Opinion

For Australia's sake, we need to ban the burqua

The burqa is no longer simply the symbol of female repression and Islamic culture, it is now emerging as a disguise of bandits and n'er do wells.

In Sydney this morning a man was robbed by a burqa wearing bandit who further disguised his (or her) identity by wearing sunglasses. The bandit was described by police as being of "Middle Eastern appearance".

Well of course he was (assuming it was a he) because the only characteristics the victim could see were the burqa and the sunglasses. Now unless the sunglasses had 'made in Iran' stamped on them, it's fair to say that the 'Middle Eastern appearance' line was attributed to the head to toe veiling of the Islamic burqa.

In my mind, the burqa has no place in Australian society.

I would go as far as to say it is un-Australian. To me, the burqa represents the repressive domination of men over women which has no place in our society and compromises some of the most important aspects of human communication.

It also establishes a different set of rules and societal expectations in our hitherto homogenous society.

Let me give you a couple of examples.

As an avid motorcyclist I am required to remove my helmet before entering a bank or petrol station. It's a security measure for the businesses and no reasonable person objects to this requirement. However, if I cover myself in a black cloth from head to toe, with only my eyes barely visible behind a mesh guard, I am effectively unidentifiable and can waltz into any bank unchallenged in the name of religious freedom.

Little wonder bank bandits in the UK are now becoming burqa bandits.

The same can be said for any number of areas where photographic identification is required. How many of us would ask for the veil to be dropped so we can compare the photo with the burqa wearer's face? I suspect the fear of being called bigoted, racist, Islamaphobic or insensitive would prevent many from doing what they would not think twice about under normal circumstances.

Put simply, the burqa separates and distances the wearer from the normal interactions with broader society.

But there is a greater reason the burqa needs to be binned.

Equality of women is one of the key values in our secular society and any culture that believes only women should be covered in such a repressive manner is not consistent with the Australian culture and values.

Perhaps some of you will consider that burqa wearing should be a matter of personal choice, consistent with the freedoms our forefathers fought for. I disagree.

New arrivals to this country should not come here to recreate the living environment they have just left. They should come here for a better life based on the freedoms and values that have built our great nation.

The burqa isolates some Australians from others. Its symbolic barrier is far greater than the measure of cloth it is created from.

For safety and for society, the burqa needs to be banned in Australia.

Cory Bernardi is a Liberal Party Senator. This article first appeared on www.corybernardi.com

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Posted By: CORY BERNARDI on 6/05/2010 12:42:00 PM | Comments (7)

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HA HA HA...as if...it'll never happen in Australia for a variety of reasons.

Posted by dusty, 6/05/2010 1:13:25 PM

As much as I hate to agree with a Liberal Party senator, on this occasion I will have to. The burqua is rubbish and has no place in the world. Yes, if I needed to identify someone I would ask them to remove it. If I still worked in a bank I would put up a sign banning it from the premises. If someone came in wearing one, as with a motorcycle helmet, I would immediately take their picture (not that this would help much). Religious freedom is rubbish. Why should society pander to people's imaginary friends. If my purple spaghetti monster tells me I must carry a gun, should I be allowed to do so? Of course not and what I ask is the difference to wearing a burqua? None. If we allow religious freedom we allow everything, because I can make up anything (as occurs in all religions), call it my religious belief and then I can do whatever I dream up. Complete codswallop! When someone can produce evidence for their 'beliefs' that will be different, but it hasn't happened yet.

Posted by Cricket Tragic, 6/05/2010 2:33:13 PM

I would refuse to talk to a woman who was wearing a burqua. It is not just that being unable to see a person's face makes communications difficult - I would consider it offensive that I was regarded as not fit to look upon her face, or as having such little self-control that that I would try to ravish her if I saw her face. In saying this I acknowledge that many Muslim women are forced to wear the burqua by threats of violence or are brainwashed into doing so, but that does not mean that we have to accept it.

Posted by Davo, 6/05/2010 4:36:12 PM

Try wearing our national summer dress the bikini or halter neck top in Saudi Arabia and see where you end up. If it is good enough for them to do it, why not us?

Posted by Pushy, 7/05/2010 1:56:10 PM

Like Cricket Tragic, I also hate to agree with a Liberal Party senator. But unfortunately he is correct, and very obviously so. Let's not let Australia sink to the level of Afghanistan. Surely we can have more respect for women's rights than the Taliban. Do we really think women should be enslaved? Do we really think women shouldn't be seen or heard in public? Do we really think women should be denied an identity? Do we really think women should suffer vitamin D deficiency? Let's stand up for women's rights and ban the burqa completely. Other countries have.

Posted by Carl Kenner, 10/05/2010 4:31:11 AM

Let's get some perspective to this whole issue. The good senator seems to be playing one of the opposition's favourite tricks: play on the fear of the "other" through a beat-up of a security issue. In this case the targeted group is, once again, Muslims. Where's the problem with using a report of someone wearing a burqa as a rationale to ban them? Let's look at some reasons: * firstly, there are far simpler ways to deal with possible security issues - I understand that Customs already handle this in a sensitive way by asking a person in a burqa to verify their identity to a woman in a private setting; * secondly, burqas are not analogous to bikinis or bicycle helmets. They are generally worn as an expression of religious belief. Would it be reasonable to ban the wearing of a nun's habit if someone carried out an act of wrong-doing dressed as a nun? * thirdly, and linked to the previous, it is unlawful in South Australia to discriminate against a person on account of religious dress in many settings; * finally, which constitutional power might the Commonwealth use to achieve the goal?

Posted by Ian of Adelaide, 13/05/2010 12:39:30 AM

I'm amazed that Cory Bernardi has actually received an audience that has taken him seriously.

Posted by rjenman, 16/05/2010 4:50:52 PM

Here is the place for you to vent on any national or world news and lifestyle stories on the YourGuide websites. If there is anything you see or hear that you like or don't like, tell us. Don't keep it to yourself!