I like living in a tolerant society but we shouldn't have to bend over backwards to show our tolerance.
Case in point, this business in Hastings yesterday where a women was barred from entering court because of her Muslim headscarf.
The usual suspects are up in arms of course and the story is gaining legs internationally.
Of course omitted from the narrative is that Yasmeen Ali was born Kaylene Brooking and is of East Coast Maori descent. Also played down or completely omitted the story is that her removal came after her brother who was in court for sentencing was arrested for refusing to remove his headgear in court and this incident came after this disruption had occurred.
Call me cynical but I don't see why we should be bending over to take this.
After all it is illegal to wear "Islamic head scarves" in public buildings in Turkey and Tunisia both of which are Islamic Nations with an Islamic heritage so the justification for Courts in middle New Zealand to be disrupted on this basis does not seem to be particularly compelling.
Case in point, this business in Hastings yesterday where a women was barred from entering court because of her Muslim headscarf.
The usual suspects are up in arms of course and the story is gaining legs internationally.
Of course omitted from the narrative is that Yasmeen Ali was born Kaylene Brooking and is of East Coast Maori descent. Also played down or completely omitted the story is that her removal came after her brother who was in court for sentencing was arrested for refusing to remove his headgear in court and this incident came after this disruption had occurred.
Call me cynical but I don't see why we should be bending over to take this.
After all it is illegal to wear "Islamic head scarves" in public buildings in Turkey and Tunisia both of which are Islamic Nations with an Islamic heritage so the justification for Courts in middle New Zealand to be disrupted on this basis does not seem to be particularly compelling.