Burqas (and other garments concealing identities) should be banned

They are not proscribed in the Kor'an for sure - why do these people wear them, except to dispaly overt hostility to our way of life and to make it easier to blow people up. Ban them, quickly. They are already banned in Turkey, yet in Europe which is for the most part not historically Muslim, these people are allowed wear them? Ludicrous and a sign of pc gone mad.

You raise 2 issues - cultural freedom...what culture are you referring to. What culture mandates women to be covered, head to toe, face included? Where is this the historic norm? I think possibly parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, but the Taliban when they were "in charge" forced other groups' women to wear such garments despite it not being part of their culture. If you could persuade mee that all burqa clad ladies in Europecome from a long line of similarly clad ladies I might think differently, until I consider my own personal right not to be blown up. Call it a cultural freedom if you will. The second issue you raise, losing rights in then name of security - its called the social contract. We give up a small amount of rights in exchange for such things as security. Which would you rather, the right to wear a burqa or the right to greater protection from people who would blow you up?

If you live next door to a mosque you will probably notice that some of the ladies have hijabs (just covering head) others have niqabs and burqas on. As is well known, there is no Islamic compulsion on any woman to wear either of the latter mentioned garments, therefore they cannot say it is a religious duty to do so. As for taking shoes off at airports etc, well its a minor price to pay don't you think, for some more secutity, real or imagined? You say security measures "don't work", well the failed July 21 London bombers, while some of them were caught on the spot, others were caught because of increased surveillance in the form of video etc. Other terrorists, both would-be and actual, have been caught because of a whole range of security measures, some of which involve giving up portions of freedom, such as privacy. So the argument that security doesn't work seems illogical. Sure, I wouldn't like people telling me how to dress, but try going to Saudi Arabia or any other place where there is strict Sha'ria law. Then you will find out what its like to really lose your freedom, in particular that of what to wear. In fairness, there are only a tiny minority of people who wish to cover their faces as they go about their business, these include bank robbers who wear balaclavas, terrorists mascarading as women and a few ultra religious Muslim women. The rights of the majority not to be blown up should take precedence over these people.

We have lost more than a small amount of freedoms in the name of security. Have you flown lately? And also know that the safeguards we have in place don't work. The box of box knives that got through airport security comes to mind. Anyways, I live next to a mosque here in California, and I see ladies about all the time covered from head to toe, now whether they choose to do it or are force I don't know, but I wouldn't want anyone telling me how to dress. Do we outlaw dusters next because the kids in Colorado used those to conceal weapons when they shot up the school there? I already have to take my shoes off at the airport, what's next.