Will Saudi Arabia now ban the burqa?

Brian Micklethwait (London) · Civil liberty, Law & Regulation · Middle East & Islamic

Women in Saudi Arabia have been openly driving cars in defiance of an official ban on female drivers in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

My thanks to Antoine Clarke for the h/t. Antoine’s Norlonto Review has been only occasional in recent months, but is now active. And Antoine adds this observation:

SAUDI ARABIA NEEDS A BURQA BAN. Women defy government ban on driving and post videos of themselves driving around town. Of course the veil makes it harder to identify them.

I guess those Islamic scholars who insisted that the burqa was a liberation have a point.

Heh.

7 comments to Will Saudi Arabia now ban the burqa?

PersonFromPorlock

June 20, 2011 at 12:35 am

Indeed. As far as self-liberating Arab women goes, I can’t help but remember a scene in “Agnes of God” where the Mother Superior gestures at her habit and quips “You could hide a machine gun in here.”

Precisely.
Alisa

June 20, 2011 at 4:07 am

I don’t think that what Saudi women is called ‘burqa’ – it’s hijab.
the other rob

June 20, 2011 at 2:39 pm

I believe that you are correct, Alisa.

Semantics aside, however, I found this story of goings on in France similarly entertaining: (Link)

Refusal to unveil scuppers French refusal-to-unveil trial

A burqa-clad woman yesterday rather brilliantly exposed a fatal flaw in France’s ban on the traditional Muslim garb when she attended court to face a charge of “covering her face in a public place”, and then simply refused to take off her burqa for the hearing.
Ian F4

June 20, 2011 at 5:58 pm

@ other rob – I saw that story and was wondering if France has a “contempt of court” rule, which in this country can be quite severe, as a Ms Fraill found out earlier.
Alisa

June 20, 2011 at 9:24 pm

Hmm, I attached a pedantry closing tag to my comment, but it didn’t show up. And, I missed a word. Oh well.
'Nuke' Gray

June 21, 2011 at 4:14 am

Of course, another solution might be to ban all women from public roads- then, anyone wearing a burqa could be jailed and publicly shamed.
lucklucky

June 21, 2011 at 2:17 pm

Muslim woman in Burka in Australia stopped by police.
Later accuses Police of being racist and of trying to uncover her face.
Video from Police car proves it is untruth the accusation.

Judge dismiss case of her making a deliberately false statement because the accusation was filled by a person in a Burka and as such it can’t prove that was her that made it.

It has also this pearl:
Mrs Matthew’s lawyer Stephen Hopper defended their actions saying: “They are obviously happy with the result and are expressing it in a way that is culturally appropriate to them.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/judge-could-not-be-sure-who-was-behind-the-veil/story-fn7x8me2-1226078801032

via:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/270111/dance-post-modern-veils-mark-steyn