One cannot legislate a piece of rag!
Reader comment on item: Bibliography – My Writings on Burqas, Niqabs, Jilbabs, Chadors, Hijabs, and other Islamic Coverings

Submitted by EM (Canada), Sep 21, 2007 at 10:15

You gave very little thoughts about the writing of the law you propose: how can legislators ban the burqa without banning the Catholic nun coiffe, the Sikh turban or the Jewish skullcap? And what about ordinary people who wear a scarf for practical or fashion reasons? What about cancer chemotherapy patients who wear a scarf over their bald heads?

The minute an anti-burqa law is enforced, thousands of ACLU people and leftists of all colours will deliberately walk and work with burquas, thus turning this ban in ridicule.

When calling for a ban on a piece of clothing, you think no higher than the Mullahs with their absurd rules. Instead, you should call for laws prohibiting the promotion of hate, violence and treason, including within religious meetings, and call for creating mechanisms to legally monitor speech, including private speech.

If you think such a law will be difficult to write, vote and enforce, tell yourself it will be much easier than an anti-head covering law.

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Daniel Pipes replies:

My problem is not with head coverings but with face coverings. As I established at "Ban the Burqa - and the Niqab Too," these are often accessories to crime and other dangers to security.

As for laws banning the promotion of hate - no way. Fortunately, the First Amendment rules in the United States. Unlike Canada.