Netherlands to Ban Burka

The Netherlands has taken another step toward banning the burka in public:

Parliament has twice called for legislation on a ban to be formally drawn up and the minority Government finally agreed, [Immigration Minister Rita] Verdonk announced last night. The burka would be banned by law in the street and in schools, trains, buses and the law courts.

Americans tend to think of Europeans as more tolerant and permissive than we are. In fact, they are much more willing to adopt this kind of measure. But their situation vis-a-vis immigration is much farther gone than ours, and it’s hard to see how such symbolic legislation can do much good.

Notice: All comments are subject to moderation. Our comments are intended to be a forum for civil discourse bearing on the subject under discussion. Commenters who stray beyond the bounds of civility or employ what we deem gratuitous vulgarity in a comment — including, but not limited to, “s***,” “f***,” “a*******,” or one of their many variants — will be banned without further notice in the sole discretion of the site moderator.

Responses