Ban the Burka!

The veil deliberately marks women as private and restricted property, nonpersons. The veil sets women apart from men and apart from the world; it restrains them, confines them, grooms them for docility. A mind can be cramped just as a body may be, and a Muslim veil blinkers both your vision and your destiny. It is the mark of a kind of apartheid, not the domination of a race but of a sex.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Nomad: From Islam to America: A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations

I feel like I’m getting back to my protest roots of the ‘60s. I haven’t been involved in a really good protest since I burned my bra (although I have since rethought my position and am a devotee of Victoria's Secret). We should be painting signs and marching in the streets carrying signs saying “Ban the Burka”. To make life complete, Dylan could write a song about it. But life is not so simple now. We’ve become nations who are terrified of being labeled racist and even more terrified of the wrath of Islamic extremists. France and Belgium have already imposed national bans of the burka and partial bans exist in other European countries. Burka wearers are banned from Australian parliament's public galleries. Canada is sadly lagging behind and we allow women to remain fully covered while taking the oath of citizenship. Kudos to Prime Minister Harper for trying to stop it and shame on the Supreme Court for allowing it!

The truth is that the burka has nothing to do with Islam. It’s not a core religious practice or dress code. It is a personal choice that relates to traditions and customs in certain Muslim communities. Years ago I attended a lecture by a Muslim professor in Istanbul who explained that the Quran calls for modesty, not full cover. In my mind that in no way equates to wearing draperies. Call it whatever you like, the burka is a sign of oppression defended by Islamists who have nothing but contempt for Canada's values of gender equality. Let’s ban the burka and stop being dictated to by Islamic extremists. If some women want to wear the burka so badly, let them immigrate to any of the Islamic nations who support it. Unfortunately these regimes don’t offer the same opportunities, social network, free medical care and FREEDOM! 

The next time you are heading out the door, pause at the mirror and make sure that what you see reflects your purpose and value. That doesn't mean donning the burka, but it probably doesn't mean having words on your butt either.
Amy E. Spiegel

Make someone smile today. And if they aren’t wearing a burka you’ll be able to see that smile.

Geri