It is interesting.Many of Arabic or Muslim head wear,were probably born out of necessity.In the desert with raging winds and cutting sand,this head wear protected them.So the burqa evolved into a cultural norm and this problably suited the men as a tool of control as well as adding some degree of mystery to their relationships.

I feel sorry for the Muslims.They have been wrongfully demonised on many fronts.There are just few lunatics who ruin their image.There are also Christian and Jewish lunatics but we tend to ignore them.

We have to separate religion from spirituality.All religions are totalitarian in nature and people should be allowed to choose what they believe.Corportatism is the religion of making money with the least imput for maximum gain.Eventually it is self destructive since as we are experiencing now,we are sacrificing real production for the creation of money.

So should people be allowed to wear the burqa? I don't like the concept,but it is not on my list of top priorities.There are bigger fish to fry.

Belly, we are on a match here.

I have absolutely mo desire to be politically correct, & if I am racist, so be it. I have no interest in adjusting my hard won beliefs, & attitudes to fit in with some self appointed arbitrator of such thing. I just don't reccognise anyone as having that authority.

I have found the people of some tribes in PNG for example are quite unpleasant people, & some are nice. Is that racist.

I have found the French in Noumea quite unpleasant, if you don't speak french. But then, why should they welcome me, just because I chose to fill the water & fuel tanks of my yacht in their port? Is this racist, & if so, who is being racist, & who cares?

You only have to listen to the names of football players in our various codes to know we accept new folk, however, if they want to kick sand in my face, they can expect it back, with interest.

Multiculturalism is rubbish, designed only to buy a few votes, & I for one, won't accept it.

What is it to be then, are many or most Muslim women wearing the burqa in the West through choice or not?

From the interviews in the media and from articles (including OLO) I don't think I have ever seen any evidence presented that Muslim women in Australia are wearing the burqa or the veil through anything but their own choice. That was the backbone of the support for women to be able to wear the burqa in this country - that they wanted to do it.

What you appear to be saying is that whenever we are confronted by a women wearing a burqa in Australia there is good cause to be concerned she is being compelled to do it.

Or is force very much the exception not the rule and if reported, the police could sort it in a trice?

My last post was directed to pelican. Name omitted, sorry.

Cornflower
I was not arguing that all women wearing a hajib or a burqua are being compelled to wear it. I am saying that they might be, we are not to know as casual observers. Naturally there will also be many women who choose to wear it out of tradition, habit or religious beliefs.

Personally, I couldn't care less how someone dresses and hope they return the courtesy.

Fine and I was saying just how foolish it is to believe that it is exclusively the men who have a stake in maintaining these traditions.