COVERING UP . . .

I'm disturbed by the latest trend all over Europe to rid Muslim women of their head-coverings, burqas. Say what you like, but I believe these coverings, whether head-to-toe, or just the head and face, or just the hair, are expressions of a Muslim woman's faith. Maybe she doesn't want to wear it and does because she is afraid -- of her parents, her husband, her religious leaders, or of being exposed when she had never been before. Maybe she finds it comfortable. Maybe she is proud of her religion and proud to abide by its restrictions and teachings. Whatever -- I don't know; none of us know. But to have a government say you can't wear them ... I just don't like it. I know there are lots of alleged reasons for these proposed bans: security (you never know what these women are hiding underneath their cloaks!), better interpersonal and professional relations, etc.

Still. I don't agree with the tenets of the Muslim religion, but that doesn't mean I think a government should tell you how and how not to abide by the religion's traditions. People just gotta butt out.

I fear the day someone is going to tell me not to wear this cross around my neck.