Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has previously admitted the burqa makes him uncomfortable, Jack Straw caused a media ruckus in 2006 by asking Muslim women to remove veils covering their faces during face-to-face meetings, while the (supposedly non-racist) UKIP have called for a complete ban. But what is a burqa?
Burqas are an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the purpose of hiding a female's body when out in public. It is worn over the usual daily clothing and removed when the woman returns to the sanctuary of the household, out of the view of men that are not their husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles, sons and grandsons. The headscarf is NOT a sign of Islamic fundamentalism, but a peaceful sign of religion and family life.
The banning of (or suggestion of banning) of burqas has already begun. For example, French public schools have had a ban since 2004 as the result of a law that prohibits students to wear any clearly visible religious symbols. This was followed on 22 June 2009, when the president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy said that burqas are "not welcome" in France, commenting that "In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity".
On 26 January 2010, the commission reported that access to public services and public transport should be barred to those wearing the burqa. The Netherlands seek to propose a country-wide ban as well. On 29 April 2010, the lower house of parliament in Belgium passed a bill banning any clothing that would obscure the identity of the wearer in places like parks and in the street.
However, dressing modestly should not be a crime simply because she chooses to adhere to her Islamic beliefs. Any proposed ban should be cause for concern among all who support and cherish the concept of freedom, regardless of creed or nationality, as part of a democracy. The President of the United States, Barack Obama, offered a good summary when he said it is "important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit, for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear".
Despite the blow to "freedom of choice" that any potential ban may be across the various countries in Europe, at least in it has travelled through the democratic process and was widely debated in European society. However, both France and Belgium appear to have carried out a knee-jerk reaction to the current fear of Islam. In conclusion, burqas may seem diverse and "difficult to understand" to non-Muslims, but with a simple education about the reasons why headwear is worn by followers of Islam and a reminder of the basic principles of why democracy has put the Great in Britain, then we can perhaps avoid following the mistakes of our European friends.
Andrew Parker is a freelance journalist who has written many articles on Islamic fashion, abayas and hijabs.