Monday, April 18, 2011

Not So Veiled Threats

We don't need a veil ban here, but I understand why France banned the veil for women. It isn't a matter of freedom to wear or not to wear a veil. If it was that simple, obviously you should stand with the freedom to choose the veil. The problem is, it is not correct to assume that in the absence of a veil ban law that there is freedom to choose not to wear a veil. In Britain, women are under threat of death to adopt the veil:

Women who do not wear headscarves are being threatened with violence and even death by Islamic extremists intent on imposing sharia law on parts of Britain, it was claimed today.

If the issue is framed as whether all women are under threat of death if they don't wear the veil to signify their submission to the radicals rather than as being under threat of a monetary fine for wearing a veil, I side with banning the veil.

Absence of a law on the veil is not a sign of freedom when the Islamists will enforce wearing the veil and are willing to kill or maim to make their point.