Ban the Burka! Belgium leads the Way

Following on from the Swiss decision to prohibit the construction of minarets, a Belgian parliamentary committee has decided to ban garments that cover the face and make identification impossible. This will therefore include both the burka and the niqab, behind which ‘devout’ Muslims like to hide their womenfolk. The Belgian parliament will have to vote on this proposal in April before it passes into law, but there are concerns that the country could be challenged through opponents taking their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

With some 650,000 Muslims in the country, the Belgians can expect to encounter some sour grapes from those of them who are intent upon imposing their alien standards in the heart of Europe. The Telegraph quotes Denis Ducarme, a Belgian MP whose party – the liberal Reformist Movement – drafted the ban, as saying that:

"This is a very strong signal being sent to Islamists . . . I am proud that Belgium would be the first country in Europe which dares to legislate on this sensitive matter."

If this makes so-called ‘devout’ Muslims reconsider whether they should be residing in Belgium, then this will be an additional benefit of the legislation. Such people who are unhappy living in accordance with non-Muslim norms in non-Muslim countries should be encouraged to leave. There are plenty of places around the world where they can shroud themselves in cloth and live lives of Islamic misery. On that note, cheer yourself up with a satirical take on the absurdity of the burka by watching and listening to Burka Blue by the Burka Band, the bravest and hottest female act in Afghanistan.