A battle of sorts has begun and it promises to be humongous if taken seriously.
The UK Independence Party has proposed a ban on the Muslim burka. For those who don’t know what the burka is, I am posting a photo below.
Ex-UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who leads UKIP's 13 MEPs in Brussels, told the BBC's Politics Show they were a symbol of an "increasingly divided Britain".
He also said they "oppressed" women and were a potential security threat.
"I can't go into a bank with a motorcycle helmet on. I can't wear a balaclava going round the District and Circle line.”
I am not sure about ‘oppressed’ women… a lot of Muslim women sincerely believe this is required of them and make a choice to wear it.
On the other hand, I do believe it is dividing society, and that it is a potential security threat… one man wanted for questioning in England under terrorism charges was able to skip the country by dressing as a woman. There also have been issues of older, qualified people writing exams for students under the guise also.
I know, mentioning this on the blog is an invitation to trouble… religion raises ugly emotions more than good sense. However, I would be interested to know what readers think… should it go, or should it stay?
