Justin Trudeau's government drops controversial niqab appeal

[gcomeau]

13. Not so easy.

(1) The 50% value you are referring to in that poll refers to Muslims in majority Muslim nations wanting sharia law applied in their own countries.

Since a lot of the people who immigrate to other nations do so for a reason, why would you think a Muslim immigrant who is leaving those countries where that is a widespread belief to live in Canada where it is very clearly NOT is likely to fall within that 50%. Would it not be plausible that she's immigrating precisely because she wants to go live somewhere where she would be more comfortable with prevailing political opinions (which does not require she conform in every single way)?


(2) Saying, paraphrasing... "I don't know what to tell you I'm just right and don't know why you can't see it" is the opposite of an answer, although I will grant you it is an easy response. It is always easy to simply decide that a complex issue that is a mix of long standing cultural and religious traditions is as simplistic as "if they wear this they're making a radical statement so don't let them wear it". But like most oversimplifications it breaks down when you shift from broad generalizations to dealing with the individual.

There are PLENTY of Muslim women who wear a niqab for the sole reason that they believe it is a modesty requirement of their faith. I think that's ridiculous as I consider pretty much all religious traditions ridiculous but you or I thinking it is ridiculous (or insisting on projecting political statements onto it that may or may not actually be there) is in no ways grounds for us to demand the government act to enforce our views on others.

And the Niqab is NOT banned in Cameroon or Senegal because it is a "radical political statement". They banned it because Boko Haram had a couple people take advantage of the concealment of the garb to hide explosives. Pretty sure we can deal with the threat of people bringing bombs to swearing in ceremonies without having to pointlessly dictate what they be wearing while they're speaking the oath.


(3) No, the fact that some strains of religion are in radical oppostion to democracy only becomes relevant if you can explain to me how you know that this woman is actively pursuing that agenda by wearing the garb. Which you can't. Whereas the KKK has a an extremely homogeneous ideology when it comes to points of contention like the persecution of racial minorities and thus their garb is easily identifiable as a hate symbol the niqab comes from a far more complicated religious and cultural history that goes back centuries and just the fact that a woman is wearing one does not automatically tell you they hate democracy or something.

HOWEVER, for the sake of argument let me point out that EVEN IF IT DID a person advocating, peaceably, for a political viewpoint is not in and of itself grounds for the government to forcible dictate their wardrobe choice either! So long as they are not threatening or otherwise committing some onerous assault upon another person or group in the process. That is in fact one of the freaking rights guaranteed BY that government. Or are you just kind of overlooking that fact?