As I understand it the burqas, hijabs and all other extreme covers were used for weather and climate reasons. Think about it - too much sand, dust and not enough water for hygiene or cleaning in those early days in Arabia deserts explain it well why people started covering their entire body including hair. Both the men and women grew long hair and they needed to protect their hair since waster was scarce in the desert. Notice that the men too cover themselves as women in Muslim culture. Somehow, the covering for women became a religious thing. Seriously, it makes no sense at all!

Have you seen those women who only cover their hair, and not the whole body. Have you noticed those covering only the hair with hijabs wearing heavy jewelries, makeup, and top of the line fashion outfit with name brand expensive accessories? I have seen heavy breasted women wearing stylish hijabs decorated with gems and fancy laces, covering only their hair, but not covering their luscious curves that men are prone to look at. I am sure these women do know that only covering their hair with hijabs won’t stop men from staring at their fashion accessorized curvy sexy bodies. So, it’s more like fashion or cultural than religious to me.

I want to see the verse in the Quran that says women to wear burqas or even the hijabs. I read that once a group of Muslim women were involved in running an entertainment business for men. They were bare breasted and wore sexually appealing outfit to lure men into their brothel like bars/clubs to spend money and have fun. These women were not respected very well by men those days (or the society) and were often beaten for not pleasing their clients. During that time, there was a verse established in the Quran that asked women should dress as such to cover their bare bodies to look sober and well respected. During that same time, drinking alcohol was also made Haraam (forbidden) for the Muslims.

While I may not personally like the ideology behind the burqa / the concealment of women, I think it's utterly wrong for a political entity to force the issue with a law and penalties. That's against the basic freedom of expression! How about calm, balanced, fair discussion in schools and in public forums about the ideas and principles behind the use of the burqa? No one should be forced to wear a burqa -- and no one should be forced *not* to wear it. This is a pretty serious issue -- commenters, weigh in!

Although it is their paper and their right to run it as they please, (within the law), it is a business. The article does not disclose any public controversy or complaints, but still, it is the newspaper's right to require dress code standards be met. The article does not offer much information about public comment, outrage, etc. Not a very complete offering of the information around this situation.

I live in GA and we have a lot of different cultures here. If the people who come here are not made to take the wraps off, why in sam ---- would anyone have to put them on.

It's the same idea that prohibits adults from wearing masks during halloween in public. Who wants to see a masked individual come into a bank? how about the ones that want a drivers license but refuse to have their picture taken?

Thats sharia law, I don't think it applies to men!

i for one am kinda aiming for the ban though i think they should just show their faces for the public safety issue. But in the end it is their religion so taken that away would go against many things like freedom to express your self and religion. in the end im still undecided though.

Burqas and those who wear them, and those who force women should be banned from ALL Western countries. Go back to your uncivilized third world countries. Even the men still wear "dresses" ! How backwards can they get? We don't like you. Get the picture?

Can you imagine if the United States voted to ban burquas? We would be called every name in the book...how dare the US deny ANYONE the right to wear what they want?

The answer is that Belgium and France just banned them... and if the people dont like it...go back to your own country!

Personally, I wish America had the " cajones" to do what France and Belgium did...Maybe we WOULD be safer!

Personally I feel that all countries should band Burqas or any thing that covers the face, the entire body from head to toe. Because if anything else safety reason: Case and Point; if a man started wearing Burqas or covering their entire body then we would have men rapping women or stalking innocent people or stabbing or shooting people and no one can identify them because of their full head attire. Yes, we do have people here in the United States that do that now but we can at least identify who did it. I'm from NY and New Yorkers do no like for people to come up from behind them or have their back turned to anyone or someone behind them period. Just think if we had millions or billions of people covered up then we would be suspicious of those millions and billons of people and having your body cover up will cause groups like the Klan to start wearing there uniforms as well. I say if you are going to ban these Burqas then ban the Klan as well.