I just came across this story and there is much in the western media concerning “robes and hiding” by Muslim women this day.
“A brave Saudi housewife has reached the final of the Arabic version of the X Factor after lashing out at hardline Muslim clerics on live TV.
Wearing a black burkha, mother-of-four Hissa Hilal delivered a blistering poem against Muslim preachers ‘who sit in the position of power’ but are ‘frightening’ people with their fatwas, or religious edicts, and ‘preying like a wolf’ on those seeking peace.
Her poem got loud cheers from the audience last week and won her a place in the competition’s final on April 7.
It also brought her death threats, posted on several Islamic militant websites.”
It seems to me that even here in Canada muslim women are in deep trouble if they go against the rabid Islamic movement they follow and in some cases they can and will be murdered for trying to adjust to their new way of life. A life of equality.
So I am “betwixt and between” on the issue of burkhas and niqabs. On the one hand I understand the western point of view and perhaps we should follow the example of Belgium and free them all. On the other hand, if we do we may be pronouncing their death sentence. I don’t know but I suspect these women hide behind their robes as a means of survival in a very dangerous Muslim world and if so we need to look closely at this situation as we put their safety first and rethink everything we are doing.
Perhaps we should only accept Muslim women and children?
No men allowed.
It’s just a thought.
Belgium’s legislation is going to pass on the ban with other Euro members to consider similar. Is it known yet if the alleged two female suicide bombers in Russia were in burqa dress? And are the Russian authorities banning Islamic dress in any transport services?
The above is a viable idea for expediently solving Afghans’ dilemna. Women and children dispersed among the internationals. Let the men and boys over eighteen remain and fight it out to the finish. Where would Karzai be then. Up a creek. However, Pakistan is the real problem for the internationals who continue not to support NATO initiatives. The Raptors, however, could take care of the Kyber Pass in no time flat. A lot can transpire in roughly a year’s time where Canada has pledged to pull out.
I’m reserving my news reading at three locations mostly. Here, the WSJ and the Jost. Where ‘realism’ plays the main part. Theorizing doen’t cut it in the real world much any more.
What is obvious is that the burqa is one dangerous item now with apparently hundreds of women being trained to carry out the attacks. The legislation was required yesterday, better late than never.
This past week Clifford Orwin, a UofT professor, wrote a rabid anti-Quebec column in the Globe and Mail, defending the right of Muslims to wear the burqa. The argument he made is much of what we have been hearing from the chattering class about why a ban the burqa law is wrong. So, let’s vary the question a little. Say a Muslim comes to Canada with a slave (and slavery does still exist throughout the Muslim world). What should our reaction be? Should we say that the slave must be freed because his status violates our values? Or should we stand aside and respect the cultural norm that upholds slavery to be acceptable? A happy slave is, after all, still a slave.
The same debate can surround the issue of, and the same conclusion can be made about the burqa.
Muslim women may be the key to Islam joining the modern world. If enough women demand to be treated like people instead of cattle, the politics and religion of Islam will be forced to change.