In France, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands they have been getting agitated over the full burka. Again. And – like the Icelandic volcanic ash – the problem drifts over to us, posing huge challenges on how to think about this issue and how to react. As always, the British power elite casts itself – unconsciously perhaps – as more tolerant and enlightened than its European counterparts. Voltaire, after his period of exile on these isles, said we were. What better reference do we need?
We have a history of self-righteousness in these intra-continental culture wars. The veil once more gives us a chance to show off our liberal credentials and show up our more bigoted neighbours, whose anti-Muslim attitudes are indeed uglier and untamed.
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