he law, the constitution, the political system. This to me is the best legacy of the enlightenment.
Europeans, even those living in the most liberal societies, still find this difficult to accept. But Islam is now part of the European landscape. It is no betrayal of “our values” to be flexible towards habits and beliefs that not everyone shares.
Let people wear headscarves if they wish. Islam as such is not incompatible with citizenship of a liberal democracy. The violent imposition of a revolutionary faith is, but it will only be contained only if mainstream Muslims feel accepted as fellow citizens. The single demand we should make on immigrants and their offspring is respect for the law, including laws that guarantee the right to free speech. This is not a surrender to the Islamist revolution. On the contrary, it is the only way to combat it.
Rita Verdonk’s proposal to ban the burqa is more of a cheap attempt to win votes prior to the Dutch elections than a considered response to the problems of Muslim integration in Holland. It’s worth pointing out though that there’s a world of difference between the Dutch approach, of using the law to address the problem, and the Jack Straw approach, which is to suggest that many Britains find the wearing of face coverings to be offensive, and to open up a debate on the subject. I think Buruma’s wrong to suggest that Britain is imposing conformity in the same way as Holland. Encouraging debate isn’t the same as passing laws.
Leave a Reply