In the UK we like to see your face!

With the French parliament set to vote on banning face veils – a move that could make Muslim burkha illegal in France. Even though it might be unconstitutional to pass this ban – it nevertheless has started people talking and debating the issue of the burkha and that can only be a good thing.

Of course there are those in France and the UK who thinks this move is an infringement on Muslim women human rights’ and their civil liberties. To some extend that is very correct, but some might say the unsightliness of the veil is an infringement on some western people, their human rights and civil liberties.

Is seems that while those in the civilised liberated west are busy being mindful and caring of others’ civil liberties and freedom of self expression it somehow slips their mind that those freedoms come at a cost to some of their own liberties.

For example; you are expected to stand next to someone in a moving tent not knowing who they are or what they are up to under that tent, but are expected to accept it as the norm while in reality you don’t feel it is, is that an infringement on your civilities? Another example is while at a traffic light a veiled driver pulls beside you in a 4X4 and that does not feel like the norm either – but you are expected to embrace it as normal!

If Muslims are free to veil their women and the women of those who visit them, if their laws allow them to jail people for public display of affection as it is deemed unsightly why can’t the French deem the burkha unsightly and ban wearing it?

Where is our liberty when it comes to what we don’t like to see around us? Why is ‘not liking’ something not a good enough a reason – especially when that dislike is equally mirrored by many – why must we all have to be so militant when it comes to liking something and why is ‘like’ devoid of liberty!?

The French President, Nicolas Sarkozy described the face veil as “…it hurts the dignity of women, and is not acceptable in French society”. Hurts women dignity! Running around half naked or falling over drunk on the street also hurt women dignity but was that legislate or baned? No! Why can’t he just say “It is not acceptable in French society”!!!

Because if he did the civil liberty brigade will be all over him like a rash, when it comes to us, westerns, logic dictates our actions and reactions, but everybody else is allowed to have feelings and emotions, likes and dislikes!

However, hat tip to the French for having the guts to openly discuss this issue, and now put it to a vote. It is more than Saudi Arabia or any of the Fundamental Islamic countries put together gives their own people – but that’s another matter.

Sometimes I wonder if being a civilised, tolerant and very accepting of others society is a hindrance rather than liberation. By reluctantly accepting what goes against our logic and solace are we evolving to a higher status or just deceiving our self in thinking that we are? Because the tensions are there, the discomforts are real and the harmony is fake, so why do we do it? Why do we have to sight a bunch of reasons such as Health & Safety, Terrorism & National Security and being divisive when all we really feel about the burkha is that it is weird, unsightly and make us very uncomfortable!

Now that was not so difficult was it?