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Australian far-right senator Hanson wears burqa to parliament in bid to ban them

33 Comments

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Your religion should get you no special treatment under the law.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I am so glad right wingers care so very very much about female rights.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The main point is that the burqa niqab causes problems due to the fact it conceals the identity of a person.   If it weren't for that (for example if the veil were more transparent) it wouldn't be a problem at all.  

For all the PC fanatics here, I will use an everyday example of how it causes a simple errand to turn into a mess.    Just a few days ago I went shopping for some items and was asked for my ID because I was paying with my debit card and they needed to verify that the person using the card has the same name and identity (by my FACE).   So instead of being a simple process, the burqa/niqab turns it into a completely unnecessary  and efficient process that could have easily been avoided entirely if it weren't for the choice of one person's religious rights being lorded over public safety.  

Xxx commit's a robbery or murder (which actually happened in Qutar or the UAE if I'm correct) and guess what.   With all the security camera footage they had, they couldn't identify the person because they were wearing a burqa.   I'm pretty sure that may have been part of what sparked even some Islamic countries to completely ban the stupid thing.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

There are Muslim-majority countries in the world who do ban this garment. It seems this is seen as too extreme for many Muslims.

This is actually true.  And some women do actually CHOOSE to wear it, even if some of their own family members ask them not to... in Islamic governed countries no less.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@wolfpack

I think it's difficult to gauge the level of oppression on Muslim women in the west in terms of how they dress. The oppression of women in certain Muslim-majority countries is certainly horrific.

I'm very reluctant to call for a ban on this garment although I certainly think it should be discouraged. There are Muslim-majority countries in the world who do ban this garment. It seems this is seen as too extreme for many Muslims.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Women have a right to dress as they please.

Sure - but the Islamists force women to wear them. They have no choice. This is an excellent form of protest against Islamic extremism and the culture of oppression against Muslim women in general. This oppression is even forced upon Muslim women living in Western nations by ultra- orthodox men in their isolated communities.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Agreed, but I didn't say otherwise.

Fair enough.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

However, people should be free to mock any idea. That includes religious ideas.

Agreed, but I didn't say otherwise.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If she's doing it to mock their religion they certainly can.

Hanson is a bigoted idiot.

However, people should be free to mock any idea. That includes religious ideas.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It is a vast improvement on her usual look.

Not a fan of the burqa in any way, but I'll make an exception here. Beats the hell out of having to look at a vile bigot. Oh, and she now likes 'good' Asians.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

idiot

0 ( +2 / -2 )

If they believe that people should be free to wear what they like they cannot criticise Hanson for wearing a burka.

Context. Hanson is a far right provocateur and this stunt is deliberately mocking. It's designed to elictit negativity and controversy.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

She should emigrate to the US. Trump could use her in his presidency of hate.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I don't believe the niqab has any place in a modern society.  Muslim women can get by just as well with a hijab and they can adhere to covering up their head (not their face) while not making it difficult to identify the person behind it.

The rights of religious fanatical choice  for a single individual that poses problems to law enforcement/government officials doing their duties (every single time the burqa's face veil causes problems when asking for ID during a plain old traffic stop) does not outweigh the rights to the majority of public safety.  

The niqab creates way too problems from the person wearing it getting their ID in the first place, travelling overseas with a passport, walking into a bank, and any other situation where ID is required.   Certain companies and government positions require people to have their ID/badge exposed at all times so that the face on the badge has to match the face of the person wearing the badge.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Burqa should be forbidden.

Other religions have women covered up or in veils. Why should this be any different?

If women wish to "celebrate" their culture; what is the difficulty here? Unless they are being forced to wear the clothing, of course.

Hanson is a truly repulsive human being, mind.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What a revolting woman.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Takeda

Your comment isn't relevant as obviously heads of state and their family are not made to dress in Burkas or made to dress in anything dress for diplomatic visits.

The comment was that in many Muslim nations they will make you adhere to a dress code, eating code, etc. However when Muslims visit other nations, they are often given what they want to help them out with their ancient religious practices.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Yet if she visited our "ally" Saudi Arabia she would be forced to wear something similar, despite not being a muslim.

Not true, neither Melania Trump nor Michelle Obama wore anything like it when visiting Saudi Arabia.

If they believe that people should be free to wear what they like they cannot criticise Hanson for wearing a burka.

If she's doing it to mock their religion they certainly can.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

"We all know that you are not adherent of the Islamic faith"

Yet if she visited our "ally" Saudi Arabia she would be forced to wear something similar, despite not being a muslim.

"I would caution and counsel you with respect to be very, very careful of the offense you may do to the religious sensibilities of other Australians"

Ironically, the islamic nutters should welcome her wearing this as it's what they believe all women should be forced to wear. More moderate muslims can hardly complain either, as I haven't heard any of them arguing for the burka to be banned. If they believe that people should be free to wear what they like they cannot criticise Hanson for wearing a burka.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

It is a vast improvement on her usual look.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Hanson is a twat .A total shame to australia they should never let her out of jail till she did her time and never received any compensation for her stupidity that time She as a politician is as useful as a dead cat and a non working septic tank all she knows is to insult just to get her face in the press all the time a possitive exibitionist and insanity appears to run in her supporters

0 ( +3 / -3 )

"...Why is it not the same case for someone who is covering up their face and cannot be identified?"

Because a helmet being removed is not for identification purposes if entering a bank, like the racial profiling/discrimination you suggest should be applied to Muslims. All this lunatic has done is win more support for those who wish to wear burqas, which is not what she wanted, of course.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

What a classic !!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Though I'm not a fan of the Burqa, I don't think it should be banned. I think people should have the freedom to wear whatever they want in their own time. Want to wear a swimsuit to the shopping mall? Fine. Leather or goth? Fine! A flimsy little mini-skirt? No problem! People's freedom's should be protected.

I draw the line, however, if shop assistants want to wear them in place of a uniform, or if Burqa wearers refuse to show their faces at airports etc. Wear whatever you like in your own time, but toe the line when you need to.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Nobody expected otherwise. Ask the real Australians labeled Aborigines.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Funny action to show the real impact.

And for that action, it was not mockery.

Of course being extremist, she must have done useless and unpleasant speeches.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Best photo I've ever seen of her.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

For those who may have forgotten (or don't know her) she became infamous about 20 years ago for the term "please explain' after a journo asked her if she was xenophobic (yep, she, the leader of a xenophobic party, didn't know what 'xenophobic' meant.)

She's an embarrassment to Australia.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

As long as she's having fun...

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Burqa should be forbidden.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

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