Women who wear burkhas in public in France will be fined

[L00b]

I'm a bit fick me so let me see if I get this right. It is perfectly fine for other countries to have laws about dress - so women have to wear scarves or are not allowed to wear skirts shorter than knee length, but it is wrong for us to attempt to impose any sort of dress code? So - if its an eastern or third world country then such laws are fine, but not for us? Would that be because we are more civilized? More intelligent? More fair? Or more gullible? Are people saying that we should not have a dress code because we are superior to these other countries that do have them, and that is why we should continue as we are - basically being door mats for everyone under the sun - as long as the person doing the walking in not British?

It's called moral the "moral high ground" (a bit like paternalism, but in PC clothes)

[DragonofAna]

It's called moral the "moral high ground" (a bit like paternalism, but in PC clothes)

 

Or in other words - saying "We are better than/superior to them". Is that not a little tad racist?

[milquetoast1]

It's called the "moral high ground" (a bit like paternalism, but in PC clothes)

 

Isn't that the same position the Romans occupied by the late third century?

[L00b]

Is that not a little tad racist?

No, just the dying remnants of long-ingrained imperialism, so business as usual

[boyfriday]

I'm a bit fick me so let me see if I get this right. It is perfectly fine for other countries to have laws about dress - so women have to wear scarves or are not allowed to wear skirts shorter than knee length, but it is wrong for us to attempt to impose any sort of dress code? So - if its an eastern or third world country then such laws are fine, but not for us?

Would you adhere to a dress code that said you had to wear a burka? Or pantaloons? Or Union Jack underwear?

 

The freedoms we enjoy by living in this country are what make it great.

 

Personally I wouldnt live or choose to visit a country that had a militant regime on what women can or cannot wear, if I ever visited Saudia Arabia with my self assured partner she would certainly end up incarcerated for challenging their rules, so its prudent to keep her away from such places for my own sanity!

 

The fact is just because they prescribe rules on what women can wear doesnt mean we have to, after all in many Far Eastern countries eating dogs is perfectly acceptable, but they're probably a bit rich for the Western palate.

Would that be because we are more civilized? More intelligent? More fair? Or more gullible?

It means we're more liberal & permissive, dont forget that countries who have rules on what people wear usually have other oppressive rules that Westerners would find objectionable. Women cant drive in Saudi or be seen out with non male relatives-would you want that kind of regime adopted here?

Are people saying that we should not have a dress code because we are superior to these other countries that do have them, and that is why we should continue as we are - basically being door mats for everyone under the sun - as long as the person doing the walking in not British?

No we're saying we dont have a dress code because quite simply we've never had a dress code, provided your genitalia are covered, so it's about maintaining the status quo.

 

It's nothing to do with being superior, after all Im not telling the Saudis what they should or shouldnt be doing, but the anti burka wearers are proposing to do just that to some women, many of whom are British citizens.

 

We're not being 'treated as door mats' because the rules that apply to you (being able to wear what you want to) are applied equally to all our citizens, even if we dont necessarily like what they wear.

 

Just wondered about the thoughts of people who support the wearing of such garments in the UK.

It's less about supporting the wearing of the burka than maintaining the current freedoms we all enjoy in this country.

 

Personally I find the burka incongruous, but I also find body piercings and thongs visibly on show quite unattractive too, but I would always support the people who subscribe to that mode of dress in their freedom to do so.

Edited February 4, 2010 by boyfriday

[boyfriday]

It's called moral the "moral high ground" (a bit like paternalism, but in PC clothes)

 

How can it be 'paternalism'? Surely the state interfereing in what people can wear is paternalistic?

[boyfriday]

Taqiyah for the chaps, Hijaab for the ladies.

 

I thought it was a knotted handkerchief for the blokes?

[hard2miss]

I have seen Muslim women in Magistrates court with head scarf's on, yet people with hats being asked to remove them. (anyone challenging this can see it for themselves)

 

The point is the establishment do control to some extent what you wear, especially in Gov buildings ect but it seems that they mistake this sort of attire has being religious and make exceptions for it, giving the impression to some that Muslims are bent over backwards for for fear of being labelled.

There have been quite a few misguided rules that seem to give preference to Muslims and fuels the fire for racists.

[boyfriday]

I have seen Muslim women in Magistrates court with head scarf's on, yet people with hats being asked to remove them. (anyone challenging this can see it for themselves)

In courts the rules on headwear apply equally to everyone unless there exists religious reasons to be exempted. Ive seen male Jewish solicitors wearing their yarmulke and a nun (Christian) give evidence in her habit, there are also the women of the Plymouth Bretheren (Christians) who wear head scarves, and Rastafarians are also not routinely required to remove their 'hats'. In fact it's not so long ago that female magistrates wore hats and long gloves in court!

The point is the establishment do control to some extent what you wear, especially in Gov buildings ect but it seems that they mistake this sort of attire has being religious and make exceptions for it, giving the impression to some that Muslims are bent over backwards for for fear of being labelled.

Well that would be true if the exemption applied only to Muslims.

There have been quite a few misguided rules that seem to give preference to Muslims and fuels the fire for racists.

 

Again the concessions on religious grounds dont just extend to Muslims.

[hard2miss]

I understand what your saying but Im going on the grounds that its not religious but cultural.

 

Unless your required as a Muslim to wear a scarf ? if so then I apologise and stand corrected.