Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public

wallyburger · November 17th, 2006, 12:36 PM

But you can get hashish.

Quote:

Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public

By Alexandra Hudson 1 hour, 28 minutes ago

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds.

Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face.

"The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face -- including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and) the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement.

The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe.

The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already outlawed them in specific places.

The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their stances in recent years.

Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such a ban.

Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said on Friday this was not the case.

MUSLIM HEADSCARF

Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools.

France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial veil, or niqab.

Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be enforced against veiled Muslim women.

The Muslim community estimates that only about 50 women in the Netherlands wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab, a face veil that conceals everything but the eyes.

Dutch Muslim groups have complained a burqa ban would make the country's 1 million Muslims feel more victimized and alienated, regardless of whether they approve of burqas or not.

"This will just lead to more girls saying 'hey I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest'," Naima Azough, a member of parliament from the opposition Green Left, told an election campaign meeting for fellow members of the Moroccan community.

Job Cohen, the Labour mayor of Amsterdam, said he opposed burqas in schools and public buildings, and said women wearing one who failed to get a job should not expect welfare benefits.

"From the perspective of integration and communication, it is obviously very bad because you can't see each other so the fewer the better," he told foreign journalists.

"But actually hardly anybody wears one ... The fuss is much bigger than the number of people concerned."

Since the murder of anti-immigration maverick Pim Fortuyn in 2002, the Dutch have lost a reputation for tolerance, pushing through some of Europe's toughest entry and integration laws.

Social and religious tensions have escalated in the last few years, exacerbated by the murder of film director and Islam critic Theo van Gogh by a Dutch-Moroccan militant in 2004.

BACH · November 17th, 2006, 02:53 PM

Kinda ironic that the frontline of "the cultural war" happens in the two countries in the world where the population has the biggest individual freedoms.

AZZenny · November 17th, 2006, 04:01 PM

Maybe because we're the one who take our freedoms seriously, and see protecting them as paramount. Netherlands has seen two real high-profile assassinations of people who spoke out openly against aspects of islamization, and no surprise they wouldn't put up with that. Dutch are very pragmatic people. Stoned, but pragmatic.

Ryanwb · November 17th, 2006, 05:55 PM

I can see how this would be fearful from a security reason. There could be a bomb strapped to them under there.....

In other news, the National Beekeepers Association has decided to move their annual convention from Amstedam to Oslo

RedStorm · November 17th, 2006, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZZenny

Maybe because we're the one who take our freedoms seriously, and see protecting them as paramount. Netherlands has seen two real high-profile assassinations of people who spoke out openly against aspects of islamization, and no surprise they wouldn't put up with that. Dutch are very pragmatic people. Stoned, but pragmatic.

Being stone is, sometimes the most pragmatic thing to do.....

boondockdrunk · November 17th, 2006, 08:35 PM

I find this very surprising, mainly because both the Dutch and Muslims support stoners.

AZZenny · November 17th, 2006, 09:25 PM

Quote:

I find this very surprising, mainly because both the Dutch and Muslims support stoners.

You're kidding, right?

Quote:

Saudi beheaded for smuggling marijuana into kingdom
Posted on 09/14/2003 10:27:49 AM PDT

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - A Saudi drug trafficker was beheaded Sunday, a Ministry of Interior statement said.

Dhaher bin Thamer al-Shimry was convicted of smuggling marijuana into the kingdom, the statement said.

Al-Shimry was beheaded in the eastern province of Hafr al-Baten, bringing the number of beheadings in the kingdom this year to 41, most of them drug traffickers. At least 49 people were beheaded last year.

This conservative Gulf country follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which people convicted of drug trafficking, murder, rape and armed robbery are executed. Beheadings are carried out with a sword in public.

In Iran and Egypt they shoot drug smugglers more or less on sight. Life in prison is the common sentence in several other Muslim countries. You may be thinking of the OLD-style Muslims -- but under Shari'a law, alcohol and pot are equally bad.

Divide Et Impera · November 17th, 2006, 09:32 PM

Uh, AZZ, my dear. It was a joke....

The Dutch support stoners:

The Muslims support stoners:

Divide Et Impera · November 17th, 2006, 09:32 PM

Hey, that 2nd pic was the best I could find....

conraddobler · November 17th, 2006, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZZenny

You're kidding, right?

In Iran and Egypt they shoot drug smugglers more or less on sight. Life in prison is the common sentence in several other Muslim countries. You may be thinking of the OLD-style Muslims -- but under Shari'a law, alcohol and pot are equally bad.

I think he may mean literally stoning someone.....

Just a guess.

However if you've ever seen Midnight run, great movie, although Turkey is only so Muslim, not exactly the same thing, they don't kill you they just stash you away for a long long time.

I think it's time for our scientists to get working on a new super virus that imparts knowledge and understanding in it's victims, now that would be hilarious.

To see people waking up all over the planet suddenly enlightened...... go to work and that A hole boss is suddenly understanding and actually competent... the world would never be the same.

If it worked you could tell, Cheney and Rumsfeld would jump out of a building when that new voice in their brain kept saying you are a bad bad bad man.

AZZenny · November 17th, 2006, 10:13 PM

Sorry. Feeling literal tonight, I guess. I was thinking Hookahs and Hashish, which USED to be a Muslim pasttime before the thought police moved in everywhere.

Oh, Man, Midnight Express was the most appalling, shocking movie -- that thing stayed in my head forever.

btw -- go to thereligionofpeace.com and you'll find some real stoning pics -- I don't think you want to post them, though.

BACH · November 18th, 2006, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZZenny

Maybe because we're the one who take our freedoms seriously, and see protecting them as paramount. Netherlands has seen two real high-profile assassinations of people who spoke out openly against aspects of islamization, and no surprise they wouldn't put up with that. Dutch are very pragmatic people. Stoned, but pragmatic.

I was actually refering to Denmark and Netherlands.

They are the first countries to adopt laws that say "Enough is enough" to their muslim citizens

AZZenny · November 18th, 2006, 07:33 AM

Ah! I wondered, actually, if you might have meant Denmark, after I posted. I thought I'd heard Germany also had put some laws in place, but maybe that was still in the talking phase.

boondockdrunk · November 18th, 2006, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divide Et Impera

Hey, that 2nd pic was the best I could find....

The best or least offensive?

And yes, it was a joke. Much like the hair on the Dutch Stoner.

Divide Et Impera · November 18th, 2006, 10:10 AM

I'm not too worried about offending people on the Internets. I just couldn't find a decent live pic on Goolge image search....