Should Burqas and Burkinis be banned in certain places?

[keith99]

If it's the face-hiding that's the problem, surely you can't accept the burqa either, then?

That is the problem in public places and it actually turns out that many places do have general laws to that effect.

Again I do not favor any law explicitly banning the burqa, but I do support some laws that incidentally prohibit it.

 

[RDKirk]

So you have no problem with swastika armbands, or the white hoods of the KKK, or things like that?

Those are legal in the US.

 

[NorthernWarrior]

Those are legal in the US.

I didn't ask if they were legal - I asked if he had a problem with them, the way he doesn't seem to have a problem with the burqa/niqab/chador/etc.

 

[Armoured]

I didn't ask if they were legal - I asked if he had a problem with them, the way he doesn't seem to have a problem with the burqa/niqab/chador/etc.

I never said I don't have a problem with them. I merely acknowledge that my havinga problem with something isn't, by itself, sufficient reason to ban something.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

I don't think think the burkini should be banned. To me, a burkini is not much different than a diving suit with exposed face. Or, more aptly, having a shawl over the hair. It leaves the face exposed and apparent, while covering hair and all other skin. I don't think that should be a banned item. A person wearing such can still be identified if need be.

Though I think a full cover of the face, such as a standard burqa, can reasonably be banned in public - public safety concern. And many areas of the world do ban full face covering in any capacity. Extending this to the burqa is not unreasonable.

 

[Oafman]

Isn't it interesting to watch how people eventually become what they hate?

 

[Rajni]

I find the burkini a great alternative to the average swimsuit. And they're really cute! The only thing that concerns me is if the ones with the longer skirt might hinder movement when swimming.

Since my barbie-doll-bod days are officially over, I've avoided any activity requiring I wear even a "modest" (American 1940s-esque) swimsuit. I want more coverage than even that would provide. If not a burkini, a pair of waterproof leggings and a long t-shirt could also do the trick, I suppose.

But those burkinis do look nice, and the hood (basically a built-in swim-cap) keeps hair out of the way.

I work retail, and on occasion we've had a couple of ladies come through in the full black, everything-but-the-eyes coverage. I feel a bit uncomfortable with the ones that cover everything but the eyes, simply because I can't read their expressions when speaking with them, even though they seemed like perfectly friendly, likable folks. It's probably the same reason I don't like speaking on the phone with someone. Or speaking with someone whose eyes are hidden behind sunglasses. Interaction is far more enriched by being able to see a person's eyes, facial expressions and body language combined. Even though "the eyes have it", they can't do all the work apart from the surrounding facial and body expressions. Without the latter, they're just ... eyeballs. It's like listening to a stereo that's all bass and no treble, or all treble and no bass, or with only one speaker functioning. It feels off-balance.

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[TagliatelliMonster]

In April 2011, France became the first European country to ban wearing in public the burqa, a full-body covering that includes a mesh over the face, and the niqab, a full-face veil with an opening for the eyes.
And much like the recent burkini bans, opinion in the country is divided between those who see the laws as an infringement on religious freedom, and those who view the Islamic dress as inconsistent with France's rigorously enforced secularism.
Those breaking the burqa law face fines of 150 euros (about $205) or public service duties.

Some RIght-WIng European factions see this style of clothing as an assault on freedom and a symbol of the enslavement of women. Some European countries feel their ethnic identity is being overwhelmed by refugees and immigrants who are changing the face of their countries from the inside out. I know a ban like this would never work in the USA, we have the Bill of Rights but what about those countries where they don'thave free speech and a Bill of Rights the same way we do? Should they be allowed to protect their country's culture?

Burqa: yes. And not just in "some" or "certain" places, but every publiuc place.
Burkini: no. I don't see what the problem with that is.

For me this is not about religion. It is about showing your face in recognisable fashion.

I couldn't care less what people wear or don't wear.

 

[The Barbarian]

So you have no problem with swastika armbands, or the white hoods of the KKK, or things like that?

Why would that be a problem? In public, if you want to dress like an inbred racist, what harm does it do to anyone else. If it was used to intimidate someone, then it wouldn't matter if it was Muslim, alt.right, or whatever; that shouldn't be allowed. But I would expect extraordinarily strong evidence that it was being used to intimidate.

As you see, bigots have already made that argument to deny equal rights to some groups.

 

[FireDragon76]

No, I don't think banning the burka is OK. I think its fascist.

I'm glad I live in the US with a first-ammendment protection of religious liberty.

The only place they shouldn't be allowed are banks and other sensitive security areas, where identification of faces can be important.