June 22, 2009 4:48 PM
Burqas and religious freedom
I want to add some thoughts to the discussion sparked by my last entry Sarkozy rips burqa, stands up for women!
There is just so much more at stake here than an argument about whether outlawing the burqa leads to outlawing other religious expression. There is something so hideously oppressive and repressive about extreme Islam and its treatment of women that I for one cannot say categorically that I would not support a ban on the burqa.
First of all, let me stipulate that I don't at all enjoy living in a culture where female flesh is marketed like meat. I don't enjoy being assaulted by TV commercials for Victoria's Secret or grocery store magazine racks - at children's eye level, no less - with screaming headlines about stuff they shouldn't have to read. I won't go to malls or video stores because I am offended by what I see. I hate that girls have been brainwashed into giving up their natural modesty.
On the other hand, if my choice is between a culture that gives women freedom to choose what to wear and some abuse it, I will take that along with all the accompanying discomfort over a culture that hates the female so much that she must be hidden and even mutilated to prevent her from causing harm.
Yes, there may be a logical slippery slope between banning the burqa and banning my right to wear a crucifix or cross - though Lord knows, if a nation were true to its Christian roots that would not have to happen. But if my choice is between freedom to wear religious symbols and seeing my country change to accommodate a group of people bringing oppressive practices here, then I will gladly give up my right to wear a crucifix or cross.
To those who support the right to wear a burqa, I must ask where exactly do you draw the line of religious freedom? Why if some religions believe in polygamy do we not allow it? What about Muslims who - in the name of religion - perform clitorectomies and infibulation on young girls?
If some Muslim women claim that they feel more free in a burqa, is that enough? There are probably women who think their mutilation has somehow benefited them as well. Does that mean an objective observer cannot draw the line? Some slaves were probably perfectly happy serving their masters, but we knew slavery was wrong and freed them one and all.
Just asking some questions here. . . sometimes things are more nuanced than they appear at first glance. I am not a cultural relativist. And reading about the atrocities committed on women in other countries still makes my feminist blood boil.
For more see Infidel - a Muslim woman shares her journey.
Between the beginning and the end is a fascinating story of a woman born into circumstances which make her escape almost unbelievable. Seeking refuge in Holland (which welcomes immigrants with every amenity possible and is now dealing with some tough consequences), she sees her beliefs challenged. When some young women from Kenya challenge her full body coverage, she says:
"But if men see women dressed like you are now, with your arms bare and everything naked, they will become confused and sexually tempted," I told them. "They will be blinded by desire . . . they won't be able to work, and the buses will crash, and there will be a state of total fitna!""So why is there not a state of total chaos everywhere around us, here, in Europe?" Mina asked.
It was true. All I had to do was use my eyes. Europe worked perfectly, every bus and clock of it. Not a tremor of chaos was detectable.
Obviously, Ayaan Hirsi Ali would have said prior to this experience that wearing the burqa made her free. Do you think for a moment it did? And when presented with true freedom - when she saw that her perspective was based on lies - did she opt to keep it?
There is also the fact that while Muslims in the US are currently a very very small minority, in Europe their numbers are growing rapidly and they are having a major impact on the culture. So while some see outlawing the burqa as leading to outlawing wearing other religious paraphernalia, it may be just as conceivable that someday all women might be forced to wear the burqa.
Interestingly, a movie is being released later this week called The Stoning of Soraya M. which promises to deliver a wake-up call about cultural relativism.
I don't know, sisters. I feel like there is more at stake here than we might at first think. And I think our respect for diversity is paralyzing us.
Posted in Current Affairs | Permalink
Comments
I get very disturbed by the burqas as well. I fully understand and support modest dressing. What I don't understand or support is trying to erase women from any sort of public existence.
I'm also terribly disturbed by the fact that young girl are often allowed to wear "normal" clothing, only to be forced into burqas when they begin to become women. What message does this send young girls?
I am all for respecting a culture, but this culture hates women. How else could you describe a culture that kills women in the womb, rapes them and then kills them for "their" sins, mutilates them, throws acid on their faces, etc.
Posted by: Lauren | June 22, 2009 6:38 PM
Barbara,
I so appreciate your intelligent and insightful explorations
of issues that most miss.
Thanks for your persistent challenges to think outside the
box!
Posted by: Leslie | June 22, 2009 8:07 PM
I feel very conflicted about this whole subject. The Christian in me wants to reject the burqa and its associated religious beliefs categorically because they oppose my beliefs about faith and salvation.
But the American in me believes that taking a step to forbid a religious statement like this infringes upon religious freedom, something that our country was founded to protect.
No part of me supports a culture that abuses, mutilates, or enslaves women and makes them feel that they are less than human. My gut reaction to the burqa is just as mixed. On one hand I see it as being similar to the choice of some Christian women to wear only skirts/dresses, refrain from cutting their hair, and covering their heads in public while I see the flipside of it being symbolic of radicalism.
I have not personally seen a burqa in person. And I am quite sure that if I were in a public place and suddenly turned around to find a black veil approaching me with no exposed skin, almost like a blackened ghost, it would throw me off balance.
I think in our country we tolerate too much. At schools, dress codes are sent home to parents and later, ignored by the school authorities. On any given day, I can arrive at my daughter's middle school to find at least five girls dressed in an inappropriate manner after spending only five minutes in the building. We make rules only to ignore them.
But can we really legislate values, faith, or morality? Should we? Even with the Christian faith there is not uniformity of belief.
I fear that when a federal government begins to legislate what symbols of faith are acceptable, we quickly find that no symbol of faith is safe.
In my mind, a faith that treats women poorly is wrong--no questions asked, no shades of gray. But at the same moment, I know that there are wonderful, beautiful Muslim women who feel exactly the same way about my beliefs. I do not want them to tell me that I can express my beliefs in a certain manner either.
I know that this has much deeper nuances. That is why I remain torn.
Posted by: Ceci | June 22, 2009 8:59 PM
Ceci, I can hear you struggling with this issue. It may not be as difficult as you think.
you write: But can we really legislate values, faith, or morality? Should we? Even with the Christian faith there is not uniformity of belief.
My answer is yes. We're doing it now. That's what laws are for. It's just a constant struggle between whose values, faith and morality.
You also write: In my mind, a faith that treats women poorly is wrong--no questions asked, no shades of gray. But at the same moment, I know that there are wonderful, beautiful Muslim women who feel exactly the same way about my beliefs. I do not want them to tell me that I can express my beliefs in a certain manner either.
There has to be an absolute truth somewhere. We all have to be very careful of relativism. You seem to be second-guessing yourself. If you truly believe something to be true and the Muslim's belief contradicts that truth...then they are wrong. That sounds harsh to our ears but nevertheless, it is true.
We women have such a strong nurturing character that we balk at the thought of not allowing others equal time. Giving their beliefs equal consideration and to a point we should. When others' beliefs cross that line then we have to take a stand. And stand we must. Burqas rob women of identity. They rob us of dignity. They rob us of not just our womanhood but of our humanity. That is not of God and anything that is not of God...is something we must stand up against.
We are fighting two extremes here, folks. On one side is the extreme immodesty of our culture. Words across the seat of the pants, short shorts, way too much skin. On the other side: a burqa!!
We do not have to accept either. We can't legislate the extreme modesty more than what's on the books now but we can legislate against burqas.
It is not a bad thing to legislate against burqas. Slippery slopes work both ways.
Anyways...those are my thoughts on it. Off my soapbox and back to work.
Posted by: Sue from Buffalo | June 23, 2009 9:07 AM
I'm reading a book about Catholic monastic communities, and it's interesting, because many non-Catholics have a similar reaction to sisters wearing the habit-- especially more traditional habits reminiscent of pre-Vatican II.
[I just don't think there's any comparison. It's the face being covered that makes the burqa so threatening. Also, nuns adopt the habit of their own volition and not because they are forced or brainwashed]
Posted by: Adele | June 23, 2009 8:23 PM
