Fined £675 for your clothing?

Hi again
Think I actually know a bit more than you make out Delfi. My best friend is a muslim and I grew up in a muslim country. Think perhaps,though I don’t know for sure,that I’m more informed than you. I don’t read the Daily Mail (apart from YOU magazine of course) but do take notice of public opinion and that from all parts of our society. ie also muslims themselves.
If you decide to wear a hood you look like a criminal. You may not be one but you look like one. Hence the ban in many places.
If you cover your face and live in a western country you look like a fundamentalist whether you are one or not. Hence the ban in France.
We are what we wear,so to speak.

I am torn by this issue. As Susanne and S.Patel (although they are on opposite sides of the issue),point out a Burka or Hijab is NOT a piece of fashion wear, it is a religious statement, the same as wearing a crucifix if you are Christian. (Although less obvious, but also caused controversy recently on an airline hostess.) I do not subscribe to any particular religion, but I feel strongly that as long as you aren’t hurting anybody that you should be able to express your religious beliefs in any way you like.
As western women we may feel that wearing such an item is demeaning, as ‘Voice of the silent majority’ puts it ‘a disgrace to all free and independent women. But, is this because we have been led to believe that all women who wear this type of apparel are being subjugated by the men of that religion? Whilst this may be true of some, clearly it is not true of all. S.Patel a Muslim lady who wears a hijab, does so out of personal choice to stay true to her religion, not because a man in her life tells her she must. ‘Voice’ says that this kind of religious wear isolates the wearer from the rest of society, but is this because of the person who wears the burka/hijab is isolating themselves or because when we see someone wearing the aforementioned garments WE isolate them because of our own fears and prejudices? It makes me uncomfortable to think of the many intelligent, funny and remarkable Muslim women WE as non-Muslim women are missing out on knowing because of some miss-guided notion that these women are only worthy of our pity due to a perception that they aren’t as socially advanced as us because, to paraphrase ‘Voice’, women who belong to a free and democratic society wouldn’t wear these garments. Wrong.
The whole point of having a free and democratic society is that people are allowed to express themselves religiously and otherwise, free from persecution. So, if someone is wearing a hijab or burka due to their own personal beliefs then we actually have a duty to protect that right because we are supposed to be a free and democratic society.
The other side of the issue is that unfortunately due to it’s design burkas, hijabs etc have been used to conceal the identity of criminals whilst in the commission of crimes, making their identification using the many CCTV cameras we have nowadays impossible.
This isn’t a ’should politics get involved with fashion’ issue. It is a should politics get involved with religion debate and politics Vs personal choice. Which are the same debates which have raged for centuries. Also to a more modern degree, how much of our personal freedom should we be willing to sacrifice in order to ‘fight the war on terror’. At what point do we cease being this free and democratic society we pride ourselves on being when our personal choices are being removed by law?
Accusing a person of being a religious fundamentalist for wearing a burka is like accusing anyone who wears a hoody of being a criminal. It is patently untrue and yet we would tar everyone with the same brush because of the actions of a small minority. Is a Christian wearing a crucifix or a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke (skullcap) a religious fundamentalist? Of course not. They are merely expressing the religious statements pertaining to their faith. Every religion I know of has a symbol or piece of clothing which can be worn to express ones devotion to that faith.
This is a very big issue with many factors too be considered and I feel that if people were more educated on the facts rather than narrow perceptions of things they know little about, past what they read in a newspaper or see on TV, the vast majority wouldn’t be so quick to judge that a ban on berkas, hijabs etc is a good thing.

The French in general dislike Arabs it goes back to them taking over north african countries and being thrown back out of them. They are just trying to get their own back.

Its a womens OWN right to make a choice whether to wear a hijab or not same is true for a lady who wants to go out in the shortess skirt posible

next these governments will say that skirt cant be shorter than a given length as they are a danger to soicety and distract people from driving and could accidents - how would that be perceived by independent uk women?

as for Voice of the silent majority, you clearly do not understand the basis of a hijab and why women wear one, majority of these women wear it out of choice and would rather not leave the house then have to go out with out one .
Jewish women wear wigs to cover there hair are you going to ask that they remove this too how about the sikh men should they remove their turbands or is this attitude directed at muslims only ? stick that in your letter to your mp too!

Our French comardes should be congratulated for this,we in thr UK need to adopt the same ruling here.It is for starters a major SERCURITY RISK,ie we can not wear a crash helmut in a bank or building socitey but you can wear a burka or hijab.
Also lets remember one of the bombers of the underground escaped wearing one the above mentioned so called “Religious” items. In Some places you cannot even wear a hoody as well.
These so called “Religious” head wear for women are a disgrace to all free and independet women in the world. The above mentioned items make the people who wear them isolated from the rest of the free and democratic society,it is a sign of exclusion,if you don’t like then go too a country where its welcome.
As WE in THE UK are a FREE and DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY let it be debated at parliament and if needed the public could vote on a referendum to ban or not to ban such items,thats what happens in a DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY,i for one would vote ye to ban it.
I do belive that a campagin over here has started here in the UK as well,i have already contacted my MP to ask the question at Parliament,i urge everyone to contact your MP and ask the question to get these item banned here,these items have no place in OUR FREE AND DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY.

First of all muslim cover-up is not fashion. It is a religious statement. Also to compare it to scarf and hat when it’s cold is irrelevant. What you can compare it to is going into a bank wearing a balaclava. Not accepted. What is a fashion and not a religious statement amongst young people,is to wear baseball cap and hood. This is often banned in clubs,bars and other public places. Because of the crime associated with it. I am pro both bans. If you want to dress like a criminal or religious fundamentalist go to a muslim country where police will most certainly arrest you if don’t cover yourself up. Fashion has nothing to do with it. Vive la France!

I think this is just pathetic, im a muslim woman and i love wearing my hijab, and i dont see why if i lived in france i should not be allowed to wear it, it doesn create any harm to anyone else, its a peice of cloth in other peoples eyes but in my eyes its see as something much more. an so for as long as many people see it as just another peice of cloth then what does it matter- i should be allowed to wear what i want!