Decency in Dress

The Council of Europe has passed a rather sensible resolution against banning the burka: a ban which the French president, Nicolas de Racaille, has been itching to implement as part of his grand strategy of triangulation between the values of the Enlightenment and those of Jean-Marie Le Pen. "We cannot accept to have in our country women who are prisoners behind netting, cut off from all social life, deprived of identity," blathered de Racaille, apparently unable to distinguish between an individuality which does not exist and one which happens to be physically concealed from his personal view. The empty suit which served the Venerable Tony as Minister of Dawn Raids and Deportations registered similar concerns a while back, being apparently a bit worried that Muslim women should have the nerve to adopt a mode of apparel which was not specifically commanded by the Prophet. The lower chamber of the Belgian parliament, as a tentative preliminary to outlawing miscegenation between Flemings and Walloons, has actually voted through a ban. Apparently the idea is to teach Mrs-istan a thing or two about what Western gender equality and religious liberty really mean in practice. Meanwhile, undemocratic types such as myself are left to wonder if any of these dress-code fanatics has ever had the dubious pleasure of visiting London in high summer. The sight of the common or bulging English female gradually turning from its normal grilled-fish-eye complexion to the colour of Spam with extensive contusions is nearly as good an argument for covering up as it is for celibacy.