The general elections may be one and a half years away but it seems that electioneering has started.
Until now the Coalition government has focussed on blaming the poor and vulnerable for the poor state of the economy while ignoring their rich friends which fund them and actually created the economic mess.
But now a new front has been opened up recently, as evidenced by a college's attempt to ban the face veil in Birmingham. While the college eventually backed down, it was not without first recieving the full backing of the Prime Minister.
A few days later, now the Liberal Democrat Minister Jeremy Browne is opening up the same debate, by first testing the waters - trying to frame the debate as a legitimate debate.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has also weighed into the debate in the past few days - but we can ignore him as he was always a phony "Liberal" democrat.
If these attempts at gaining legitimacy are not stopped early in their tracks, it will embolden the people to push forward on such topics, just like has happened in France and other countries.
These people seem to ignore that they are trying to attempt to "empower" women by telling them what to do, to "give choice" to women by taking it away from them.
Not only that, they are jumping on a non-issue for political gain - the niqab is not a big issue. No one that I am aware of is forced to wear it - even those who wear it for religious reasons often know that there is a difference of religious opinion and that there are even other muslims who do not think it is practical, but they choose to wear it out of their own religious convictions and freedom of choice.
These debates, while still at the fringe are aimed at delegitimising a certain segment of society and eventually demonising them. We know where this goes as France is a few years ahead of us.
There first they prevented girls from wearing face veils and headscarves. They supported the removal of women wearing them from working with children (something which is ongoing and has government backing), and finally now some women are even being forbidden to attend their childrens schools or accompany them on school trips.
All this was started maybe a decade or less ago in France in the name of empowering women, but we can see that it was all lies and we can see its steady progression into demonisation and isolation of segments of society which the larger populace is often ignorant of and rarely hears from.
We have to choose if that is a road we are willing to go down.
Many have pointed out that the Face veil is not the biggest concern or issue that is facing the British people.
However if such a debate is forced upon the people we need to be ready to face it head on in an open and intellectual manner showing the proponents of such actions to be the neanderthals that they really are.
Comments
They do speak up but everyone doesn't listen.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
See that makes you sound like Islamophobes who say Muslims don't come out and say Islam is peaceful, bombing is wrong etc. TBF you say you're good at listening though. But where/who exactly are you listening to? There aren't that many people who were the niqab in this country so they aren't going to be that loud...which is one reason why this thing is being blown out of proportion.
Here's one article from today written by a niqabi, who is speaking up http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/i-wear-the-niqab-let-me-spea...
But it shouldn't be about them stanind up for themselves, everyone should be allowed to wear what they want, it should be their right. And if their right is being taken away then it would be wrong for the rest of us to stay quiet.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Malala is an exception to the rule, and I think the West had their own agenda when they decided to help her. There are countless number of people being tortured because of their beliefs or whatever, we don't seem to be able to hear them...I'm sure they're not just quietly accepting it as their fate.
I mean do you have friends who wear the niqab, people around you, do you take it such information from mainstream media? I say this because you have to look/listen a little more carefully because it's not going to be in your face.
I don't understand your point here at all :S
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
I know plenty of niqaabis. Plenty. And they are very happy, loats of fun and very involve in whatever they want to do. They dont want to show their face. Just like someone might not want to show their shoulder or thigh.
Aldo. If communication is the issue. I dont think any of the women i know would refuse to remove it if given the right circumstances. And thats just a closed female only space.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Ive posted a new blog post on this here: http://www.therevival.co.uk/blogs/you/uk-coalition-government-continues-...
In short the withhunt has been extended to the NHS now.
In an equal argument, I would agree.
The issue here is that the veil has been cynincally targetted mainly because of how irrelevant it is. Since there aren't many women who actually wear it, their voices are naturally drowned out by others who are far more numerous. Saying that, there have been voices raised by those who wear the veil to say that they do it by their choice and to ban them from wearing it is double standards.
A special case where the rich white people could show the righteousness of their actions when compared to poor brown people, especially as the attack was so... dastardly, where the perpetrators attempted to murder a child for her views.
(I doubt as many people actually read her BBC News blog on what was happening over there... I did and it was pretty good.)
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
WHAT IS THE POINT IN TAKING IT FURTHER TO THE NHS. AS LONG AS PEOPLE GET SEEN TO BY THE DOCTOR, WHO CARES!
This whole ''debate'' is pointless. Just cause they feel threatened by the women who don a niqaab.
Crazy world
Interesting article in the Guardian: Reality Check: How many women wear the niqab in the UK?
For those too lazy to read it, it says "uhm... we don't know".
But the more important sections are their gatering of other statistics:
(the bits in bold are done by me.)
The concluding paragraph hits the nail on the head:
Which it is - the coalition has found a group to demonise and doesn not expect to get a backlash while getting some support from specific segments of society. Its playing on racism.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Well, on the bright side there aren't many groups that the Tories haven't demonised...we're not alone lol
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
can i ask for a quick rewind of "how did this all start"?!?! the nhs thing. did a patient complain?
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
nope.
A politician just randomly decided to bring it up.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
smells like France's BO.
how do we stop it? im so annoyed. i wont let this happen. not twice in my lifetime.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
The media ofcourse doesnt report it. As no one wants to hear the list of reasons for keeping them.
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin.
And I heard as it were, the noise of thunder. One of the four beasts saying come and see and I beheld, a pale horse. And his name that sat on him was Death... and Hell followed with him.
what ive never understood is WHY DOES IT BOTHER THEM? just looking to distract themselves
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Didnt this situation arise from that school banning it? And then there was that court case where the judge required a muslim woman who was in the dock to remove the veil in order prove her identity.
And I heard as it were, the noise of thunder. One of the four beasts saying come and see and I beheld, a pale horse. And his name that sat on him was Death... and Hell followed with him.