Minimum Exposure

The following letter appears in both the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian.

As a Jewish woman, I am concerned by the lack of sensitivity the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, has shown by unconditionally empowering the police to remove the burqa from religious Muslim women. At the very least there should be an attempt to ensure a female policewoman is present, in which case there is no problem to remove the burqa.

Where is the balance between religious respect and ensuring law and order? These laws against specific religious expression can be the beginning of far more insidious laws that are more about prejudice than justice.

Donna Jacobs Sife Willoughby

According to her website, Donna Jacobs Sife is:

a singer, storyteller, educator and published writer, who uses her talents to enlighten and enhance tolerance and understanding within the people she touches... has been involved with Judaism as a teacher, performer, writer and contemporary interpreter with regards to creative, spiritual and ritualistic expression for 20 years.

Yes. Well.

How I long for the day, when outspoken Muslims stand up for the rights of Jews. Might make a change for calling for them to be killed, or simply staying silent when others do.

Update: Sensible letters in The Australian:

WHEN women make up only 21 per cent of all police officers in Australia, Donna Jacobs Sife, ensuring the presence of a female officer for the removal of a burka in an identity check is not only impractical and costly, it actually inhibits police officers from doing their job effectively.

One would also imagine that the burqua inhibits women from doing a lot of things effectively. Including driving. The Saudis took care of that problem by banning women from driving. Perhaps we can try a different approach to the problem?