Not “compatible with an open, liberal, tolerant society.” Indeed.
“Belgian parliament bans burquas [sic] in public,” from AP, March 31:
BRUSSELS– A vote against wearing face-covering veils in puclic was unanimously established on Wednesday. This legislation represents a major legislative step, which could make Belguim the first European country to impose such a religious prohibition. […]
The parliamentarians are specifically targeting the body-covering burqa and face-veiling niqab, which are still very rare features in Belgian public life. “We have to act as of today to avoid (its) development,” Bacquelaine said.
“Wearing the burqa in public is not compatible with an open, liberal, tolerant society,” he said.
In Belgium, the proponents of the ban argue that such all-covering garb poses security issues as well as threatens democratic values. Some feared, however, that the bill would not stand a legal challenge.
In France on Tuesday, the Council of State, the nation’s highest administrative body, warned that a prohibition on full-body Islamic veils in public risked being found unconstitutional. President Nicolas Sarkozy said last year that such clothing was “not welcome” in France.
Such a ban could also be challenged at the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights.
And I am certain it will be.