Boris Johnson's Latest 'Gaff'

Ah, it wasn't aimed at you, or anyone particularly.
It just riles me when anyone else is fair game to criticise, but not Muslims.
It isn't a slur on their religion or their choice. It isn't racist.
They just do look like letter boxes.

Seems we’re all getting too sensitive about certain issues and too mealy-mouthed when it comes to minority groups. Time for some plain speaking I think.

Of course ethnicity should be respected and accepted but it seems to me lately that with this and the anti-semitism row some groups are pushing their agenda in a way that might backfire.

oops, I just criticised gypsy tops on another thread

I'll leave the indignation to Muslims.
Not my Burka, not my problem.
Hopefully this means we'll see no more threads about tattoos, cold shoulder tops, and all the other things women choose to wear.

Boris is just saying what a lot of people think but don't iterate in public. Then the 'Holier than Thou's' have a field day. When did we get to be so precious? Get a life.
'

muffin - well explained. There's so much more to this than meets the eye.

To Elrel

Maybe he doesn't but I do. (Just saying)!

We are more liberal here than in some other European countries.
However, there are certain situations and places where a burka is not and should not be allowed to be worn, particularly by staff in a school, in hospitals, witnesses in court where facial expressions need to be seen as they are part of communication.

wellingtonpie: the point you missed is that BJ does NOT agree with the Danish ban?

Nobody comments on how stupid he often looks
But we do vickya - hence that photo would not have been in the msm for all to see.

But what he is wearing is not a manifestation of his religion nor is it indicating that he is possibly being repressed by others.

How many people who are discussing this actually read the article? He did not actually liken them to bank robbers; it is a bit of a leap to say he did. He did say they looked like letterboxes which is his crass humour. He actually feels this is a form of oppression because he hasn't got the imagination to think a woman might feel more comfortable being completely covered. He doesn't want the style of dress banned, he wants the right not to have faces covered when he's dealing with these ladies in his surgery. The reaction by the press is completely hysterical and there are so many worse things going on in the world to be reported.

Most of my flatmates over the years were Muslim. I will pass on something that once came up in conversation one evening when other Muslim friends of ours were over.

The group who were together that night were all born and raised in the UK. They all said the same thing: their parents were all individually pretty liberal about dress amd behaviour, but the same problem kept coming up in class after class of girls, in communities across the city and country.

The problem was (and perhaps still is; this was only a few years back) that one family would decide their daughter was to wear the hijab or even the niqab. The rest of the parents of similar aged girls would feel unhappy about this and not join in.

But then there would be the rumours and the snide remarks from older community members about the other girl being more modest, more pure, a better Muslim. And these older community members would be the ones deciding who was most attractive as a potential wife.

So the pressure would build and build, and first one girl and then another would be told by her parents to start veiling. Amd soon all the girls would be in hijab or niqab, or burqa, depending on how it had all started.

In a community with such heavy value placed on marriage and ‘honour’, you only need one particularly strict family to effectively impose a new standard of dress and behaviour on the young girls of the community.

Anniebach it is the covering of the face that bothers most people. It is a sign of exclusivity. These women want us to know that they do not want to know us. I live in London and we see many burqa clad women. I was an early feminist and I am outraged that women wear this imprisoning ugly uniform. It shrieks female repression to me.

"How dare we criticise someone else's culture"

I dare to criticise someone else's culture when it involves ritual mutilation of babies (male and female), forced marriage, and the subjugation of women; all of which I find deeply offensive and inhumane.

Live and let live is a good motto, but it cannot be limitless.

I really think the media must be having its strings pulled from somewhere because the airtime given to both this and the Cirbyn issue is quite frankly ridiculous. When the news comes on whatever company i am in the same respinse is uttered.OMG not this again, with all thats going on in the world they choose to hype a bit if name calling.

Oh you are so right sarahellen we had a young Iranian guy work for us for years (lovely he was too) he and his very westernised wife travelled regularly back home to visit family . He told us that the captain on an aeroplane often announced when they are entering Iranian airspace and that women should cover up .

The recent comment by BJ brought back memories to the years before living in my present property where I had a neighbour whose partner made frequent trips, concerning his work, to Jeddah SA. One of the stories he brought back, concerning that country, that it was not unusual on flights to a European country to witness ladies who had boarded in coverage, as described by BJ, to enter the toilets half way through the flight and emerge minus that they wore on entering but now wearing fashions what might be seen on a Paris fashion house catwalk and minus any hair and face coverage. No it was not for passenger entertainment. Which indicates that in the UK it is choice and not an enforcement.

Do we have any posters who wear the burka or similar clothing? If not, why is this the case?

I have been out all morning so have only just seen the post by PECS at 9.43. In reply I would say that, of course they are all "ordinary" women, just like any of us.

In the course of my job I came into contact with many Muslim and Asian people and have friends in those communities. I have had discussions with women from these communities and I have asked why some of them wear the burkha, the most frequent answer has been because they are told to by their father/husband/brother.

As I have said before I have no problem with the chador or the headscarf - but from the conversations I have had it seems the burkha is a garment used to keep women subservient.

This is just what I was thinking ginny. Prince Phillip is noted for coming out with his merry quips and people find him funny. Me included. Why all the fuss about Boris? PC brigade gone mad.

Have you been on here long Brigi?
Rather early to unsubscribe.
Where is the country you describe...not here, and never has been and not any other country either!
Every culture is criticised by another culture ( just saying.)
The place you describe is Paradise, which we may go to ( or not) someday.

Ladies/Gents - I'm honestly shocked and horrified by some of the comments here. 'Walk a mile in someone's shoes'. Since when did this beautiful country of ours become intolerant, unkind and damn right bigoted? How dare we criticise someone else's culture? These views are just ignorant and I've decided to unsubscribe - I think I've read enough to know I don't want to be a part of this forum any more. It's a big world out there and the more people hold these views the more we become divided and full of ignorance and hate. I want to live in a tolerant and fair society, where difference is celebrated and where we can learn and love different cultures and people. Call me a dreamer but we should all be striving for a peaceful world!!

An interesting & thought provoking read Terribull

I think what I object to is the fact that we seem to have come to accept people in the public eye being rude, insensitive & dishonest. Boris did this on purpose in order to have media attention focused on him. He’s an embarrassment and too much like Trump for my liking, though he’s brighter I suppose.