ban the burka

The extremely awesome, independant and forward-thinking Muslim Canadian Congress is urging the Canadian government to ban the burka, the full-body face-hiding covering worn by some fundamentalist women. Or, to more correctly state it, the burka that is forced on some women by their fundamentalist husbands.

The MCC has often been a voice in the wilderness, sometimes the only Muslim group to insist that secular democracy is the future not the enemy, to consistently stand up for the rights of women, and to loudly and boldly condemn jihad and terrorism. Time to donate to the MCC.

Also time to read MCC founder Tarek Fatah's book, Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State.

At its core and in its proper historical context, Islam was leaps and bounds ahead of its time 1200 years ago. It heralded a new respect and place for women, the concept of impartial law, and a respect for the weak and poor. It is this that people have in mind when they speak of Islam as a religion of peace and compassion, current events notwithstanding. But likewise, while the words of Jesus may have been all about love and tolerance, the churches of America have been nothing if not contemptuous.

The problem is the book. That would be Book with a capital B. Answers, like questions, come and go, reflecting the tenor of the times. But we have cemented some answers into Books and still look to them, thousands of years later, to respond to modern day cultural, social and political questions. We take those answers and shoehorn them into our lives, hobbling around on pious but ill-fitting shoes. Walk too long in the wrong shoes and you eventually fall. Put a whole culture or country in the wrong shoes and you get, at the very least, severe stagnation. At the worse, you get disaster. Muslim countries, take your pick.

As for the Muslim Canadian Congress, I want what they're wearing.