Muslim headscarves on Western streets

Get A Grip ^ | 2003-04-28 | A.E. Huggett

[vladog]

Sometimes it’s all I can do to keep from running up to total strangers and snatching it off their heads. I’m not talking backward caps here that make young kids look like they want to be baseball umpires when they grow up. Nor am I talking about those ridiculous surgical masks currently sported among the easily panicked hoping to avoid the SARS bug. What I am talking about is the headscarf worn by Muslim women on our streets in Western nations. Every time I see one I start growling because I know that scarf is a cheat and a fraud.

[freedom44]

While we must safeguard American history, ideology, and culture we can't act like dictators and force other Americans to take off veils because we don't like their outfits.

[philetus]

Ping

[Captainpaintball]

I was in a Strawbridge's (slightly below Macy's on the department store status scale) recently, and had the pleasure to encounter a totally covered (in burkha) muslim woman and her totally Western-style dressed husband. Now I thought I was Mr. Ralph Lauren Jr., but THIS guy had on a Polo T-Shirt, ($25) button-down shirt, ($85) spring jacket, ($150) baggy polo jeans, ($95) Timberland boots ($150)...Not very Muslim, was he? Why does he get to dress like a normal person? Is this Muslim 'thang' an excuse to parphrase the vernacular, "keep one's ho in check"? Hmmm...

[Cicero]

If there's any truth in this, which I rather doubt, it's most likely that Muslim women in the west think they should wear the scarf for religious reasons, not because they are revolutionaries. I've had a few Muslim students in my classes wearing chadors, and I had no impression that they were radicals.

Similarly, there may be black families who celebrate Kwanzaa with no clue that the feast was invented by a black California radical.

There's no way we can tell Muslims what to do on issues like this. Wearing a veil for a driver's license photo is another matter, because there are security reasons connected with photo IDs. But what Muslims in the west wear is probably the least of our problems.

[philetus]

How about making them take them off because it's dangerous for them to be driving in them?

[BIGZ]

While we must safeguard American history, ideology, and culture we can't act like dictators and force other Americans to take off veils because we don't like their outfits.

The time is comming when we will not celebrate Christmas, Easter, or any other religious holiday,because we are going to infringe on their culture. If they don't like our culture have them stay home. They want our money and opportunity but not our culture. Going down the drain , we will go rejoicing, going down the drain.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

There is a good chance that if you saw what was under the veil, you would greatly appreciated the veil.

[cake_crumb]

**in a high-pitched, airhead voice** - OH, but it LIBERATES ME!! YOU think I'm treated as CHATTEL, but in my OWN HOME, I can run around NAKED if I want! THAT is REAL WOMEN'S LIB, oh stupid infidel!! (forget that he can also beat me whenever he wants to in order to disclipline me...it's ONLY when I DESERVE it, ALLAH SAYS!!!!)

Seriously: there is no reason to force them to take off the headscarves, regardless of how we personally feel about their religion and/or their actions. In fact, Muslims aren't the only ones who wear them: they're just the loudest and left-like whiniest about it.

I do, however, believe things like burqas SHOULD be outlawed, because life & liberty outweighs any freedom of religion issue they may spout. We're talking national security. In fact, we already HAD a homocide-burqa bomber against our troops and some reporters in Iraq. They have already promised to use our legal system against us. Therefore they will. Muslims do not make threats like that. Only promises.

If they want to talk the patriotic talk, they must walk the patriotic walk, or their burquas and other 'liberating' clothing' will HAVE to be outlawed. Actions speak louder than words.

[cake_crumb]

I would have been on guard and seriously wondering WHAT that was under the burqa. They make me nervous. Always have.

[blam]

"While we must safeguard American history, ideology, and culture we can't act like dictators and force other Americans to take off veils because we don't like their outfits."

Some states have laws against wearing masks or face coverings. It's laws directed at the KKK.

[cake_crumb]

"Some states have laws against wearing masks or face coverings. It's laws directed at the KKK."

Yep.

[gcruse]

If they don't like our culture have them stay home.

They seem to be able to transplant and keep some
of their home culture in the new country.

People in the new country who can't keep their
culture without even leaving home look pretty
feeble.  Maybe the problem is wanting everybody
to be just like oneself.  That's fine if you are
just like me.  Otherwise, I object!

[Concentrate]

From the article:

Egyptian student radicals dreamed up this headscarf in the 1970s as a covert political signal of Fundamentalist approval by female students for their male counterparts. This is according to Fadwa El Guindi, who is Adjunct Full Professor of Anthropology at the University of Southern California.

In her article “Veiling Resistance”, which appeared in the March 1999 edition of Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture, Professor El Guindi said, “Women’s Islamic dress, known as al-ziyy al-Islami, is an innovative construction that was first worn in the mid-1970s by activists. It does not represent a return to any traditional dress form and has no tangible precedent.

If this is true, it is quite a surprise to me. I find this hard to believe.

[Concentrate]

While we must safeguard American history, ideology, and culture we can't act like dictators and force other Americans to take off veils because we don't like their outfits.

You're right. As for non-citizens, they are always subject to deportation.

[cake_crumb]

"If this is true, it is quite a surprise to me. I find this hard to believe."

Me too. The headscarf has always been optional gear for all Semitic people. It signifies Orthadoxy...

Which, when you think of Wahabbism, has sinister overtones for good reason. That may be where the author's confusion is coming from.

[Concentrate]

But what Muslims in the west wear is probably the least of our problems.

Excessive lack of standards of behavior, and choice of clothing is behavior, is what plagues the west and makes us weak.

Bizzare costumes don't help society to have any sense of normalcy, which is what the enemy wants. There has to be some balance.

[Concentrate]

When I was a child, all women had to cover their heads upon entering a Catholic church. I'm sure the tradition originated somewhere in the Middle East thousands of years ago. Mother Mary is always depicted with a head scarf. I doubt it was invented in the '70's

[A_perfect_lady]

On the bright side, as long as they're wearing visible signs of their politics, we know who they are when we see them. That's why the Germans made the Jews wear yellow stars. These goobers don't even have to be forced. Well, fine. They won't be sneaking up on us.

[xm177e2]

Some guy from some "institute" with the word "freedom" in its name doesn't like how other people dress. Waaah.