A unique report on the Muslim face veil suggests the British public are not 'ban' happy
WORLDbytes, the online Citizen TV channel, has today launched a report by 10 intrepid young reporters who took to the streets with volunteer film crews to discover what the British public think of bans on the Muslim face veil. Their findings are salutary. No shortage of people wanted to have their say and a wide-cross section of citizens made eloquent points and arguments for and against banning
- (1888PressRelease) October 02, 2010 - WORLDbytes, the online Citizen TV channel, has today launched a report by 10 intrepid young reporters who took to the streets with volunteer film crews to discover what the British public think of bans on the Muslim face veil. Their findings are salutary. No shortage of people wanted to have their say and a wide-cross section of citizens made eloquent points and arguments for and against banning the face veil.
Across Europe, burqa bans continue to be all the rage with France & Belgium having already outlawed the face veil in public places and Italy banning it at a local level. In the UK, should the burqa be banned in the interest of women's emancipation, integration and national security? Or, should we look beyond the veil and ask, is it the state's business to tell us what we can and cannot wear, let alone what we should or should not believe in? This compelling report suggests UK citizens are not ban-happy and many hold freedom of expression and women's ability to make their own choices as principles worth defending. As one woman tells us, "secularism is not about banning anything it's about getting along and the idea of banning a piece of cloth takes us into la la land."
A young Muslim man asked for his thoughts says, "How many Muslim girls out there do you see wearing a burqa? Look around you." He continues, "Of course I don't want people looking at my sister…. but she can make her own choices." When asked about security threats, a youngster in Hackney points out, "Murderers come in hats, they come in suits, they come in veils, they come in anything," and another tells us, "I don't feel personally threatened by women who want to express their religion through their clothing.... that's a ridiculous assumption." When asked about integration, a self declared liberal humanist tells us, "it's not the issue…. I was brought up by nuns…. when you are little they look scary…. how integrated you are, is really a matter of personal choice." On women's oppression a North London resident asks, "Isn't that for women who wear it to decide?" and a Muslim council leader explains it's always a choice and her personal experience of discrimination was in Scotland but, "because I was English".
The report, "Seeing Through The Veil" is available to watch on WORLDbytes at: http://www.worldbytes.org/seeing-through-the-veil/
WORLDbytes welcomes reproduction, embedding and sharing of this report.
For more information and interviews contact:
Ceri Dingle or Viv Regan at: info ( @ ) worldbytes dot org dot uk Tel: +44 (0)20 8985 5435
Notes to editors:
WORLDbytes is an alternative on-line Citizen TV channel featuring reports and programmes created by young volunteers learning to shoot 'on the job'. Its programmes aim to get behind the headlines and promote a people-first perspective on a wide-range of issues. The channel's credo is "don't shout at the telly, change the message on it".
WORLDbytes is run by the education charity WORLDwrite, registered charity number 1060869. The charity champions quality citizen reporting and provides free film training to make this possible. The charity's website address is www.worldwrite.org.uk
WORLDwrite has an open door policy and encourages all-comers to get involved and recognise there are no limits to what's possible.
For more general information, please visit: www.worldwrite.org.uk & www.worldbytes.org
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