Category Archives: Hijab

We must display ‘our’ religious symbols like other faiths, says Express

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Let Christians Wear the CrossWith a front-page article carrying the strap “Why we must display our [sic] religious symbols just like other faiths”, the Express continues its campaign to utilise BA’s foolish and indefensible ban on one of their employees wearing a visible crucifix in order to incite bigotry against Muslims:

“The right of Christians to wear the cross was defended last night by the Leader of the House of Commons. The row over the British Airways’ ban grew as MPs heard that all Britons should be able to display their faith.

“Jack Straw, the Commons Leader, said the airline’s controversial dress policy was ‘inexplicable’. And he demanded fair and equal treatment for all religions. His Commons outburst made him the most senior Government figure yet to wade into the debate over the airline’s ban on visible Christian and Jewish symbols while allowing female Muslim employees to wear headscarves.

“Passengers around the world are joining a growing boycott of BA over the company’s treatment of check-in worker Nadia Eweida. She is refusing to work after bosses ordered her not to wear a cross the size of a five pence coin that was visible to passengers. The ban has fuelled criticism that non-Muslims are being treated unfairly by ‘politically correct’ busybodies who pander to perceived Islamic sensibilities.”

Daily Express, 24 November 2006

‘Fanatics – fit in or ship out’, says Jon Gaunt

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Jon_Gaunt“The Dutch are right to ban the Burka and we should do the same. It’s not a religious obligation and is increasingly being worn as an act of defiance against the majority way of life.

“Hiding your face isn’t about modesty, it’s about cowardice and a refusal to engage with the host society. It is intended to separate out these women from the mainstream. It is a sign of subjugation, even indoctrination, that women are second-class citizens.

“Well, at the risk of upsetting these extremists, I’m afraid I want to live in a society where women are equal and where my two beautiful girls have the same opportunity as boys. I can’t see how they can get that if they’re dressed to make them almost invisible from modern society.

“Inayat Bunglawala, a man obviously, from the Muslim Council of Britain, has reacted with horror to the Dutch proposals, saying: ‘One of the most wonderful things about living in Britain is freedom of association.’ How the hell can you associate with someone whose face you can’t see? How does dressing like a 14th-Century Dalek encourage freedom of association? The answer is that it clearly doesn’t.

“Our politicians should stop playing to the minorities and listen to the majority of Brits who are sick to the back teeth of this vocal but small band of religious extremists who want to spread division at every opportunity. We should ban the Burka, lift the veil and tell these fanatics to fit in or ship out.”

Jon Gaunt in The Sun, 21 November 2006

Dutch Muslims condemn ‘populist’ burqa ban move

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Muslim leaders in the Netherlands have condemned a proposed ban on burqas, describing the eve-of-election pledge as an opportunistic overreaction and a populist attempt to win the anti-immigration vote.

The announcement on the burqa from the outgoing government took many politicians by surprise because the twin issues of Islam and immigration had barely featured in the campaign up to that point.

But the integration of Muslims in the country remains a sensitive issue two years after the murder of the film-maker Theo van Gogh, whose film Submission criticised Islam.

On Friday, the hardline, outgoing, immigration minister, Rita Verdonk, said the cabinet had decided it was “undesirable that face-covering clothing – including the burqa – is worn in public places for reasons of public order, security and protection of citizens.”

She added: “From a security standpoint, people should always be recognisable and, from the standpoint of integration, we think people should be able to communicate with one another.”

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Livingstone decries vilification of Islam

Posted on by Bob Pitt

MayorMuslims are being singled out for demonisation on a par with the victimisation of Jews during the last century, the mayor of London claimed today.

Unveiling new research indicating that 75% of those polled in the capital support the right of Muslims, and those of other faiths, to dress “in accordance with their religious beliefs”, Ken Livingstone criticised the “barrage” of attacks as an assault on freedom of religious and cultural expression.

His comments coincide with the launch tonight of a high-powered coalition, involving MPs, Muslim groups, trade unions and the campaign group Liberty, to confront Islamophobia. The new coalition is supported by figures from the three major parties, Sikhs, black-led organisations and human rights groups.

Many leading figures are concerned about issues such as Jack Straw’s observations on Muslim women who wear the veil and criticisms from ministers who say Islamic communities should do more to root out extremists.

Mr Livingstone said: “Over recent weeks we have seen a demonisation of Muslims only comparable to the demonisation of Jews from the end of the 19th century. As at that time, the attack on Muslims in reality threatens freedoms for all of us, which took hundreds of years to win – freedom of conscience and freedom of cultural expression. Every person who values their right to follow the religion of their choice or none should stand with the Muslim communities today.”

He linked the criticism of Muslims with the adverse scrutiny accorded to government policy overseas. “I cannot believe it is a coincidence that this entire artificial pseudo-debate has been stirred up at a time when the credibility of the entire war and occupation of Iraq is collapsing before our eyes. Muslims and all of us have a right to call for a different policy within the democratic process.”

Guardian, 20 November 2006

See also “Rally calls for religious freedom”, BBC News, 20 November 2006

Surge in anti-Muslim racism in London schools

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Racist incidents in London schools have increased by 26 per cent in just one year. Attacks on Muslim children have increased since the 7/7 bombings and the debate about the wearing of the veil has prompted further incidents. The figures include verbal and written insults, physical attacks and spreading racist material over the internet.

Professor Heidi Mirza, an expert in equality studies at the Institute of Education, University of London, said: “Islamophobia is a huge problem since the July bombings with Muslim children becoming the focus of abuse and Jack Straw’s comments about women wearing a veil, which is just guarded racism, has led to Muslim girls being taunted in the playground.”

Evening Standard, 20 November 2006

Beyond The Veil

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Who would have thought such a fracas could erupt over a bit of cloth, no bigger than 20 square centimeters, that a tiny number of Western Muslim women use to cover their faces? To be sure, this wasn’t the first time that Muslim women’s dress had caused a crisis, and it won’t be the last. But why does the veil strike such a chord, fueling suspicions that Muslims are an indigestible minority, at odds with the European way of life, and a security threat as well?”

Fareena Alam writes in Newsweek, 27 November 2006

Ex-archbishop Carey speaks out against the veil

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Welsh-based former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord George Carey says Muslim women, particularly teachers, should not be permitted to wear the veil in the workplace. The 70-year-old former head of the Church of England who now has a home in Llanrhidian, Gower, was speaking ahead of a lecture he will give at Swansea University next week.

“The face is an important medium of communication,” he said. “We all need to see a full face, to see the smile and hear the voice clearly. Obviously, wearing of the veil is not central to Islam otherwise every Muslim woman would be compelled to adopt that kind of dress.”

Wales Online, 20 November 2006

Dutch government to ban veil

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Rita VerdonkThe Dutch government said Friday it plans to draw up legislation “as soon as possible” banning full-length veils known as burqas and other clothing that covers a person’s entire face in public places.

“The Cabinet finds it undesirable that face-covering clothing – including the burqa – is worn in public places for reasons of public order, security and protection of citizens,” Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk said in a statement.

Basing the order on security concerns apparently was intended to respond to warnings that outlawing clothing like the all-enveloping burqa, worn by some Muslim women, could violate the constitutional guarantee against religious discrimination.

The main Dutch Muslim organization CMO has been critical of any possible ban. The idea was “an overreaction to a very marginal problem” because hardly any Dutch women wear burqas anyway, said Ayhan Tonca of the CMO. “It’s just ridiculous.”

In the past, a majority of the Dutch parliament has said it would approve a ban on burqas, but opinion polls ahead of national elections Nov. 22 suggest a shift away from that position, and it is unclear if a majority in the new parliament would still back the government-proposed ban.

Associated Press, 17 November 2006

See also “Dutch government backs burqa ban”, BBC News, 17 November 2006

The ban would of course mainly affect the niqab rather than the rarely-worn burqa. But why should Verdonk (or the BBC) bother about the technicalities of Muslims’ funny foreign clothing?