Should the burqa be banned?

Founding father, Patrick Henry exclaimed, give me liberty or give me death (Henry, 1775) in a speech to fellow Virginia colonials in 1775. His words are just as pertinent now as they ever were. Countless news stories over the past year about France and other European countries outlawing burqas in public have left me conflicted. The burqa is a long, head to toe garment worn by many Muslim women in public. These bans also include the niqab, which covers the face, and is part of the hijab, which covers the head and hair. Part of me agrees that the wearing of this garment is unnecessary, if not a security concern; another part of me feels that no government should be telling its citizens what they can and cannot wear. Can we balance personal and religious freedom with civic and national security in the age of global terrorism? Some say Muslim women are forced or brainwashed into wearing the burqa. They are subtly coerced into this tradition. Proponents of a ban assert that burqas are covering up literal and figurative scars of domestic violence. Society would lead us to believe that every Muslim woman chooses to wear a burqa of her own free will, but we know this is not the case. The burqa wearing women in Muslim society represent a small percentage of the religion as a whole. Wearing the burqa has become mostly an extreme practice that modernizing Muslim countries have moved away from. Most religious scholars believe that the Quran requires women to dress modestly, and that face veiling is a leftover teaching from the 7th century. Like it or not, we live in a world of surveillance these days. Public safety officials suggest that we cant afford to have anonymous, veiled people walking around in public. The secrecy provided by the burqa makes the potential for a suicide bomber increase. Terrorist groups jihads against the west have put every nation, and citizen, on notice. Government has an obligation to protect its citizens

from attack, and every option should be on the table. Proponents agree that someones freedom to wear what they want cant impede someone elses desire to feel secure. Many people question whether the burqa has a place in modern society, but numerous people feel a ban is not the best solution. Anti-ban groups think that there can be dress restrictions in certain situations that require heightened security, and certain jobs can require a dress code; but an all-out ban is problematic. Modern society accepts the fact that individuals should be able to make choices that may not be in their own best interests. Free citizens have the right to be morbidly obese, and the health risks are well documented, yet there is no ban against this. The burqa is a symbol of oppression of women; but many argue that its not necessarily the cause. Banning the symbol doesnt solve the fundamental problem. Some question where the ban on clothing stops. Many take issue with trying to decide which religious clothing is banned, while other, less visible, religious attire is deemed acceptable. As long as society is banning religious activities that are demeaning to women; the question begs to be asked why stop with Muslims? Many religions dont allow women to hold high positions, but this has been going on for centuries. Many point to the hypocrisy of one group taking away liberties from one group, all the while clinging to those same liberties for themselves. If a woman wants to wear something that shows devotion to her chosen religion, she should have that right. Government intervention into what people wear is a slippery slope; and a segment of society is unwilling to pay the moral price of lost civil liberties, in exchange for more security. A recent Pew Research Center poll shows that there is widespread support for banning burqas in Europe, but more than 65% of voters in the United States would reject such ban. (Widespread Support for Banning Full Islamic Veil in Western Europe, 2010) So where does this leave us? Whats at stake? Is there a balance between civil liberties of citizens and the 2

security of those same people? Is there some compromise that can assuage both sides? Ignorance on a subject only brings about fear; this subject is already burdened with suspicion and apprehension, from recent terrorist attacks. We live in the era of Islamic extremism with a global reach. This issue is not going away anytime soon. Islam is one of the largest and fastest growing religions on earth. This debate is on our doorstep. Society would be well served to try to wrap our heads around this issue before its staring us down too close to home. We must now decide, like Patrick Henry, if we are willing to risk death, for the cost of liberty.

Works Cited
Henry, P. (1775, March 23). Give me liberty or give me death. Richmond, Virginia. Widespread Support for Banning Full Islamic Veil in Western Europe. (2010, July 8). Retrieved September 16, 2011, from Pew Research Center: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1658/widespreadsupport-for-banning-full-islamic-veil-western-europe-not-in-america