This is a pretty easy one to figure out.

Anyone who singles themselves out by any means will always be a "target" of the "mob". This goes for religion, sport or any activity which engages a collective activity. If you're on the "other" side (despite whether it's a 2-sided activity or a many-sided one).

What is curious is that the religious groups seem to find it offensive when people find their particular form of differentiation [whether it be headscarf (muslim), other headwear (Jew), cross (Christian), turban (Seikh) or nakedness (Hindi Sadhu)] confronting. Such strong statements of belief by outward demonstration can only elicit some sort of reaction by "non-believers".

One should seriously question the motives of people who parade their (extreme) belief systems as socio-political statements. This list would include football loonies, motor-sport petrol heads, rabid eco-greenies, consumption-capitalists and religious zealots.

The REAL question is, why should I defer to anyone JUST because THEY have a different belief system to mine? Chances are I would have to defer on an individual basis to everyone on the planet ! (No I'm not talking about human rights or commonly held decent humanist principles here.) A good read of Gulliver's Travels and the Big-Endians and Little-Endians would be appropriate at this point.

Frankly I don't care whether a person believes if there is a god or not, and whether their particular deity will save them, guide them or redeem them or whatever. If it makes them happy - good. Just don't ask me to believe the same twaddle and to bow to their misguided demands to support their belief system.

Belief systems should works both ways. Get used to it!

Lynda,
Society's difficulty is with any kind of garment which does not appear "normal".
We accept all kinds of uniforms; football jerseys, school clothes, sunglasses worn on top of the head etc., but let somebody step outside our narrow band of conformity, then suspicion arises because that person is "different".
We don't trust those who are different, do we?

In my childhood, I remember women in the shops, public transport and streets wearing their hair in rollers covered by a head scarf.
Probably, to make them look beautiful for later on.
To me, they looked ludicrous, not suspicious.

To many folk, dress is a form of branding; it categorises a person into one of society's pigeonholes of acceptance. It says something about that person's lifestyle, attitude, aspirations (read a few T-shirts), psychographic, and much else.

I am glad that you overcame conditioned prejudice during your research - even gladder that you raised the head scarf topic here.

Eventually, I myself wore the headscarf several times in the course of my research, as a sign of respect to the people I was with.

This I think says it all, respect is earned, would one kow tow given the circumstances? Bow when meeting another, curtsy, cross youself when meeting the pope.
Find an identity another way, I like scarves, I don't need them to signify an identity.
fluff

I don't think anyone has a real issue with someone wearing a headscarf. What it does symbolise to many is the oppressive way Islam treats women. There are numerous current day examples of women being stoned or severely punished after being raped by muslim men. People might not like Christians but most understand that a person can only be a Christian by choice. In many parts of the Muslim world women and children don't have a choice what they wear..

It is not as simple as a scarf is it?

Islam is a political movement and the scarf is a flag symbolising separateness - that is the whole idea of it, to be an obvious, constant reminder.

How appropiate would it be to always wear a headband with another country's flag, because that is what the scarf is intended to be.

This is a secular state and we are right to be concerned about our democratic institutions and freedom.

Simply put, before 9/11 it really wasn't much of a problem, after that it has become a problem. I will say no more!