Wounded Goose,

I strongly recommend Janet Albrechtsen's article in today's Australian: I'm confident that even you could learn something from it :) But it explores some of the social and political complexities involved, so perhaps not.

And thank you for that repetitive imitation: I'm flattered, sort of.

Normal people,

I've never seen a woman in a burka in real life. I see women in nikabs perhaps every day that I'm in the city. Perhaps I'm quite wrong but it does seem that women from Malaysia and Indonesia prefer the hijab, with women from Aceh wearing a more lacey style of hijab. But (and how would I know?) I don't think I've seen many women from that part of the world in nikabs. I'd take a huge punt and suggest that nikabi tend to come from around Saudi Arabia and Somalia.

And isn't it possible that Afghan women don't wear the burka in Australia precisely because they wanted to get the hell away from it ? That's one reason why they're here, where they don't have to wear the bloody thing ? That, yes indeed, it is very much a symbol of the cultural oppression of women, something they can be freer from in Australia ?

Joe

poirot: BS, actually.

How do they say, "You don't know that."

poirot: It was a hasty decision. Full stop.

Ego itero, "You don't know that."

"I'm responsible for what I write, not for what you understand."

Another one of my T-Shirts. I've go another 9 coming too. Goodness, you bait sooooo easily. It's soooo much fun. ;-) You really should not be so angry all the time. You know, it's not good for your health.

May May, I'm waiting... I think we're ALL waiting.

Loud Goose,

".... But it explores some of the social and political complexities involved..."

Nothing wrong with measured discussion.

However, Bronnie stumped up to ban the "burqa" as a matter of "security" - even though a burqa wearer would already have been comprehensively scanned and allowed entry to the gallery.

That's the point I've been making - and that's also the reason why the entire charade fell over.

My point being that the govt merely tried one on to pour more fuel on the fire (they lit) by instituting a "ban" on something so rarely encountered in Australia and even more rarely (like never) encountered at Parliament House.

My critique is one of the govt inventing a "domestic terror threat" and then ratcheting up the agenda by pulling "stunts".

I'm not against sensible discussion of cultural/religious mores and their compatibility with a secular society like ours.

So I guess you would commend Prime Minister Abbott for slapping it down, as much as was within his power as (in the Speaker's official view) just another MP ?

Come on, say it: "Good on you, Tony !"

Cheers :)

Joe

Jayb,

"poirot: BS, actually.

How do they say, "You don't know that."

Yes I do.

"poirot: It was a hasty decision. Full stop.

Ego itero, "You don't know that."

Yes I do.

http://linkis.com/com.au/h4hiK

That's a link from Murdoch's Sunday Telegraph - Samantha Maiden attempting to exonerate Credlin and Abbott (obviously with access to the top):

"In an act of utter stupidity, the presiding officers Bronwyn Bishop and Senate President Stephen Parry got themselves into a flap over gossip that a bunch of (non-Muslim) protesters were planning to turn up in burqas and create a public disturbance.

With no consultations with the Prime Minister’s office, they issued a temporary ban on burqas to try and divert the alleged burqa troupe behind the glass cage where the noisy schoolchildren sit. This then exploded into the media as a plan to cage women in burqas behind glass."

(Bronnie's the scapegoat - a bit of karma happening there, methinks.)

Lol!...as if "anything" would have been instituted without permission from the top.

Pigs might fly.

poirot: My critique is one of the govt inventing a "domestic terror threat"

You don't believe their is a domestic terror threat? To you, maybe, as a possible instigator, but to the rest of us. We take it seriously.

As the cowboy said to the Arab, "We haven't started playing Cowboys & Islamists, yet."