Saturday, November 18, 2006

Dutch government backs burqa ban

BBC News The Dutch cabinet has backed a proposal by the country's immigration minister to ban Muslim women from wearing the burqa in public places. The burqa, a full body covering that also obscures the face, would be banned by law in the street, and in trains, schools, buses and the law courts. The cabinet said burqas disturb public order, citizens and safety. The decision comes days ahead of elections which the ruling centre-right coalition is expected to win. Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk, who is known for her tough policies, said it was important that all people in the Netherlands were able to see and identify each other clearly to promote integration and tolerance.

This is absolutely true. You can't even tell whether the burqa wearer is a man or a woman.

2 comments:

Arshad said...

What happened to the famed Dutch tolerance and liberal lifestyle? A country that legalizes mariguana and euthansia, but bans a headgear sported by 0.00003 % of its minority community smacks of prejudice bordering on hatred.

Don Singleton said...

Neither pot nor euthansia threaten innocent civilians like Muslims do, and in a Burqa you cant tell whether it is a man or a woman, and whether or not they have a suicide bomb belt on.