Banning the burka in Holland

A majority of the Dutch parliament wants to ban the Burka. The reasons brought for it are two fold - mainly the fact that the burka covers the face and prevents identification, as well as the women's rights issues involved.

Haci Karacaer, the director of Milli Görüs, a conservative Turkism Muslim organisation:

"I agree that women who walk around in the burka do not have a great future in this country but I think they should be allowed to dress as they want in a constitutional state. People should have the right to choose to exclude themselves from society."

People indeed have the right to excluse themselves from society. They do not have a right to pose demands, though, to that same society they want to exclude themselves from.

The article does bring up a good point. Women barely wear the burka, so why make a big fuss over it?

But I think that this is the essence of the issue. The Dutch are not voicing their real fear: that the burka will become prevelant if it's not forbidden. That more and more women will wear, or be forced to wear, the burka and that there will come a time when even they are forced to do so. (as happens in Saudi Arabia)

Source: Radio Nederland Wereldomroep (English)

1 comment:

Snouck said...

I think the Government should let people free to wear want they want, UNLESS there is a suspicion that criminals or terrorists hide under a Burqa.

A better way with the Burqa fashion is to say: "people who want to wear a Burqa are not Dutch and have no intention to become Dutch. They and their husbands and children will be deported. If they have Dutch nationality it will be ended."

You are right to think there is a fear among Dutch people that Islam or Islamic groups will take over.