@Dan - Now that's ironic! Your contrast between the burqa worn by a few,and a few sitting naked at the cricket?It apparently didn't strike you,that not many complain about the sexual exploitation of women's bodies with hardly any clothes on them; or when they're forced into anorexia by the fashion industry,but a few people get fired up over a woman being covered up from head to toe?
I agree with Pericles, that it's dog whistling!

If men are really concerned about the oppression of women,why don't they pause and think of the sexual violence too many men perpetrate against women around the world? the use of rape as another 'weapon' of war,with the perpetrators being men; the slave trade of both women and children for sex. I didn't hear the justice minister in France showing much concern about the violence perpetrated by the male populaton towards women. Why don't all men cease their sexist jokes; their demeaning language and behaviour towards women; the promotion of the exploitation of women in order to sell anything from magazines to cars to?

I find men's 'outrage' rather annoying at best, and on other occasions it just makes me angry!It wasn't that long ago when women had to leave permanent employment on marriage - that happened during my life time - and changed! There were many areas where girls and women were oppressed in this country and around the western world. Many areas improved, but there's still more work to do!

We have an ingrained male culture in Australia towards women that needs to change - in a big way. The physical and sexual abuse of women is a disgrace, which is all too frequently fueled by alcohol and minimised by the media. I recall some pretty grotty behaviour of male football players that have been shocking - too frequently the fans and management make excuses,and the media plays along! The few women wearing a burqa is a non-issue by comparison, fueled by racism and moral outrage - misplaced!

All men - never remain silent about violence towards women!

It doesn't work like that, Dan S de Merengue.

>>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?<<

Unlike you, I can entertain more than one possibility at a time, and take a view based upon circumstances, rather than blindly impose some arbitrary set of absolute values.

The French justice minister was, in my opinion, being politically expedient, and used the dog-whistle term "égalité" to justify the decision to the voting public.

It is analogous to the way English soccer hooligans wrap themselves in the flag of St. George as they beat up Muslim kids, "defending our country" as they call it.

Any law of this nature will be deeply soused in political expediency. Even the Syrians, who have banned the burqa in universities, are using it as a control mechanism, knowing full well that the law will prevent devout Muslim women from gaining an education, thus keeping them at home and passive.

Life would be so intellectually sterile, would it not, if everything could always be resolved to black-and-white. But given your approach to life's little conundrums, I guess you wouldn't agree with that.

@Pericles - Agreed. I share the view and rationale of Malalai Joya, Afghanistan activist. She hates wearing the burqa, but more than that she hates the whole system of justice and politics in her country. She believes in a secular govt, devoid of the oppression(of all people of Afghanistan, including the majority of men)and awful sexism/discrimination but most importantly the rapes, torture and murders. Men who disagree with these radicals are also killed. Malalai works within the confines that face her, and many women hide their 'weapons' like books and cameras under their burqas. If the govt of France is outraged by their perceived oppression of Muslim women in that country, why do they not speak out about the damage done to Muslim women in their own countries via our invasion and continued occupation. They didn't really give a damn about these women, probably never have, nor do those who push the same in this country.

The disgraceful behaviour at Cronulla a few yrs ago clearly showed the racist attitudes that had been fueled by Howard, and those who used it to enable them to invade a sovereign nation, that was no threat to its neighbours, let alone any country in the West. If I was a woman whose relatives had been killed or maimed in eitther Afghanistan or Iraq, I'd take a stand too! If wearing the burqa is only used by them as a protest - good for them! I wonder how I'd feel if I lived overseas, and saw countries reaping havoc in Australia! I'd be pretty angry and upset!

We should keep in mind, that we calmly discuss this issue from a privileged position. I can only imagine how those women feel, and how despondent, depressed and impotent their relatives here must feel. I'd feel more positive if many here called for us to get out of the Middle East, instead of focusing on an issue that really has no impact or import, in my view. I don't feel threatened by seeing women wearing the burqa!

Liz45, "If I was a woman whose relatives had been killed or maimed in eitther Afghanistan or Iraq, I'd take a stand too! If wearing the burqa is only used by them as a protest - good for them!"

No, not good for them at all. The very last thing anyone should do is encourage people, especially the idealistic young, into the sort of oppositional beliefs and behaviour that could result in home grown extremism.

In Australia there is a host of legitimate means to influence decisions. It is wrong to encourage people to disengage from society because of perceptions that it does not pay off for them.

Again, through our freedom of speech and democratic processes there are many, many avenues available to influence decisions, but at the end of the day we must also accept the decisions that are made and the rule of law.

Pericles,
The most interesting and important issues in life are not black-and-white. I don't think any among the many who have made thoughtful contributions to this intriguing discussion so far are unaware that this question is complex.

I don't think the French passed the law against the burqa simply for political expediency or vote catching. (Yet pleasing the wishes of the electorate is not automatically wrong in itself. It can be quite appropriate.)

This law should not be compared to hoodlums beating up on a Muslim kid to service their insecurities. The French burqa ban is not aimed at Islam per se, no more than laws against female circumcision/genital mutilation. 

Female circumcision is sometimes associated with some sections of Islam, but it's really a cultural thing and, to my knowledge, has no real connection with Islam. Laws against this practice should not be seen as laws attacking Islam. 

They are just a reflection of society's standards and values.

Thank you again for your considered opinions, Dan S de Merengue.

Predictably, I disagree with most of them.

>>I don't think any among the many who have made thoughtful contributions to this intriguing discussion so far are unaware that this question is complex.<<

Re-reading those contributions, it is clear that the vast majority have a distinctly black-and-white view of the topic. Views such as Shadow Minister's "I find myself torn on the issue" are few and far between, while the Bazz style of "I am insulted by the burqa", or Liz45's "I support women making their own choices" are quite frequent.

>>I don't think the French passed the law against the burqa simply for political expediency or vote catching.<<

I disagree. As do many other observers of France and its politics.

My view is that President Sarkozy was spooked by the popularity of Jean-Marie Le Pen in last March's election, and knee-jerked bills to expel the Roma and ban the burqa in quick succession - both highly popular measures with the far right wing factions.

Whom he will need in May 2012 to fend off another Segolene Royal challenge.

>>This law should not be compared to hoodlums beating up on a Muslim kid to service their insecurities.<<

I did not compare the laws themselves. The analogy was EDL's pretence of patriotism, via the flag of St George, with the Minister's appeal to the equally iconic French virtue of "égalité".

Vraiment, le sifflet pour chien, je crois.

>>The French burqa ban is not aimed at Islam per se, no more than laws against female circumcision/genital mutilation.<<

Yeah, right. Those are entirely analogous. On the one hand, the prohibition of an article of clothing that harms no-one. On the other, an assault causing actual bodily harm. I can see how you can easily confuse the two.

Nope. On second thoughts, I disagree there too.

>>They are just a reflection of society's standards and values.<<

Not really. Just of the quality of their politicians, and their expediency.