My discomfort level with people covering up
their faces is not just due to history and some
of the cultural archetypes that have come up
with it.
I don't have to go back centuries. There are lots
of examples of problematic face coverings
in the here and now...
Well, problematic to me, anyway.
The Ku Klux Klan have been hating,
intimidating and killing people
for over 150 years in the US
and Canada.
 |
| Boo! |
Here's another contemporary archetype -
is he a regular old criminal,
or is he a trans-national terrorist?
Whatever, he's everywhere!
... and here's another contemporary covered face
that puts the fear of what-have-you
into me... that seems to be just
everywhere these days.
 |
| contemporary Hallowe'en costume |
i don't really care much
about other people's religion.
most religions seem to boil down
to a handful of operating instructions
that make a certain amount of sense.
unfortunately, many people who follow
a religion don't seem to follow
those instructions very closely,
...but whatever.
after years of study and personal experience, i also feel that any kind of religious fundamentalism should be classified as a mental illness.
 |
| from some American movie, i think |
...i've grown up in a culture
where covering one's face is usually
an indication that one is up to no good.
 |
| a movie in Mexico |
masks are used to inspire fear.
masks are worn to give the wearer
a distinct advantage over those not wearing masks.
it's been that way for hundreds of years,
and it's still like that now.
 |
| is that you, Jason? |
to expect that i'm going to be OK
with anyone wearing a mask in public
is at best, naive, and at worst,
predicated on profound cultural ignorance
and/or willful self-absorption.
 |
| Scream. |
...and it's crazy to expect that choosing
to wear a mask will make no difference
in how you are perceived or treated
by others who are not wearing one.
 |
| niqab |
a niqab is a mask.
 |
| mask |
a niqab dehumanizes the person wearing it,
and it dehumanizes everyone the wearer encounters.
it sends a clear message that i have been judged a priori and found unworthy. it says "i don't trust you".
...so why should anyone trust someone wearing a niqab?
 |
| a hijab - vive la difference. |
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