Sailing close to the wind

dms

He has clearly written a piece both in favour of, and against, islamophobia.  We just have to wait and see which he reads out...

SteakAndCake

Yeah this.                                                                                                                                         

Sonic67

It's unfortunate that the oppression is from a number of these ladies being coerced into wearing this. That's the real story.

Someone saying it looks foolish (when it does) should be a non story in a free society.

Cliff

I think he was making a fair point, Denmark is wrong.

Hey, get me, not afraid to say Denmark is wrong and I don't live there and I'm not Danish.

I've given my views on it on here before. I have a problem, if it's related to security or driving or teaching or court. I am sad it's worn.

However, I wouldn't ban a woman going out of the house and going to her friends house and how she is dressed. She can wear pyjamas or a burqa or a bikini and flip flops.

As it's a controversial subject I think he added that in for the same reason I said earlier. He was saying, "yes it looks, ridiculous, but don't ban it." A reasonable line and no problem with that.

You called it a racist article.

Not the one line. The whole article. So I asked you if you took the one line out whether you considered it racist.

Obviously you do as you already said it was, which was why I wondered how so? I don't see how Boris saying Denmark is wrong is racist.

Then you said you couldn't comment on Denmark as you wasn't Danish and didn't live there.

So what is racist about the article? The "letterbox" reference? That's it? This makes him Tommy Robinson?

tommitch

Totally agree. For the sake of Ladies who are British citizens it should be discussed.

rancidpunk

Should a tradition remain, simply because it is a tradition? In my opinion no.

Obviously there would need to be a reason for tradition to change, but I just think that in todays society, an item of clothing that's associated with oppression, would have been frowned upon?

Cliff

In all fairness, that is another story entirely. No one should be forced to cover their faces if they don't want to, but we have no idea how many choose to as opposed to being forced to. It is a choice for a number of Muslim women though, that's a pretty inescapable fact.

I wear the niqab, let me speak on my own behalf

Feminism, fashion and religion: Why Muslim women choose to wear the veil

He said children looked like bank robbers and women like letter boxes. It's ridicule, the language chosen is beyond calling it foolish. No prominent MP should be ridiculing any sub section of society based on how they look, I can't understand why anyone would think that is acceptable. If an MP normalises ridiculing those who look different it just validates others doing the same.

Oddly, or not, I witnessed the same ridicule last week aimed at a band who choose to dress the complete opposite to this debate. Unfortunately small minded people will always ridicule others for how they look, I just don't think they should be given an endorsement from our politicians.

SteakAndCake

'Where they come from' . If they have made their home in Britain, and are British citizens then of course we should have a say in what foreign traditions/religious customs are acceptable or not.

And to turn this around, should we allow the men to dictate what the women wear?

springtide

Seems simple to me.  Does the foreign tradition or custom break our secular laws?  If it does, no, they don't get to do it.   If not, crack on, wear what you like and worship who you please.

If these clothes make people uncomfortable, then the problem is with them.   Nobody has a right to feel comfortable and nobody should be compelled to dress to ensure the comfort of others.

springtide

It was nothing to do with Denmark or even whether BoJo feels it looks stupid, women's rights etc etc.

It was about making out that he somehow cares about the decision in Denmark, but also getting in that sound byte for that populist future vote.

I personally think it would have been best to just ignore it as we shouldn't be giving BoJo a platform.