Recently in Sydney an Australian politician, Senetor Cory Bernardi caused a national outrage when he suggested that we should ban the burqa for "public safety" after an armed robbery by a criminal wearing the traditional Islamic dress.
Senetor Bernardi wrote on his website
"The burqa is no longer simply the symbol of female repression and Islamic culture, it is now emerging as the preferred disguise of bandits and ne'er-do-wells,".
This kind of comment is ridiculous and to suggest that the burqa should be banned is equally as ridiculous. The idea that public safety would be served better by not allowing the traditional dress because of one robbery is both inflammatory and ignorant. We may as well ban panty hose, balaclavas and fake beards as well. How many of us have seen criminals using t-shirts pulled over their heads to hide their identities? Perhaps we should ban T-shirts too!
Although I think religion is outdated I still believe in peoples rights to express their faith. If that means wearing a cross, burqa or yumaka then so be it. To suggest that we ban any of these items is an assault on the Australian ideas of freedom and liberty. Banning someone from wearing a garment that is an integral part of their identity so that we can feel safer going to the local 7 Eleven is as abhorrent to me as someone banning my right to marriage.
I once had my apartment broken into and I mentioned to the policeman that it was a secure building. He responded "if they want to break in they will find a way". If a criminal wants rob a bank and the local burqa store is closed he will just go to the balaclava shop next door. If a terrorist wants to blow up a building he or she WILL find a way!
Sure I am sitting here comfortably in my bedroom and not walking the beat in Falluja but not all terrorists wear burqas and not everyone who wears a burqa is a terrorist.
That after all is what we are talking about here... terrorism and our ignorance of Islam. We think that banning it and locking it up in a box will make us safe. WRONG.
What makes us safe is tolerance and understanding. Sure there are the crazy zealots out there on all sides but you don't beat them by pissing off your neighbors.
That is my 2 cents!