CJ Morgan, you know very well what I meant... The concept of allowing people to cover their entire face based upon their nationality and gender, where will it end? Will we be faced with gangs who describe themselves as identifying as non-traditional followers of the prophet, all of whom are cross-dressers?

Truth be to god, I honestly don't care what you wear, provided I can cover up to the same extent. I don't believe in racism (which may suprise some here, others maybe not) and I detest discriminatory treatment (I own a pitbull, whole nother story)...

Actually, Custard, I don't think you're racist. I apologise if I have given that impression elsewhere. You seem like a thoroughly decent bloke who has some strong opinions and biases with which I (mostly) equally strongly disagree :)

What we have here though is a fundamental (if I can use that word correctly) human right - i.e. to do anything as long as that doesn't infringe on the same right as anybody else. Much that I think that the burqa is an idiotic fashion statement and more likely than not a symbol of patriarchal domination, I really have to stretch my sense of indignation to imagine that some poor women who chooses to wear one should be banned from doing so.

I sometimes wonder why young women would have their tongues pierced, or have some ridiculous effigy tattooed at the top of their bumcrack, but I'm both prepared to live with it and admit that sometimes it looks great ;)

It's all been said already. By regulation, burqas shouldn't be allowed anywhere that full-face motorcycle helmets aren't, for the same reasons. Quite simple, really. That's the standard I apply in my business.

No need to get hysterical about it :)

No hysteria, just kind of hard to be told I am only on here for one argument when I am participating in several...

I do actually agree wholeheartedly with you on this point... I disagree strongly with women being forced to wear it, and disagree strongly with women being forced not to... Kind of a hard act to follow isn't it?

I love that ad where the Old Woman is cooking with an ancient tribal tattoo on her upper arm... LOVE IT :D

Custard,

"The Shoplifting gangs are gonna love this, moslem or not, twenty odd women enter a store, half a dozen brazenly nick stuff and who will be able to identify the thieves? For that matter, what about the males who will want to wear it because they identify themselves as female? Surely you won't want to discriminate against them?

Armed Robbery and Violent Assaults by Burka-clad Berkers are about to soar."

You reckon ? How many cases of this have there already been ? We're talking about burqas, right ? Actually, I live a sheltered life so I have never seen a woman wearing one yet, but I would think that one thing about a woman in a burqa is that she would not be unobtrusive, not noticed, sort of invisible, not in a Sydney department store anyway. Do you think that shop staff won't be on the look-out ?

So how many cases already ? How many more do you predict for this year ? Next year ? A burqa-led crime-wave sweeping Australia ?

I don't think so. Do you want to put any money on it ?

Joe

"Jordan offers a glimpse into the potential for niqabs and burqas as illegal accessories: one news report indicates that 50 people committed 170 crimes using Islamic garments during the past two years, or roughly one incident every four days, a crime wave that has prompted some Jordanians to call for restricting or even banning these Islamic head coverings."
http://www.danielpipes.org/7585/niqabs-burqas-veiled-threat

"The burqa (a total head and body covering) has been barred from classrooms in the UK, is illegal in public places in five Belgian towns, and the Dutch legislature has attempted to ban it altogether. Italy's "Charter of Values, Citizenship and Immigration" calls face coverings not acceptable. A courtroom in the United States has expelled a burqa'ed woman."
http://www.danielpipes.org/4783/ban-the-burqa-and-the-niqab-too

http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2006/11/niqabs-and-burqas-as-security-threats

Proxy,

As far as I know, Jordan is close to 100 % Muslim, and presumably, like in any other country, there are female thieves as well as (far more) male thieves. In Jordan, a high proportion of women wear veiling of some sort. So - hey presto ! big surprise ! - there are bound to be cases of theft involving veiled women. One every four days ? Ninety cases a year, across the country ? Australia's police forces: wish !

He who is without sin, Proxy. Oh, I'm sorry, that's about Christian sinners, isn't it ?