Comment is frightening
Sorry to ride this pony again, but there is something rotten to the core in the camp of the anti-veil brigade.
Yes, there are some good reasons for an instinctive dislike of the veil. First and foremost among those is that it is an obvious symbol of institutionalised patriarchy. I quite agree, although I wouldn’t be so arrogant as to suggest that we ‘enlightened’ Westerners can have any impact whatsoever on gender relations within Islam.
Secondary to that objection, and rather more pragmatic, is the argument that it is a security risk at airports, in shops etc. There’s something to be said for this too, although it doesn’t take too much pondering to think of ways round the security issues (private, female-only security checks for example.)
But anyone who says these objections are at the top of the list is drawing their own veil over the bigoted and xenophobic attitudes at the root of many Britons’ objections to the veil. Below is a (fair) sample of reactions from people who left comments on the website of a major daily newspaper:-
If Muslims want to live in Britain they must expect to do things the British way. It is not the British custom to wear all encompassing clothes or veils. Muslims should adapt to the British way of life, or leave if they cannot.
Posted by Simon Evans on November 30, 2006 3:25 AM
This is just one of a whole host of similar posts which claim the existence of a ‘British way’. I don’t know where this can be found, or what it is. All I know is that I am British, and my ‘way’ could not be any more different. Should i hand in my passport at the nearest Rotary Club?
Then comes:
If Muslims want to live behind veils they should jump (sic) the first plane back to the country of their forebears.
Posted by Russell Bray on November 30, 2006 2:52 AM
Ah yes, the old ‘If you don’t like it, go home’ argument. Which singularly fails to recognise that for many Muslims, Britain is, and will always be, home. Can you really tell someone not to practise their beliefs in their home country? I hope we are more tolerant than that.
Similar, but with a bit of piety thrown in:
The thing I have difficulty in coming to terms with is why immigrants who choose to come to live in a Christian society in north west Europe insist on living as they would in their, or their parents, country of origin.
Posted by John Thomson on November 30, 2006 2:24 AM
All very well, were it not for the fact that Britain is not a Christian country, and I for one am insulted that someone as blinkered as this should claim me for their own. My favourite follows:
The Muslim veil, sharia law, a huge mosque planned near the Olympic stadium, it'll all end with us washing our faces in imaginary water, taking off our shoes when we visit people and growing ridiculous looking beards.
Posted by Paul Anderson on November 30, 2006 8:34 AM
Well quite. As long as we’re making a mockery of public debate…
Sorry to ride this pony again, but there is something rotten to the core in the camp of the anti-veil brigade.
Yes, there are some good reasons for an instinctive dislike of the veil. First and foremost among those is that it is an obvious symbol of institutionalised patriarchy. I quite agree, although I wouldn’t be so arrogant as to suggest that we ‘enlightened’ Westerners can have any impact whatsoever on gender relations within Islam.
Secondary to that objection, and rather more pragmatic, is the argument that it is a security risk at airports, in shops etc. There’s something to be said for this too, although it doesn’t take too much pondering to think of ways round the security issues (private, female-only security checks for example.)
But anyone who says these objections are at the top of the list is drawing their own veil over the bigoted and xenophobic attitudes at the root of many Britons’ objections to the veil. Below is a (fair) sample of reactions from people who left comments on the website of a major daily newspaper:-
If Muslims want to live in Britain they must expect to do things the British way. It is not the British custom to wear all encompassing clothes or veils. Muslims should adapt to the British way of life, or leave if they cannot.
Posted by Simon Evans on November 30, 2006 3:25 AM
This is just one of a whole host of similar posts which claim the existence of a ‘British way’. I don’t know where this can be found, or what it is. All I know is that I am British, and my ‘way’ could not be any more different. Should i hand in my passport at the nearest Rotary Club?
Then comes:
If Muslims want to live behind veils they should jump (sic) the first plane back to the country of their forebears.
Posted by Russell Bray on November 30, 2006 2:52 AM
Ah yes, the old ‘If you don’t like it, go home’ argument. Which singularly fails to recognise that for many Muslims, Britain is, and will always be, home. Can you really tell someone not to practise their beliefs in their home country? I hope we are more tolerant than that.
Similar, but with a bit of piety thrown in:
The thing I have difficulty in coming to terms with is why immigrants who choose to come to live in a Christian society in north west Europe insist on living as they would in their, or their parents, country of origin.
Posted by John Thomson on November 30, 2006 2:24 AM
All very well, were it not for the fact that Britain is not a Christian country, and I for one am insulted that someone as blinkered as this should claim me for their own. My favourite follows:
The Muslim veil, sharia law, a huge mosque planned near the Olympic stadium, it'll all end with us washing our faces in imaginary water, taking off our shoes when we visit people and growing ridiculous looking beards.
Posted by Paul Anderson on November 30, 2006 8:34 AM
Well quite. As long as we’re making a mockery of public debate…
posted by Rob Davies at 3:15 PM
4 Comments:
Yes, democracy of comment can indeed be a dangerous thing. It's not so long ago that I was shocked to find an comments section linked to an article on the a local authority website being used in a racist tirade. Two even more surprising aspects to this were that the article was about littering (the claim being that 'they' litter more than 'us') and that the so called moderator had not removed the ugly comments. However, I suppose that a weblog is perhaps a funny place to complain about letting just anybody (even those as entertaining, open minded and insightful as yourself)make their opinions public. Having said all that, the opinions expressed in many national news papers are really no better.
Well Rob, here I am. You can get me at d.hone@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
I completely agree. It's sickening to read xenophobic statements thinly disguised as a concern for women suffering under the yoke of patriarchy. Let's face it - our Western "enlightened" countries couldn't care less about women's rights (as evinced by statistics that reveal 33% of British men believe a women is asking for rape if she has been drinking and flirting). If we're going to be xenophobes, let's try for honesty: foreigners scare us.
In this digital age with instant access to events, the world desperately needs people who report the news
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