Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

That's exaggerating a little (well, quite a lot) - there have been a couple in the last few years; there have been lots involving hoodies, crash helmets, and ski-masks.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

I would tend to agree on that point, Moldova. Unfortunately, some people in this thread seem to be trying to suggest that there is something uniquely threatening about the burkha, such that it should be banned outright. That, to me, is draconian and unacceptable in a free and democratic society.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

Funnily enough I'd bet a lot of people calling for the ban say the same, except they'd add the word oppressive to your list.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

It may well be oppressive, but is it the job of the State to legislate against culture and tradition? That's a whole different can of worms than issues of security.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

I think it may well be the states job when those cultures and traditions go against everything this country has stood for and in more recent times has made specific laws to protect people from being oppressed, discriminated against and coerced into doing things against their will.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

That works both ways.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

I don't understand?

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

As I said in my post above, the should be no exceptions purely for security reasons but otherwise it does not bother me what they want to wear.

This is supposed to be a free country so we should have need to ban this style of dress.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

france will just ban it outright and refuse to take any crap from the freedom brigade

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

Well that's France who already are trying to ban this item of clothing..They really do have a poor relationship with the Muslims in their country so I don't see why we should copy them..

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

IMHO The issue of complete bans has only arisen because of the problems of partial/selective bans. You can ban the wearing of motorcycle helmets in banks etc but not the burkha etc, although the reasons for any ban would be the same, ie concealment of faces. It ends up with the only solution being a complete ban.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

even without a complete ban people wearing the burkha will start to be viewed suspiciously just as someone walking down the street in a balaclava is assumed to be a bank robber

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

But in the situation like a bank you only have to refuse permission to enter.

A complete ban on the wearing of a burkha anywhere in Britain is a complete overkill which is what is envisioned in this thread.not the banning in certain institutions.

Re: Ban the burkha ?
 

how do you refuse a bank robber permission to enter a bank ?
it's getting into the bank in the first place that the burkha is most useful whereas someone in a balaclava approaching a bank is going to raise suspicion