Funny part is, whenever you talk about niqab, the "ban it!" people automatically shift the discussion to the burqa.
In Algeria, many women voluntarily go for niqab in a society that doesn't require it, either legally or generally customarily.
There's also the whole aspect of if you "save" these oppressed women by government action, do you really think their men will behave any differently, or that, having had their niqab, hijab, burqa, whatever banned by law will suddenly make them leave their abusive families, get jobs, wear jeans, and sing "I Am Woman?"
I shift to the burqua because I only have direct experience with women and burqas or hijabs...I don't know about the niqab and I have not had an opportunity to speak directly to Muslims about it...until I do, my opinion is uninformed, merely my opinion, and thus I have no agenda or thoughts about it one way or another...with the burqua I do
I don't really care much what peoples' opinions are that are based on their feelings on this issue or what they perceive to be right...I do care about informed opinions...if a whole bunch of burqua wearing women speak to me about why they want it, tell me buddy isn't forcing them and they know they aren't going to hell if they don't, then have at it...so far...zero and I do mean ZERO muslim women I have spoken to endorse the wearing of it..here in my area I have never seen anyone wear a niqub in public ever
I have tried on a burqua....I think any man who endorses his partner wear one should have to wear it too...bastards
as for laws banning it...lets see how many radicals who endorse it immigrate here when we tell them it's illegal, "she will NOT be wearing it...and if you kill her for it, like your ilk is want to do, we won't kill you, but we will send you home with a target on your back".
funny thing about slavery and to me this is certainly slavery...some people were afraid to take off their chains too, they were debased and abused, and minimized...once they did remove those shackles, they didn't look back,
no I don't think it will suddenly enlighten the neanderthal mind set but it will certainly send a message that we here in Canada are completely and fully aware of what the burqua represents and we do not endorse it, in fact we have outlawed it, just like making others wear chains
we have to lose our fear of helping others and step out of our comfort zone by asking questions of other cultures that we are unfamiliar with...we have to dare to make mistakes, dare to offend, dare to err...and connect as human beings