Stray Thoughts Of A Fugged-Up Brain

[poliphilo]

Championship tennis is really good for sleeping through.

I'm glad I cooked a proper dinner- pork steaks, apple sauce, potatoes, baked beans. I couldn't taste it, but the texture was very comforting.

I'm no fan of the burqua, but I don't think democracies should tell women what they should or shouldn't wear.

Comments

Burqa

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

In theory I should agree with you.

In practice, Mr Strange and I were viewing a news feature about Taliban extremists in north-eastern Pakistan. One of these would-be martyrs said proudly "Women should stay at home. They are worth less than a plastic bag."

I actually got upset. I turned around and said to Mr Strange, "How come they hate us so much?"

Also one of the ministers who criticised Sarkozy said the measure could end up with "women being unable to leave their own homes".

No, active voice, please, let's blame the blameworthy. Women being unable to leave their homes because MUSLIM MEN who think they aren't worth plastic bags use their phallocentric power to imprison them there.

I'm with Shorty on this one.

Re: Burqa

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I worry about the implications. Telling people what they can or cannot wear is tyranny.

There's a strong case to be made against the burqua. I just don't think a powerful male politician is the best person to be making it.

[litchick.livejournal.com]

hear, hear. Smacks too much of "We believe so thoroughly in democracy and freedom we are going to force you to conform to our beliefs."

I see what they are saying though, I think there should be a better way of making their point.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think these kind of arguments come badly from heads of state. Politicians should keeps their noses out of people's private lives.

[litchick.livejournal.com]

I thought there were a few salient points here: http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2009/06/22/burqa_france/index.html

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, indeed.

I've heard there are plenty of women who choose the burqa of their own accord.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

I believe it is needed to bare women's faces, at least. Who knows what lurks under a burka? It could be a (male) terrorist, or a sex offender, or any kind of criminal who does not want to risk identification. Also, I may sound harsh by saying this, but if women WANT to wear those horrible things, perhaps they should wear them in Afghanistan or some other Muslim country. After all, if I wish to visit certain Muslim countries I would have to conform to their dress codes. A (American) friend of mine who accompanied her husband to Morocco, where it is oppressively hot, had to wear long sleeves, cover every bit of her hair with a large scarf, and wear long skirts and socks with her sandals while she was there. It must have been terribly oppressive for her. Needless to say she would never choose to live in such a place.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The BBC journalist John Simpson did indeed travel round Afghanistan wearing a burqua. I believe it's common practice for men who want to go undercover in those societies to put on feminine dress. It's the perfect- all but unpenetrable- disguise.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

By the way, that dinner sounds delicious. I have just gotten over a two week stint of prolonged stomach flu, so my appetite is back, and that sounds like a terrific dinner for tomorrow night.
I hope that you and Ailz are well on the mend by now. Are you?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, thanks, we're getting better. These things take time though, don't they?

[(Anonymous)]

I'm surprised the hoodie-wearing element haven't picked up on the burqua, what an excellent way to evade the CCTV.
I don't mind really if women wear them here for the most part, but I was wondering whether I would mind if for instance the midwife delivering my child was in one. I think the answer would be yes.
Tom F

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

In the case of midwives, I would expect the burqua to be banned on grounds of practicality and hygiene.