Wednesday 27 January 2010

Tom RDD vs. The world

So it's time for a real post. So, you might be asking yourself, what popular culture topic is he going to rip into today? Or what political topic will he rant about in that oh-so articulate liberal speak? Well today is the later and I'm going to talk about a political issue that has got a few people talking.

The issue is that of full face veils of the Islamic community and the recent banning of said clothing in France, and the question people are now asking themselves in Britain; Should they be banned from public dress?

In short. No. Banning any item of clothing is an incredibly fascist thing to do. Do I know the argument behind banning it? About it being sexist? Yes. And do I agree with that argument? yes, but I will not push my Western culture onto a group of people who do not want it. Do I think attitudes towards women should change in select Islamic communities? Yes I do but it is not my place as someone who is not a Muslim to tell people how to run their religion. I could go on about how hypocritical it is to condemn cross dressing, yet a child, girl or boy, wears a dress when they are accepted into the christian faith (baptism for all of you who didn't get that one). I could go on about how utterly wrong it is for catholic priests to abuse young children and how utterly stupid Mormonism and Scientology are, but I digress.

My point is a lot of people calling for this ban are not members of the religion. If a majority of the Islamic community in the UK decide to ban face veils then so be it but it is not our decision as members of other religions to impose our beliefs onto them. In my mind banning something from public dress is idiotic because then you open the flood gates to people complaining about what they find offensive. How long will it be until Christians start complaining about the "Jesus is coming, look busy t-shirts"? Or I start complaining about seeing that shitty vampire film, with the guy who looks and has the acting ability of a foot, everywhere I go? You ban one thing it won't be long until closed minded people start asking you to ban another, and another. Instead of simply banning them and opening to flood gates to perpetuate the idea that some extremists hold that the UK (and the west) is an anti-Islamic country, use education and information. Let the women of the religion decide what is right for them.

Finally, I think a lot of religious beliefs need to come out of the stone ages. We are in the 21st century and it's time we started acting like it.

Peace, love and respect. always.

-- Tom RDD

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