Well, the object of this post, was to make everyone laugh and have a dig at the oligarchs who want absolute power.

Pericles' little snipe at me going off my medication is really pathetic.To his credit he did pick my next line about Saddham.Had Saddham been really well hung,he would had all the weapons porn of the Israelis who have over 200 nukes and the means to deliver them.This is the total hypocracy of the Middle East.Israel against the non-proliferation treaty, has weapons that many other countries are not allowed to possess.Iran has yet to develop one nuke.Israel could wipe Iran,Lebanon and Syria from the map many times over.So why does Israel seek to invade Iran using the USA as it's pawn?

Just little note for Pericles.Professor Neils Harrit who with 8 other international researchers,did a peer reviewed paper on nano thermite, is coming to Sydney on the 17th July 2010.Perhaps he and some other scientists Pericles, can help you with your comprehension problem.
If you have any semblense of integrity and courage,be there.Mitchell Theatre Syd.Mechanical School of Arts ,280 Pitt St Sydney. 6.30 pm.

My object is to create awarness and it is up to all of you to make up your own minds.

I arjay do no see the thread as a problem.
And I do not see it as funny or strange.
But my views on it will bring me some bruises.
See we try too hard.
To be seen as politically correct, not xenophobic, not racist, not treading on the toes of other reildgions.
Freedom of speech.
Is it just words or do we think its worth fighting and even dieing for.
I think we should ban the burka.
I think it came about in one Arabic nomadic tribe, to keep sand out of the eyes and protect from the sun as much as anything.
Those who verbally flog me will not understand , not want to hear, my view all women are no ones property is firm.
Primitive, but firmly used devices to keep women as property are unAustalian.
As is much we are expected to except in the name of multi culturism.
NO! not saying I am anti migration, any nationality any creed but yes bringing any chains of control? unwanted.
A few wear the burka not for religious reasons but as an act of defiance, to western values.

Belly I've not heard muslims describe it in terms of ownership.

The comments I've heard have been along the lines of
- a cultural thing that some choose to do and others don't
- men can't control themselves and the coverings are there to reduce the temptation
- an statement of being different, either to clearly show that the wearer is muslim or sometimes an "up yours" to western values.

I suspect that for most it's a mix of the above and my subjective opinion is that it mostly seems to be younger women wearing them (based on the apparent age of male companions). I have to wonder if it's a phase for most and as they mature will most be a bit less extreme.

Personally I'd rather see them fade away but I don't want Australia to become the sort of place were people's clothing choices are more dictated than they already are. There should be a bigger focus on banning the showing of plumbers crack's, now that's generally an unpleasant sight and no matter how much they want it most plumbers should not wear a mankini anywhere in public.

R0bert

Belly ,agreed but this is an on going conflict with pericles and myself.That subject is now closed.If he persists in indulging in derision,then he has to expect to cop it also.

The voluntary wearing of the burqa in the West demonstrates just how foolish it is to believe that it is exclusively the men who have a stake in maintaining these traditions.

Cornflower
Point taken but is the wearing of the burqua in the West always voluntary? Many women, when moving into a new culture may still be forced to wear the traditional dress based on cultural expectations or her husband's directive.

In some cultures the status of women is very different from what we assume in the West. Many who work in the DV, rape crisis and law enforcement arenas are now dealing with many cultural differences as well including identifying the need for better cross-cultural training.

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/settle/empowering_refugees/_pdf/21-training-for-police.pdf

One quote from the paper:

"The Sudanese women now understand
that within Aussie culture they are on an
equal footing with the men. That has caused
some really major issues with some of the
Sudanese men."

http://www.miceastmelb.com.au/documents/SouthernSudaneseCrossCulturalTrainingReport.pdf

These traditions may take more than one generation to see positive change (from a Western viewpoint) and more freedom for those new immigrant women.