veil politics again

As we head towards the national election dogs all across town are pricking up their ears as politicians blow the whistles. Today it's Cory Bernardi (I'm waiting for Bananababy Joyce to escape from his keepers, after being remarkably silent for the past month or so) with a pronouncement that the burqa is "unaustralian". The Senator, among other things, is founder of the Conservative Leadership Foundation ("a not-for-profit, non-partisan education and training organisation" ... "Australia needs organisations like the CLF. Organisations that support and foster mainstream values and adherence to time honoured principles." etc)

On the ABC's Drum site he stated that -

In my mind, the burka has no place in Australian society. I would go as far as to say it is un-Australian. To me, the burka represents the repressive domination of men over women which has no place in our society and compromises some of the most important aspects of human communication.

It also establishes a different set of rules and societal expectations in our hitherto homogenous society.

Leaving aside the ahistorical nature of claims of cultural (or ethno-religious) homogeneity, perhaps surprising from someone whose 'non-Anglo' surname might remind us that people who weren't WASPs often faced discrimination in Australia's past, we might ask whether symbolic representations of the "repressive domination of men over women" are sufficient grounds for regulation.

One contact, who drew my attention to Senator Bernardi's statement, commented that if he's being consistent we should ban cardinal's hats, given that one arm of the Christian faith resolutely refuses to recognise the equality of women ("point me to the nearest female cardinal"). The delightful folk from the Jehovah's Witnesses (damn, women wearing headscarves as they go doorknocking-for-god) or from other protestant or quasi-protestant sects can also take a bow.

Bernardi goes on to state that -

there is a greater reason the burka needs to be binned.

Equality of women is one of the key values in our secular society and any culture that believes only women should be covered in such a repressive manner is not consistent with the Australian culture and values.

Perhaps some of you will consider that burka wearing should be a matter of personal choice, consistent with the freedoms our forefathers fought for. I disagree.

New arrivals to this country should not come here to recreate the living environment they have just left. They should come here for a better life based on the freedoms and values that have built our great nation.

Hmm, the freedom to be nasty to the people who came off the ship before you, and no nonsense about tolerance, diversity or human rights?

The burqa, it seems is "no longer simply the symbol of female repression and Islamic culture, it is now emerging as the preferred disguise of bandits and n'er do wells". Oh dear ... bandits, dole bludgers, people who vote for the Green candidate or slaughter kittens and goats in their backyard.