Ban the Burka?? - Contemporary debates on the 'veil'

I have been thinking more and more about the 'veil' and how this issue has become so prevalent in contemporary debates between' East' and 'West'. I touched on this briefly in my previous post and have decided to post some images and links  to give the debate a contemporary context. I hope these images speak more that the words i could write on this page

                                                        Image 1. (www. sheikyermami.com)

Image 2. (www.thewestislamandsharia.blogspot.com)

                                                          Image 3. ( www.article.wn.com)

                                                      Image 4. ( www.itsallmaya.com)

                                                  Image 5. (www.frontpagemag.com)

              

                                                   
                                                         Image 6. ( www.ibloga.blogspot.com)

                                          Image 8. (www.barenakedislam.wordpress.com)

 France and Belgium see the wearing of the Muslim burka as so oppositional to the principles of  secularisation  and democracy that the 'veil' is no longer able to be worn in public spaces ( see news link) http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/07/officials-france-burqa-ban-legal-law-goes-into-effect-immediately/


Italy is also moving towards the same idea ( see link) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/8049108/Italy-move-to-ban-the-burka.html

This banning of the burka is potentially only going to inflame tensions more. To prohibit this religious garment signifies the continued  divide between Islam  and the 'West'.