Peek-a-Boo

These ladies are playing peek-a-boo with their fellow Americans.  They can see us, but we can't see them. Guess where these photographs were taken?

I realize that these women were unhappy that I took their photo, but if you dress like a bandit, don't be surprised that average Americans find that odd and worthy of a photo.  They no doubt consider me rude to take their photo, but I consider it rude to cover one's face in public. So I guess we're even.

In the U.S. and in all Western countries,  we don't cover our faces.  That's true for most cultures in the world.

Comments

[Meh]

It's compatible to the garb they, whoever they was/is, make Nuns wear.

Just in their particular sect of their religion it's accustomed for the female followers to wear it.

My guess is if they stick around here, their children won't be following such custom. Old habits die hard, but usually pretty easy within the next generation.

[miss kelly]

Nuns don't cover their faces. Big difference.

I'm not so sure about the next generation, although I hope you are right.

One commenter e-mailed me saying that even in Pakistan, you might see this in the villages, but you would never see it in the cities. Maybe these women were brought over as wives for Americans. Hmmm. First or second?

[Sophia]

Ladies, to put it quite bluntly, this has nothing to do with 'cultural differences' or 'modesty.' It is all about Sharia and the inherent inequalities in Sharia which the Koran makes abundantly and insultingly clear: between Muslim and non-Muslim, between Man and Woman, between Free Man and Slave. Muslims are using this covered apparel (which confirms the Islamic teaching that Woman is an Awrat, a shameful orifice and that her entire body is made up of ten such 'shameful orifices') to inculcate Western acceptance of Islamic law. If they succeed, then this will clear the field for more 'accommodation' and acquiescence to Sharia Law. Our correct response to this symbol of enslavement, inequality and intolerance should be to demand, for example, that cities and towns pass ordinances forbidding such masked apparel, that customers demand that stores, public offices, transport and schools refuse entry to anyone so masked and that the media 'unveil' the facts about Islam.

[wujo]

You really do hate anyone who's not just like you, don't you, Miss Kelly?

[Fran]

The picture was taken in or very near Hyde Park, that part of Chicago where the Obamas live. There are a significant number of Muslims in the area, some of whom reportedly attend Jeremiah Wright's black power church, which recently honored Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan.

[miss kelly]

Wujo, I don't think our culture should tolerate people who cover their faces. Bank robbers, KKK members - that's who cover their faces in the West. We want to see your face, your expression, your humanity. It says a great deal about their culture that women hide their faces, even in countries where that isn't the cultural norm and never has been.

Fran, I think you're pretty close. It was along Devon Avenue, maybe a mile or so from Loyola University.

[Former Bostonian]

What is 'their' culture? Do you mean some sort of Islamic thing or rural Pakistani or what? An estimated 50% of Muslim women worldwide don't even wear the hijab; the number who cover their faces is much lower, and that includes all Muslim women in the world.

Niqabis are increasing in number in places like Pakistan and the Arab world, but interestingly enough, they are also vilified, and not just by the communists or the elite. A lot of people really dislike this practice.

I would guess these women are either visiting relatives in Chicago or are newly arrived. We used to have neighbors who were newly arrived from Pakistan and the wife and mother in law both covered their faces. Within a few years, though, neither of them were.

[Miss Kelly]

Yet when one sees photos of ISB/MAS events or press conferences or court hearings, almost all the Muslim women are in hijab. Are Boston Muslim women more conservative than Muslims world-wide? How did that happen??

I was at a Dunkin' Donuts in Mansfield, MA just two weeks ago, and the young Muslim woman (mid-20's) behind me was wearing niqab. Western pants, long western overcoat, but her head and face were completely covered except for her eyes. A teacher at the IANE perhaps?

[Bostonian Also...]

I believe you are assuming that "almost all the Muslim women are in hijab" because you also assume that the women who are not wearing hijab are not Muslim. I think you would be surprised about all of the Muslim women you run into everyday that are not "obviously" (read: wearing hijab) Muslim. I think the 50% is pretty accurate in my experience. And just because you are Muslim does not mean you're attending all of the conferences and "court hearings". Perhaps such events are more frequented by a more conservative crowd, athough I'm not really comfortable making that generalization. I'm not comfortable with most of the very simplistic, ignorant, and downright stupid assumptions being made on this thread, to be honest.

[miss kelly]

Bostonian, you've twisting words a bit here. When one looks at photos of a variety of ISB/MAS events, including AL Huda social events, the majority of the girls and women are wearing hijab. And for sure most of the children and women at these events are Muslim. At a recent ISB event at the Roxbury mosque, ISB/MAS sent out an e-mail encourgaing women to wear hijab and for people to wear their "cultural clothing." The ISB/MAS pushes hijab to Muslim college student associations as well, according to Muslim students at Wellesley and Harvard. I believe it's all part of being visibly different from the larger culture. So maybe only 50% of Muslim women wear hijab, but that doesn't seem to be the case for the ISB/MAS.