Pericles,
When you said that the concept of freedom is a determining factor for certain legislation in the more civilised countries, I was curious as to which laws you were thinking.

I know of one law that has been passed by a Western parliament specifically in the name of freedom. The French republic, which they say stands for ‘liberté, égalité, fraternité’ have passed a law against the wearing of the burqa (worn by perhaps 1 in 1000 of the French adult female Muslim population).

The justice minister said the law was a success for the values of liberty, equality, fraternity, and secularism.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/14/2952787.htm

@Constance - It was leading up to christmas. Some of us were busy! I don't support oppressive practices, but there's more to the oppression of women and girls than the Middle East, or just the wearing of the burqa. I get frustrated with (some of)the views expressed here, that infer that it's only countries where the Islamic religion is evidenced that have oppressive policies for women.
What about the sexual abuse of women around the world? In the West? The attitude to women around the world harbours many unjust, oppressive and unjust laws, coupled with ingrained sexist/violent/oppressive/superior attitudes. Australia has an ingrained attitude via men, that is violent and negative. How about we start there? The wearing of the burqa by less than .01% of women is really focusing on the wrong areas. It's used by some to cloud the issue, and to cover their own at best old fashioned attitudes to women.
I recall Tony Abbott's view to paid parental leave? "over my dead body" he said. He put forward a different view prior to the election, but no certainty that he'd carry through if elected!
I've probably said before,that I'm involved with a women's health centre. Next yr we have a program about heart disease, diabetes and women's health. More women die from heart/strokes than all cancers combined. I think that this is a positive focus. None of the women I meet with would focus so long on the issue of women's choice re the wearing of a burqa - too many other more important issues to focus on!
We'd support an adult woman's right to choose!

Yes, I totally agree that it is unnecessarily divisive, Dan S de Merengue.

>>The justice minister said the law was a success for the values of liberty, equality, fraternity, and secularism.<<

The article you linked us to also pointed out that:

"Proponents say the ban asserts French values, but critics say it breaches human rights legislation and is being used as an election ploy. They say the government is exploiting a non-problem to appease anti-immigration voters.<<

Of course, such exploitation would never occur here in Australia, our politicians are above such sleazy opportunism, are they not.

C'mon, get real. It's just another dog-whistle. Peep peep.

Trying to follow what you're saying, Pericles.

Who were you saying that you agree with? It doesn't look like you agree with the French justice minister.

Did the justice minister get it right or get it wrong in ascribing to those stated values?

......and in the end....all were the same colour.

Sorry! what century was this?......:)

Jokes Aside...I went back to an old city that once was full of one singled-minded people, that lived long-a-go.

But lucky for me....I found a time/machine.....that played a collective sound un-like I'd never heard before. ( this must of been a dream ) Well in this a-wakening.....all had seemed the out of date mind/sets...and when I rubbed my eyes....I found 40 races of people all living on the same planet...with all the same problems as all the signals that were showing to effect us all.

1....how do I talk to some one that's not me?

2....How do I talk to some one that's hotter than me?

3.... How/come it all works when some-one I don't know...is in trouble....and should I help?

Well the answer is yes you knob:)

In the end.....you will all have one colour......and how this will come-about.....its called human-evolution.

YES..YES...YES....Iam getting ahead of myself........or we can go backwards.

Its your world, and you have to live in it.

Women should be free to wear the burqa.........Sweet! These are some of the hotties females on the planet! If they want to cover up their femininity......their lost.

Look.........the female ate the fruit of life.......or what ever...and since we males can hold that part by definition.....if you want to cover your face.......do it! because no-one cares.

This the 21 is it not?

Go for it....be silly.....hide your female because some male says that the go?...........what bull/sh@t.

Your woman! and let it show!

if not....just shut up....and deal with your.....religion...LOL...we have no time for stupidity.

BLUE

Greens/BLUE

Liz,
That there are more important issues may or may not be true. But that doesn't help us to deal with the issue presently at hand, which is whether women should be wearing the burqa in public.

That only a small number of people want to wear it is also irrelevant. Only a small number of people want to sit naked whilst at the cricket, but there is still a law against it.

At the cricket yesterday, no member of the public (among 60 thousand) showed any intention of walking accross the playing field, but they were still publicizing a law against it, at pain of a $7000 fine. 

The numbers of those who might want to go against a law is irrelevant.