people should not be hiding their faces in public spaces. if its the middle of winter and freezing outside, im prepared to make some concessions for people while they are outside. so a specific ban on the burqa isnt necessary when you can create a law that includes it and targets a wider issue.

As a Belgian I'm not for a general ban, however it shouldn't be allowed in airports/banks/... for the same reasons I'm not allowed to wear a ninja suit.

On another note, Muslims coming into our Universities and shouting Allah Ahkbar when a discussion on Muslims in our society is taking place isn't helping their cause. (http://europenews.dk/en/node/31020 )

Neither are the guys from "Sharia for Belgium" or the Muslim youth in Antwerp picking fights wherever they are.


"Lets ban homosexuality while we are at it also.......wait that is a free choice just like wearing a burqa."

Gay marriage and adoption is legal here and being gay is not a free choice. the only ppl who have complained about this are the muslims. . For the rest of Belgium this is normal.

Don't ban the burka; ban the oppression behind wearing it.

(Clearing up my point: Let women wear burkas if they wish, I'm happy for women to wear burkas. Ban the oppression behind wearing the burka, for some women it's not a choice they make, it's a choice their community/husband forces on them)

Honestly I heard this story a while ago and it goes somewhat deeper then this. In some middle eastern countries they make women wear Burqas and I think this may be a back lash on those laws. Yeah, their strict in Middle Eastern culture I know. In truth though I think their wrong. Both of them. Neither country should be Imposing this kind of stuff on people. It simply isn't fair. I know if I was a Middle Eastern woman and I was as devout as they are (by decision or not) I would want to follow what I believe in. Thats like Italy (just throwing a name out there) saying it is not ok to wear denim and everyone who visits their country is not allowed to wear denim simply because it is unsightly. WTF?! Not cool. If thats what I choose to wear because I either want to OR it's all I can afford I think there shouldn't be many qualms about it. Same thing with a Burqa and saying that just because I can see you and you cant see me is not a reason either. This is not an international game of Hide and Seek. It's not like Burqas have teeth and if you get too close they will bit you and it's not exactly unsightly either. Sometimes I see women wearing Burqas here (or just a headdress in general) and honestly I think they look beautiful. I think it is very rich and shows their heritage quite nicely and it might not be as easy as I believe it to be but if they really didn't want to wear it. Simply leave. Yes I saw that Doc. about how the men tend to act strange over there about the Burqas. (if you haven't seen the Doc. you should it is very good. I believe it's called Under the veil or something Damkira will know.) Simply put to each his own.

Speak for yourself, I'm glad Burqa's are finally getting banned in my country.

You're being intolerant against people with different views now by the way ;) Ain't irony a bitch?

hundred thousands  of normal Muslims shouldn't be stereotyped by a whole society just because a few women (are forced to) wear Burqa's. Nowhere in the Quran does it say they need to wear one. Face it, it's discriminating against women.

Perhaps 0.001% of the Muslims in Belgium wear a Burqa(I've actually never seen a Muslim wearing one here and I live in Brussels for crying out loud), it could be even a lot less... I wouldn't even hire people who wear Burqa's when coming to work. Then again, women who wear Burqa's are probably not even allowed to work because their husbands don't want them to work

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And Muslims shouldn't complain about intolerance anyway, like they're never intolerant? I can bring up the gay argument here, but not every Muslim is intolerant against gays(I know a few muslims and they don't mind it at all), but if you look at some Muslim countries... They're one of the most intolerant countries in the world....

It has also come to my attention that a lot of people from the USA on this thread think it's wrong and intolerant. USA is without a doubt the most intolerant country in the Western world against gay people. It's all right to be gay as long as you hide it right? Why don't you let a father pay $16000 because his son died in the army and was gay? Oh wait, THAT HAPPENED FOR REAL. That's what I call sick ;)

I'm perfectly ok with Muslim women wearing Muslim veils by the way. That's something that shouldn't be banned

Well, at least not in universities. I wasn't allowed to wear hats in high school, so it's only normal that Muslim women aren't allowed to wear veils there as well. 

Halloween isn't really popular here in Belgium.

If women choose to where Burqa's how is that in anyway discriminating, if they are forced thats a different story all together.

When I meant douchebag, for me I believe in life your allowed to make the choices you want may it be religious, sexual orientation or something trivial in what you want to eat. I can tolerant anyone saying they want Burqa's banned but not really stating the reasons why is what I can't tolerant.

I believe I come out as the most tolerant muslim I know off.

What is the point in having id like drivers licenses or passports, if you cant ask them to remove their burqa in case you "offend" them. Why ask people who enter stores to remove bike helmets, caps, scarfs and hoods so you can identify them but not ask someone to remove their burqa, why are people treading on egg shells around Islam and worried about offending them, They should abide by the same rules as the rest of us and no different....

and the last time i checked there hasnt been a sand storm in britain which is what they were made for so there is no need for it in the English society, all they are doing is alienating themselfs

As long as i can walk around preventing people from seeing my identity whilst in Airports and various other public places then fine. As previously stated if i wore a ninga suit or a hoodie i would be discriminated in these places.

I just hope that there is no discrimination invloved on the women. The Muslims i know don't wear buquas and say they don't see a need for them.

I don't really have anything worthwhile to add to this discussion, but I thought this was hilarious!!!