Has been,

That really is a silly thing to write. One thing that has struck me on the bus, again and again, is how beautiful Muslim women are, no matter what they are wearing. Indonesian, Pakistani, Iranian, Turkestani, Somali, Arab - all often stunningly beautiful.

I started up a conversation a month or so back with a woman wearing a nikab (she was wearing one, not me), who had the most beautiful eyes - that nikab didn't protect her from an old perv like me :)

I strongly urge all old men to use more public transport, it will make your day ;)

Joe

This is a bizarre conundrum.
We've always had certain rules that needed to be
followed in public buildings and Parliament House
is one of those buildings. For example,
they don't allow hats to be worn in the Parliament
House Public Gallery. I was asked
to remove my lovely fur hat on a recent visit.
The security guard just said -
"It's the rules." And that was before all these
"security" laws were put in place.
I believe though you were allowed to keep a head covering on
for "religious reasons".

Peter Costello points out in his memoirs:

"Before entering a mosque visitors are asked to take off
their shoes. This is a sign of respect. If you have a
strong objection to walking in your socks, don't enter
the mosque..."

Because the burqa is the most concealing one-piece veil
that covers the face and body leaving just a mesh screen to
see through - it is quite confronting, and
that explains the reason for the ban
proposal. Although apparently not every MP agrees with this,
including George Brandis our Attorney-General.
I doubt whether this will really deter any fundamentalist
or extremist who wants to cause damage.

Still, it is Parliament House, and the PM is entitled to
be concerned about the building's security.

Hey Joe, if those women were wearing burqas, please tell me how you discerned they were beautiful.

Could it be that the beautiful ones were uncovered? In this case, could it not have also been, that those covered so completely were far from beautiful, & in fact, as I suggested.

You did not answer my point about the stupidity of allowing anyone with such restricted vision to drive a car. Do you disagree with that too?

Now I just may have had my tongue well out in my cheek, when making the statement regarding the beauty of burqa wearers, but I see nothing wrong with ridiculing stupid practices, & this fool garb is truly worthy of ridicule.

I suggested to my wife that she should wear a buck over her head & she hit me.

Bloody violent women.

Dear Joe (Loudmouth),

I agree with you about the beauty of Middle-Eastern
women. All the ones I've known have been absolutely
stunning - especially the ones from Iran and Egypt.
One in particular who used to come in regularly to
the library (she was from Egypt) used to have all
of us simply stare. She was so elegantly dressed as
well (Western clothing). And what a beauty.

Many of the objections here go WAY further than rejecting Muslim headgear on security grounds (if that wasn't the case you'd all be complaining about the traditional body and head coverings of nuns). Your objections and language used show your fear of, and utter hatred towards, Muslims who don't appear just like "you". Anything culturally different excites and flames your fear, bigotry and hatreds. Many of you people here, old timers it seems, are exactly what modern Australia is NOT.

That's ok, most of you will be on your deathbeds in a decade or two, leaving Australia to the more enlightened, younger, inclusive population remaining.