Burqa
More than 20,000 people pledged to join a Ban the Burqa protest yesterday by donning balaclavas and trenchcoats to show that… people shouldn’t wear balaclavas and trenchcoats. Or something like that.
Those who want the burqa banned are facing some pretty big hurdles. Sure, there’s all the civil liberties guff, but they also have a big public relations problem because their side of the debate seems to get regularly hijacked by illiterate, hate-filled, intolerant, violence-prone, ignorant bigots.
So here’s some advice to the burqa banners as to how to keep ‘on message’:
Continue reading "PR 101: Helping burqa banners stay on message" »
Is the case of the niqab-clad Sydney woman who berated a police officer and fronted court this week with an aggressive all-male cheer squad a sign that multiculturalism has failed? Or does it merely signal that the people involved in this case are simply a bunch of persecuted, trouble-making ratbags who would rather have a fight than a feed?
Judging from the commentary this week many people have opted for the first conclusion. I would argue strongly in favour of the second.
The danger in rightly identifying the conduct of these individuals as appalling and unwelcome in this country is that it will get cited as proof-positive of a broader problem. It should not be used to besmirch the name of the vast majority of decent people within Australia’s Lebanese Muslim community who go about their business and live their lives in a civilised and productive manner. Equally, we should call this sort of behaviour for what it is.
Continue reading "Just yobbos, not a crisis of multiculturalism" »
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Musafir says:
@ OLA While I have not read the books you refer to by Hitchins, I do agree that a material driver of the problems occurring with migrant Muslim populations in western countries (mostly France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Holland and Australia) is the social dynamics amongst these communities. Invariably they tend… Read more »
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Simon says:
..... so why are the majority of australians failing to speak out against multicultuarliasm? (Since its so marxist and evil etc…) Why are the majority of the australians failing to speak out against bombing-for-democracy, forced regime changes and military occupations? why arent the majority of christians speaking out against the… Read more »
Congratulations shock jocks, David Oldfield, Cory Bernardi, Fred Nile. You have your anti-hero, your Carnita.
All causes need a strong narrative, and anti-Muslim and anti-burqa sentiment just got one. Carnita Matthews, 47, had a conviction for a false accusation against a cop overturned because the court could not be sure it was indeed her that walked into a police station and made the complaint.
It all started, and finished, with a burqa. Read all about it here, here and here.
Continue reading "A burqa, large lie, and behold the pickle" »
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bitcoin says:
swfpkil tw21t99 xiqfjxr km3ffyg m0d3ko8. Read more »
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Tee Jay says:
For the last six years, Dr. Daniel Pipes has been detailing the number of common criminals and Islamist terrorists who have robbed jewellery shops and peeped into women’s bathrooms while wearing burqas, or who have blown themselves and others up from under the protective cover of a mere woman’s shroud.… Read more »
In light of laws which have recently come into effect France banning the wearing of the niqab and burqa, and WA Minister for Women’s Interests Robyn McSweeney’s recent comments that she finds the burqa to be ‘a very oppressive garment’, Senator Michaelia Cash, opposition spokesperson for the Status of Women, outlines her thoughts on the veiled women in Australia.
Much has been made of the debate over whether women living in Australia should wear a burqa.
As a Liberal, I believe in a free, fair, open and democratic society where people have the right to make their own choices about the way they live their lives.
It is my opinion however that the wearing of not only the burqa, but any apparel that completely covers a person’s face, is alien to our Australian culture and our values.
Continue reading "We need to talk about the ‘alien’ burqa" »
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Haraam Dogma says:
The full face covering obliterates a persons identity. I think of it as removing the wearer from society. Its the visual cue that the wearer, by choice or otherwise is not participating. This may all sound somewhat ephemeral but it does affect how we interact, judge (as we do) and… Read more »
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S. Morris says:
its been a busy month for the international ‘religion of peace’ http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/index.html#Attacks not for the faint-hearted or islamic appeasers. Read more »
Over the past week, two 20-something French students protested France’s new law banning the burqa by filming themselves walking through Paris in a niqab (similar to the burqa but with a slit for the eyes) – teamed with mini-shorts and black high heels.
The self-titled ‘Niqabitches’ described it as a tongue-in-cheek criticism of the ban.
You’ve gotta love the French – particularly French students. Although some may see the Niqabitches’ protest as ridiculing the niqab, their message was quintessentially French: vive la différence! or each to their own.
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Marg Lennon says:
I wear a niqab when I drive through the friday night local booze-bus station. Not because I drink and drive - but because the Law in Australia says I can. I can also wear it into a bank or post office. I have even worn mine into the changing rooms… Read more »
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Jason says:
Elhombre, your argument is just plain stupid. The act of killing someone IS a crime, pretty much anywhere. However, owning a semi-automatic gun needn’t be a crime, provided you are not bothering anyone else with it or adversely affecting the day-to-day business of society. Much like wearing a burqa. What… Read more »
This mural has appeared in the trendy Sydney suburb of Newtown.
It was painted by the owner of the property, shop owner Sergio Redegalli who also, apparently, has a ban-the-burqa bumper sticker.
Locals have complained and council officials have visited the owner to talk to him about removing but have said in a statement that legally their hands are tied. There’s a pretty simple freedom of speech issue at play here: should it be painted over?
Continue reading "The burqa mural: should it be painted over?" »
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Prasad says:
don’t pollute….is a much better topic then this???? Read more »
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Your name: Tamara says:
How can you compare Western societies with those in the Middle East? Don’t we pride ourselves on freedom and fairness? Isn’t that what seperates us from countries that are controlling of these characteristics?? Yes, if we are to travel to some Muslim countries, their traditions and customaries are enforcing regardless… Read more »
If I were ever going to rob a bank I would do so in character. Specifically, I’d go in wearing the giant green St George Dragon mascot suit.
Aside from the delicious irony of a bank being robbed by its own mascot, the stunt would serve as a timely reminder to Reverend Fred Nile- and others- that there are a range of uniforms, sporting apparel, masks and other coverings that conceal the face and the identity of the wearer.
Last week Nile from the Christian Democratic Party introduced a Bill in the NSW Upper House to make it an offence (maximum penalty $550) for “a person, without reasonable excuse to wear a face covering in a public place.” Note, that’s not just in banks or service stations, but in any public place.
Continue reading "Intolerance and censorship have no place in democracy" »
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mini me says:
Were it not for their Muslims husbands, they would be wearing it. It only exists in the context of male ownership or “chaperones”. There’s no need to be scared of women’s liberation, the world really isn’t that scary. The won’t all up and leave you, oh…maybe that’s what they are… Read more »
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Mini says:
Does democracy give someone the freedom to be oppressed? There’s no doubt that hooding people is oppressive, whether they agree to it or not. Hooding people is an interrogation technique used to dehumanise someone. Just because someone has developed Stockholm syndrome about being hooded and apparently “wants” to be oppressed… Read more »
One night in an impromptu makeshift dance party in Mosul, in Iraq, I met a young girl of age 20 who I started to talk to about Iraqi politics. We spoke in English - her fractured English was a lot better than my fractured Arabic – and discussed topics as broad as the disconnect between the political class and the people, to the Bollywood blockbuster Slumdog Millionaire.
I fondly remember that conversation, for one simple reason - Lubna was wearing the niqab, or, what most Australians would refer to (incorrectly) as the burqa. She wasn’t what I had envisaged a typical niqab wearing woman to be like.
She was partying and dancing next to both males and females who were drinking alcohol and rocking out to Katy Perry. She was progressive, easy going and open-minded.
Continue reading "Talking about Green Day with a cool chick in a niqab" »
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xyz says:
JH, you have decided to wear the niqab as a provocative statement to the broader Australian community in a knee-jerk reaction to this blog… how nice! The thing is… God did’t ask you to do it, so why are you doing it if it isn’t just to get a reaction! Read more »
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JH says:
Well, Mato mate You’ve got that one wrong. Being a young muslim business woman myself, I can tell you that’s one of the greatest misconceptions around. My husband didn’t have a say in me wearing the hijab, as don’t many other women’s husband. Tomorrow, if God so wills, I plan… Read more »
This month’s debate about banning the burqa was set off by a blog post written by Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi. But instead of banning a piece of clothing, perhaps it’s time to consider banning him, instead.
Imagine a future Australia with Cory Bernardis on every street corner. Where children enjoying an otherwise pleasant family day at the beach could find themselves distraught by the sight of a horde of South Australian Liberal Party senators descending on the sand with their terrifying political thought bubbles. Is this the kind of future we want?
Left unchecked, Cory Bernardis could form ghettos, with God Save The Queen being played over loudspeakers five times a day. Youngsters dressed like Cory Bernardi will gather to listen to bands that performed at WOMADelaide, flashing their Young Liberals membership cards while they cite studies that say climate change isn’t caused by humans.
Continue reading "Forget the burqa, how about a ban on Cory Bernardi" »
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Fozyhooni says:
“Bisher haben die in der Regel die Zahlen wird sicherlich werden wahrscheinlich nicht zu dent JP Morgan in der Bilanz noch ihre adäquate Kapitalausstattung vorweisen viel wenn man es braucht , noch die Fähigkeit zu so, dass es , ” seine Veröffentlichung sagte im Rahmen der es ist… Read more »
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Zedshoott says:
The most important various cap restrictions will make that it nearly impossible up to sign an impact player, variety of as Steve Nash and also Jason Kidd, unless the person accepts this minimum salary. As well as the particular Knicks would display that will cut loose Lin, to hold on… Read more »
If a woman walks down the street in a mini skirt and someone calls her a slut, feminists will be quick to object. However if a Muslim woman walks down in a burqa then many feminists are happy to concede that she is oppressed, submissive and brainwashed.
Unfortunately many feminists still believe that no Muslim woman could ever choose to wear the veil of her own free will.
As a Muslim feminist I find this infuriating, condescending and patronising.
Continue reading "Feminists should back off the burqa bashing" »
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Gabby says:
Western people seriously need to back off. These Orientalist views we carry about Muslim people are insulting to their culture. Those who have actually studied Muslim culture realise that it is a choice for most to follow and respect their religion. That is what they believe. Western people need to… Read more »
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kim jones says:
If ONLY feminists WOULD stand up and condemn the thinking and beliefs about woment that are expressed in their HAVING to cover up (it is outright deceit to call it choice - think of the pressure brought to bear), be forced in marriage etc etc as a cultural/religious system. This… Read more »
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