[DanaC]

Chika, i know damn well you aren't racist :P

I don't think it's the main reason. My main reason to be against such a law is that it is counter productive in many ways.

Away from the village mentality, and looking at second and third generation, middle-class moslem girls attending university and looking for careers in business, law, or science, seem to be adopting the veil more and more. It has become a way to express their cultural and religious identity, their individual right to follow their faith. It has become ever more loaded with symbolism as time has gone on. part of the reason for that is that we have, as a culture, afforded it that level of symbolic meaning. It has become a totem on both sides of the argument. Banning it would give it almost mythical status (imo) amongst young, politically aware, culturally sensitive moslem women. Its demise in law would underline any sense of alienation, betrayal and grievance they may feel towards us, the rest of their countrymen and women, who have allowed their cultural expression to be dismissed and denied.

I also think it is wrong. I think those girls at university, who are making choices about the veil, have every right to forge their version of British culture. And for their version to be a part of the whole. The veil doesn't physically harm or endanger anybody. It's a piece of material over the face. What it means, and why it is worn differs depending on who is wearing it. At its heart it's usually worn for reasons i personally find repellent. But it is patently not the same as female circumcision. We have a duty to ensure children are safe from harm; female circumcision is harmful. The veil, in and of itself is not harmful. The cultural baggage attached to it and underlying the reasons for wearing it are, in my opinion, harmful: but none of that will go away if we remove the cloth. It is a stab at something we, the majority, find uncomfortable and disquieting. It serves no useful purpose to my mind.