I think that’s wonderful. If, however, one actively chooses to live in a country other than one’s own there should be mutual respect between new residents and already established citizens. I think that burkas get in the way of this sense of trust. I know that if I’m in public and I encounter someone wearing a burka I honestly feel very uncomfortable. This isn’t because I’m an atheist or because I believe that people shouldn’t be entitled to practising their religions in public, but because I genuinely feel that I’m doing something wrong by not wearing the burka as well.
That’s my personal opinion, but it is difficult, unfortunately, to draw a general conclusion on this topic: no matter what one says, toes are always going to be trodden on.
I feel that society on a whole tries hard to be understanding and accepting of other people’s beliefs and ways of living, but there comes a point where sometimes you have to say no. So will there be a ban of burkas in Britain anytime soon? It’s hard to tell but if the situation can be handled in a way that’s polite and beneficial, then I believe we can step in the right direction of improving the treatment and opinions on women around the world, especially those from non-western societies.