Re: [asa] Dawkins, religion, and children

David Opderbeck wrote:

> I think the policies against wearing the Burka in public are hideous,
> discriminatory, and just plain stupid. The religious riots in Europe
> are fueled by this kind of hateful policy.
>
David

How far are you willing to go in allowing a Burka:
-Identification pictures like drivers liscence or passport
-Dealing with officials, police, voting, border crossings
-Sports
-Entry to restricted buildings eg the US embassy, the legislature
-Health care, do all of our emergency rooms need to be staffed with
female Islamic doctors? How about ambulance and fire crews?

All except the health care point have come up here or at least I have
not heard of that being raised but it has come up elsewhere when females
have needed to be treated.

Forcing someone to wear a Burka against their will, especially a child
seems like (child) abuse to me. I also find it a very abhorant practice
that is demeaning to females. Should the UN rule against the Burka in
Iran or Iraq, no that does not seem appropriate.

Some limits in Western societies appear appropriate to me, although I
feel uncomfortable with such limits.

I think that France stopped (or tried to) even the wearing of head
scarves. That definitely seems to go too far.

If the rest of the cultural and religious practice of having a male
relative always accompany the women when out in public, then I find
wearing of the Burka less offensive as one is dealing with at least one
identifiable person.

In the winter time when the temp is -25F, if one were to walk into a
bank wearing a balaclava and not remove it, I suspect there is a good
chance the cops would get called and that the individual could be
injured to some extent at least. I see no difference if someone wears a
Burka into a bank and would not hold the cops accountable in either
case, assuming reasonable force was used.

Living in the down town core, I probably have a different perspective on
this kind of thing than lots of people would and tend toward a different
trade off of rights vrs public security. It is not rare to see drugs
being dealt or to be accosted by a hooker on the corner. Adding totally
anonymous people to an already very difficult mix would not help.

I know some might say I am prejudiced against Islam, however, consider.
  Probably on Sept 11 as the office closed about noon, I was alone
during the afternoon (except for a drunk) in the nearby park with my 12
lb dog. The whole situation was unbelievable and numbing. An obviously
middle eastern, probably Islamic, male and female couple tried to walk
thro the park. The drunk smashed a beer or wine bottle and came after
them. I quietly picked up the dog and escorted the couple thro the
park. With two males present the drunk continued to taunt them but did
not do anything.

Dave W

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Received on Mon Apr 30 17:32:15 2007