Rachid Nekkaz

French Businessman to pay all burqa fines. See the article here.

Finally! I am so glad people are beginning to realise what a stupid idea the burqa ban is. When people remove emotion from their perspective on the situation they'll notice the hypocrisy. I am not a Muslim and I do think the burqa segregates women from society (it is not something I would ever wear), however, this act more of a political and racial target than it is about women's rights. The worst thing is that it adds fire to the arguments of ignorant and narrow-minded people.

Women may be 'freer' in today's societies but in gaining that freedom we have taken on other pressures; to be successful career-women, wonderful mothers, housewives and all the while looking like a supermodel. Our society is just as hard on women as some that you'd consider 'backwards'. Sure, our women can drive and vote, but is pay equal for men and women? No! How many modern protagonists in novels are women? Very few. How many of the world's leaders are women? Has France EVER had a female president? No! How many CEO's of the Forbes-100 companies are women? Very few again.

The typical (pro-ban) arguments I hear in response to the burqa ban are:

a) They could hide bombs underneath their robes and are as such a security threat. (Ummm, stereotyping much? And by this logic then, wouldn't it be possible for a women to hide explosive material under a loose maxi-dress?)

b) I don't like those ninja dresses/bags over their heads. (I don't like your face, but I don't ask you to change it much less ask the country to bring a law against it.)

c) Women only wear the niqab because they are forced to by their husbands. (Wrong. Statistics have shown that many women who wear the niqab in the West are mostly converts to Islam. Also, it is stated nowhere in the Quran that women must be covered; modesty is suggested for both men and women. The niqab is a cultural garment, just like the football shirt is British traditional dress :P )

d) Wearing the burqa shows that these Muslim women do not want to integrate. (Okay, I sort of agree with this, however, it is their inalienable right. If they dont want to integrate, live with it. I don't particularly want to 'integrate' at times; especially when 90210 is on).