I have no issue with a Muslim woman covering if she chooses to cover. Actually, how much easier life would be sometimes if one could slip into a burka (burqa,burqua) when going into public and just not worry if you were having a bad hair day, or did not look your best for some other reason.... got up too late to put on make up or your two year old threw breakfast at you and you had to change into an outfit that really did not go together at the last minute.... a tent with eye holes has its appeal at times.

As a fashion statement, I have no problem with it at all.

As a cultural imperative I find it unacceptable from several aspects. It makes quite a derogatory statement about the culture.

There are of course the issues of the equal rights of women, and those are discussed frequently. They are very valid issues.

What I find of equal concern is the rationale that I see given so often for the NEED for women to cover so they do not present the men of the culture with irresistible temptation that will distract them from the proper focus of life.

In my religion we believe that temptation is a part of life and that God has given us the strength to resist temptation to live a righteous existence despite the many temptations of the world.

We raise both our sons and our daughters to recognize temptation and to turn away from it.... to make the choice to lead a righteous life.

I find it alarming that Islamic cultures believe their men to be such weak willed creatures without the ability to control their animal nature that women must be hidden from them, lest they be distracted from righteousness.

I also question why you would put such weak willed people in charge of anything, much less in total charge of a society.

What a testament to the total lack of character and judgment of Muslim men.

I have two adult sons and I think of all the lessons they were taught as they grew up about resisting temptation and controlling their actions and behavior.

As very young boys they learned that the world was full of candy and toys and other things that they wanted and that they were not allowed to touch those things without permission.

As teens when they became walking hormone factories they learned that they were surrounded in the world by beautiful girls and women that they were not allowed to touch without permission.

I would never have considered telling all the girls and women to hide themselves because my sons could not learn that lesson. How insulting and demeaning that would have been to my boys.

And had my boys been unable to learn those lessons, they would not have belonged loose in society. Respect for people and property is the basis for civilized behavior.

If Muslin men cannot learn that lesson, then they don't belong loose in society, much less ruling a society and trying to participate as equals in a global civilization.

Angel