Feelings Upon Seeing a Burqa

Submitted by Richard (United States), Aug 19, 2007 at 18:42

The other day in front of the grocery store here in Oakland, California I saw someone wearing a black burqa.

My feelings were instant and involuntary.

I felt as though I would have upon opening the door on Halloween, expecting to find a costumed child, but finding myself confronted instead with Freddy Kruger.

All the rationalizations -- freedom to wear anything you want, the importance of tolerating other cultures, etc., etc. -- came afterwards. But none of these could erase my immediate feelings of revulsion -- and, I think, even a little fear.

Just an observation that I had of myself.

It leads, however, to the question that if you wear something making strangers feel this way, what kind of regard to you have for them, their culture, and your adopted country ?

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".