Ban the Burkini? Are You Joking! by Mrs Vera West

Recently, the media reported on French policeman surrounding a Muslim woman who had been swimming at the beach and forced her, by law to remove her burka, or head coverings. France, until a few days ago, had championed the ban as something of a show-and-tell, to cover for the socialist governments porous, near-open borders and embrace of mass migration.

The French position of liberty, equality and fraternity, has it that the burka and burkini are symbols of female oppression. The Islamic idea is that women invite sexual attack by their dress and that modesty is a protection against this. Commenting on this Jennifer Oriel (The Australian, August 29, 2016, p. 12) says “The burkini is a symbol of surrender to archaic sexual mores that divide moral from immoral women by dress code.”

As I see it, the decision of Frances highest administrative tribunal to annul the burkini ban was a right one, made on the grounds of an unreasonable restriction of individual liberty. It is unreasonable to let traditionalist Muslims into one’s country, while proclaiming multiculturalism and “diversity” and then engaging in repressive measures that undermines that culture. I believe in true multi-culturalism, which sees diverse cultures existing with space between them, so that people have the right to live by their lights. Mass migration undermines cultural diversity and does not promote it. Simply don’t let people into one’s country if they are not likely to assimilate.

Jamming everybody together in the West through mass immigration is a recipe for disaster and misery for all. The Muslim woman, harassed on the beach by police, is the real symbol of sham multiculturalism, and of the trouble that lies ahead for a foolish and callous West.