Saturday 16 January 2010

UKIP have lost the plot


Do you believe it is the job of the government to tell you what you can and can't wear? I most certainly don't. UKIP does. It is their policy to ban the wearing of the Burka and the Niqab in public places. The reason? It might make terrorists harder to identify. They say that they pose a threat to gender equality and they have no basis in Islam. Lets look at all of these arguments. Firstly that they make terrorists harder to identfy. So do Beards, wigs, dyed hair, coloured contact lenses, make up. If I was Osama Bin Laden and I wanted to use a woman to plant a bomb somewhere, I'd get her to beach her hair blond, wear blue contact lenses, a mini skirt, fish net stockings and a skimpy top. Who would get pulled over and searched a woman dressed like this or the one in the burka behind her? I've no idea how terrorists plan attacks, but I'd bet my bottom dollar that if they are seriously planning to smuggle expolsives or weapons, the last thing they'd do is want to draw attention to themselves by looking like Islamists. Then there is the argument that they pose a threat to gender equality. So do fishnet stockings, mini skirts, skimpy tops. If an alluringly dressed, scantily clad woman goes for an interview at a major bank, does she get taken as seriously as a woman in a smart business suit? That threatens her gender equality, but are UKIP clamouring for the banning of such attire? Then there is the argument that the Burka has no basis in Islam. So what? Why should whether something has a basis in Islam have any relevance to whether it should be banned or not? I'd have thought that this was the last reason UKIP of all people would quote for justifying a ban. As to the suggestion that Burkas endanger public safety, are UKIP going to ban football shirts for the same reason. As an example, if a group of blokes wearing Manchester United shirts enters many pubs in Liverpool on a Saturday night, or Celtic fans enter known Rangers pubs, violence is certain to ensue. Should we ban these tops?

UKIP's proposals are the thin end of a very fat wedge. Like many people, I really dislike seeing women in Burkas. I think it is an ugly and repressive look. Having said that I wouldn't want my local Imam telling me how to dress, so what right have I to tell anyone else what they should wear? Tolerance is one of Great Britain's biggest strengths. Any such move to tell people what they wear is a major step towards destroying this tradition.

3 comments:

Don't Call Me Dave said...

Rog

What is it about politicians that makes them say stupid things at the most inappropriate time? Many natural Conservatives will be considering voting UKIP at the next general election, but will now be turned off by this proposal which is decidedly un-British.

In any event, what have burkas got to do with UKIP which is, essentially, a single issue party? UKIP cannot win the next general election and people will vote for them as they did for the Independence Party in 1997 - as a protest. They might win a few seats, but they don’t actually need to develop any policies whatsoever on any subject apart from Europe which is their entire raison d'ĂȘtre.

In this country, we don’t like banning things without good reason. Wars have been fought and many have died in the name of freedom, not so that some jumped up little quirts on a power kick can interfere with our liberty.

That said, I hope everyone in Buckingham will still vote UKIP to ensure that Speaker John Berkow is thrown out off office.

Don't Call Me Dave said...

Spot the typo. Should have said "squirts" not "quirts"!

Daniel Hoffmann-Gill said...

What do you expect Rog? It is the UKIP, watered down BNP types. This is their meat and drink.