Australian Lawmaker Calls For Ban on Burqa

A prominent Australian lawmaker has called for a nationwide burqa ban. “Are we that pathetic as a nation that we’re giving up our values and who we truly are because we’re worried about hurting someone’s feelings?” said Pauline Hanson, senator representing Queensland in the Parliament of Australia.

There is an ongoing public debate in Australia over the wearing of the burqa, an Islamic garb for women that covers the entire body including the face. Some Western countries — like Austria, Belgium and France — have introduced bans on burqas.

The Australian news website news.com.au reported:

Pauline Hanson has called for a plebiscite on whether to ban the burqa, labelling Australia “pathetic” for giving up its values to allow the Muslim garment.

The Senate is debating a private bill from crossbencher Jacqui Lambie on Thursday to ban full-face coverings in commonwealth jurisdictions such as airports, as well as the ACT and Northern Territory. […]

[Hanson] insisted it had been banned in many countries, including Muslim countries, and Australia needed to change its ways before it became a “basket case”.

“If you’re quite happy to have a plebiscite on same-sex marriage, then I suggest having a plebiscite and let the people have a say at the next election on whether they want full-face coverings in this country, if you haven’t got the guts to do it here,” she said.

“We have fought for women’s rights in this country… yet you’re not prepared to stand up and fight for the rights of these women who are probably made to wear these garments.”

Conservative crossbencher Cory Bernardi went further, suggesting terror threats could be identified by targeting those wearing the garment.

He described the burqa as a “flag of fundamentalism”, insisting those who wear it are directly challenging Australian values.

According to a census conducted last year, Australia’s Muslim population has risen to 600,000, almost 80 percent jump compared to figures of the past decade. Though the Muslims make up for less than 3 percent of the entire population, Islam has become the second largest religion in the country.

With a growing Muslim population, Australia is getting introduced to the phenomena of Islamic terrorism. This year alone, there were two ISIS-inspired deadly attacks in the country.

A campaign to establish the Islamic Sharia Law is also underway in the country. In July, the University of Sydney introduced two courses on Sharia jurisprudence aimed at encouraging the adoption of Islamic law as a parallel legal system in the country — including provisions for polygamy and child brides.

The latest call for burqa ban is part of a popular backlash against the regressive Islamist trend taking hold in the country.

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