Monday, October 10, 2011

Burqa Ban Remains

The constitutional court has thrown out a case filed by two Muslim women which called for the law which bans the wearing of the burqa (that awful head-to-toe goth beekeeper outfit) in Belgium. This was put forward by the women on the claim that it limited their freedom of movement since they cannot wear the burqa in public yet they feel they have no choice but to wear the burqa at all times -so they claim that they cannot go anywhere. The court thought this was ridiculous and threw away the proposal. Whether or not the burqa ban is constitutional has still not been decided so the law could go away anyway next spring when the court is expected to make the big decision about the law. I don't like any government telling people what to wear but for me this case only illustrates why I support the ban on the burqa. By saying they cannot go anywhere without being covered in black robes from head to toe these women only show how repressive their religious belief is and not the law. This is why I think the ban is necessary because it will force people to make a decision who have been trying to push legalism to the limit or to say it different, using freedom to promote oppression. I say I do not like laws telling people what to wear but this is exactly what these women are saying about their religion -it tells them what they have to wear everyday! For my opinion this shows a simple test these people did not make. Belgium is a traditionally Catholic country, today largely non-religious and tolerant. If your religion is so repressive to demand this extreme form of control you really should not be moving to a place like Belgium at all. We have a tolerant society but that cannot mean we tolerate everything. Oppressing women, which the burqa is a symbol of, keeping them subservient and second class is not something we will tolerate. If the Muslim men think women should have to wear a burqa and if it is not oppression then they should have to wear the burqa also and see how they enjoy that! Besides, most women are beautiful and it seems a bigger crime to hide them all just if the men cannot control themselves.

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