean Muslim women) who have to hide because they are so sexually appealing to men!

As if what you wear makes any odds to a vile rapist! To suggest other wise is saying women who are raped asked for it and the perpetrator was innocent! (ah sounds like a very familiar anti West view!)

Its pretty demeaning to have your hand shake turned away 'because you are a man' So much for respect and good manners!

The veil is a backwards step! Horrible , horrible idea!