Put a veil in it
The absurd view of Australia’s most senior Muslim cleric that women who don’t cover up in the Islamic fashion are inviting sexual assault has reignited the whole veil debate. His rather revealing parallel was, “If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden, or in the park, ...
The absurd view of Australia's most senior Muslim cleric that women who don't cover up in the Islamic fashion are inviting sexual assault has reignited the whole veil debate. His rather revealing parallel was, "If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden, or in the park, or in the backyard without cover, and the cats come to eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats' or the uncovered meat?"
With public condemnation—rightly—raining down on him, he has felt obliged to backtrack. (Though his apology is a classic example of that weasely genre of ‘I’m sorry if anyone took offense’ apologies.) But there is no doubt that his remarks are going to further polarize a debate that is already in danger of spinning out of control. We’ve raced from the reasonable suggestion that wearing the full veil isn’t conducive to integration, to claiming that “wearing the nikab in this country at this time is an expression of affinity with the enemy.”
More from Foreign Policy
No, the World Is Not Multipolar
The idea of emerging power centers is popular but wrong—and could lead to serious policy mistakes.
America Prepares for a Pacific War With China It Doesn’t Want
Embedded with U.S. forces in the Pacific, I saw the dilemmas of deterrence firsthand.
America Can’t Stop China’s Rise
And it should stop trying.
The Morality of Ukraine’s War Is Very Murky
The ethical calculations are less clear than you might think.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.