In light of todays news

[shiznit]

This is in no way a racist post, just a question. How come in light of todays fury at muslim women being asked to remove their veils by a Blackburn MP, what is the lay of the law, if any, on visiting Banks and petrol stations, for example. As a motorbike rider, I am constantly asked to remove my helmet, even if I have my visor up. I know the veil is s religous statement but surely the same rules would apply, yet there is no mentioned of this in the news, or indeed at places like banks and garages, like I said not in any means racist just a a general question

[Rock'n'Roll]

perhaps more people commit robberies and violent crime concealed behind crash helmets than behind Veils.
Seems a coicidence tyhat deputy leader is up for grabs and Straw makes this statement. Muslims have been in Blackburn for donkeys years,is it just recently he asked them to remove the veil or has he been asking them for years and we've just come to hear about it?

[shiznit]

Well that is the obvious answer and your probably right, but I am also asked to do the same in supermarkets, and lots of other places were the likelyhood of a robbery taking place are pretty slim, i live in blackburn and this has caused a big uproar amongst the muslim community, no one ever complains about having to remove helmets so whats the problem?

[curiosity]

I agree with you Shiznit, and again not for any racist reasons, this has come really timely for me as I was just discussing a few days ago about a woman in Somerfield with only her pupils showing, and it made me feel uncomfortable cos I couldn't see her face. I thought about motorcycle helmets and also hoodies, and I know these arn't worn for religious purposes but a veil isn't compulsory is it? I work with some young people who are very socially anxious and prefer to hide in the "safety" of a hood, but this wouldn't be allowed. I think Jack Straw has a point.

[shiznit]

Thanks curiosity, you have just reminded me of something else as well, I used to live near a large shopping centre called Bluewater and they banned teenagers from wearing hoddies and baseball caps, they said that other shoppers were intimitated by them and if they refused to follow the rules they were thrown out.

Now Im not saying that wearing a veil is intimitading, but surely there has to be kind of uniformity to this, a well know columnist on the news this morning and I quote repeat I quote i.e not my words " as a country we are losing our identity, this is a Christian country, why are own religous beliefs not treated with the same respect as other religions which are not native to this country but are however the loudest to be heard when wronged" end quote. I am an athiest but can understand peoples frustration at not having a voice when we are threatened by the PC brigade for fighting for our right to protect our heritage. This country is loved and visited by many foreign visitors, not for the crappy weather but for our heritage and national treasures, where is all this going to end.

When visiting Egypt a couple of years ago we visited a temple which before being discovered had a muslim mosque built on the upper foundations, although we were visiting a temple from a now defunked religion, we were asked to cover our arms and legs out of respect for the mosque, something which despite the heat eveyone did.


sorry to go but I just don't where all this PC bull is going to stop, I must reiterate that this is in no way a racist rant but some frustration at the way we are treated in our country on a whole, whether white, black, asian or from flippin mars

[jenstar]

"I am also asked to do the same in supermarkets, and lots of other places were the likelyhood of a robbery taking place are pretty slim... no one ever complains about having to remove helmets so whats the problem?"

Well, maybe you *should* complain about having to remove your helmet. After all, they're basically accusing you of being a shoplifter, which is a lousy way of treating innocent customers.

[Lonnie]

I'm just waiting for the first robbery by people, (non Muslims), to dress as female muslims to commit their crime.

[shiznit]

I was just wondering how women wearing these veils go on at airports, esecially in light of the recent crack down with security?.

I was asked to remove my baseball cap at Gatwick, and this was just on a internal flight...........go figure!