Saturday, November 18, 2006

Netherlands to BAN the Muslim Veil in Public

I react to a possible ban in the Netherlands to the Muslim veil in public with disgust. Under the auspice of a concern for national security, the freedom of an entire religion has been compromised. In reality, such a law is typical politicking and the very reason why politicians are not to be trusted.

It does not matter one iota whether or not the majority of the Dutch people support such legislation. It does not matter if just one Dutch citizen opposes this legislation, while the remaining 16 million support it. The Muslim veil claims no victims. It has utility to those who wear it and no consequences for those who don’t, or even for those who do not like it. It is therefore indefensible for the Netherlands to ban such a harmless object, merely to garner support from their electorate.

Freedom is not to be limited to the temporary preferences and tastes of the people. Freedom is to be given to all those who do not wish to abuse it. And the wearers of the veil do not wish to abuse it any more than a white Dutch citizen wearing a t-shirt wishes to abuse that. It is unfortunate (and that is a vast understatement) those wishing to wear the veil in the Netherlands must be subject to the wishes of those who perhaps will never see a veil-wearing woman in their lives. Indeed, there are only 100 in the Netherlands. What a threat.