SA: Debate on Muslim head scarves is silly, says Stott Despoja

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2005
SA: Debate on Muslim head scarves is silly, says Stott Despoja

ADELAIDE, Aug 29 AAP - The threat of terrorism is being trivialised by a "silly debate"

about whether Muslim girls should be banned from wearing head scarves, Australian Democrats
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja says.

Senator Stott Despoja today defended the right to wear religious articles following
comments by Liberal backbencher Bronwyn Bishop, who described the use of head scarves
at public schools as an iconic act of defiance.

Ms Bishop has backed the view of outspoken Liberal MP Sophie Panopoulos, who last week
said she was concerned about Muslim women not showing their faces when they posed for
photographic identification.

Senator Stott Despoja said debate about head scarves detracted from the "real issues"

associated with terrorism.

"It's a silly debate at best," she said.

"At worst, it's quite an offensive and intolerant view.

"It was a deliberately divisive issue and one that smacks of intolerance.

"Some of us are more interested in our community and our world as opposed to picking
on the right of women, young women in particular to wear something that symbolises their
spiritual and their cultural views."

AAP la/jo/de

KEYWORD: SCARF DEMOCRATS

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