Battle of the Burqas: Truth Behind the Veil
CON
Vernon Meigs
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Opinions
Word on the street is that France is considering banning the burqa, the all-covering garment worn by Muslim women as per the Islamic practice of purdah, which prevents them from being seen by men. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has stated that the burqa is "not welcome in France," as the garment is seen not as part of a religious practice but as a representation of subservience and degrading to women. Naturally, the issue is divided between those who are against the burqa because they believe that it oppresses women and those who defend it because it is a woman's choice whether or not to wear it. As I am very much against the oppression of women, I view the practice of wearing the burqa as insane. Do I support the ban of the burqa in France or any other nation? No.
Before I am lumped in with the "burqa choice" advocates, let me make it clear that I believe that, given the choice of wearing a burqa and being free of it, choosing the burqa is rather demented. Therefore, I cannot say I support those promoting the "choice" to wear that particular article of clothing. I cannot stop anyone from wearing one, nor would I want to, but that fact does not prevent me from disapproving of it or trying to argue that women should toss them aside once and for all. Essentially, I believe in active persuasion against the burqa, but not the banning of it. You may think, "But wouldn't banning the burqa get rid of it for good?" Are drug criminalization laws working? Are censorship laws doing anything positive? Banning something never really gets rid of it. If anything, a ban produces a mutant, cancerous form of the original.
The burqa and the custom of purdah, in my eyes and in those of countless others, make the statement that being a woman is shameful, so women must be hidden from the public and from the eyes of men. This practice only serves to remove responsibility from men to behave in a civilized fashion, and gives them some arbitrarily constructed excuse to be the "superior" gender. Furthermore, those who claim Islam and purdah give "dignity" to women are clearly brainwashed, or they desire to maintain that illusion. In the eyes of Muslims (and unfortunately enough, among various other religions and their denominations), a woman's "dignity" or "virtue" consists of the suppression of her sexual freedom and self-expression. Of course, some say that the burqa is a Muslim woman's self-expression. This argument is as effective as saying that one's ideal political preference is to be placed on a plantation with whips and chains.
Before I am lumped in with the "burqa choice" advocates, let me make it clear that I believe that, given the choice of wearing a burqa and being free of it, choosing the burqa is rather demented. Therefore, I cannot say I support those promoting the "choice" to wear that particular article of clothing. I cannot stop anyone from wearing one, nor would I want to, but that fact does not prevent me from disapproving of it or trying to argue that women should toss them aside once and for all. Essentially, I believe in active persuasion against the burqa, but not the banning of it. You may think, "But wouldn't banning the burqa get rid of it for good?" Are drug criminalization laws working? Are censorship laws doing anything positive? Banning something never really gets rid of it. If anything, a ban produces a mutant, cancerous form of the original.
The burqa and the custom of purdah, in my eyes and in those of countless others, make the statement that being a woman is shameful, so women must be hidden from the public and from the eyes of men. This practice only serves to remove responsibility from men to behave in a civilized fashion, and gives them some arbitrarily constructed excuse to be the "superior" gender. Furthermore, those who claim Islam and purdah give "dignity" to women are clearly brainwashed, or they desire to maintain that illusion. In the eyes of Muslims (and unfortunately enough, among various other religions and their denominations), a woman's "dignity" or "virtue" consists of the suppression of her sexual freedom and self-expression. Of course, some say that the burqa is a Muslim woman's self-expression. This argument is as effective as saying that one's ideal political preference is to be placed on a plantation with whips and chains.
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Lotus Flowers
posted 2/05/10 @ 11:36 PM EST
Your points a valid. However, you have missed some important aspects of this debate. Even in western society girls and women are forced to wear this degrading covering through family or peer pressure. (Continued…)
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