In this blog post (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/25/david-mitchell-burqa-ban-tattoos) David Mitchell manages to capture rather accurately what I think is wrong with arguments to ban the burqa or tattoos or for that matter anything which does not directly harm another person.
This seems to be a rather important issue as one of the fundamental cornerstones of liberal thought. (Liberal in the traditonal sense rather than the mordern.) Is that the goverment shall not restrict an individuals freedom untill the point when that freedom violates another. So for example I am free to learn boxing, and indeed use it but I can only do so in a specified area against people who consent to fight me. I'm not allowed to go up to someone on the street and beat them up because then my freedom to punch is less important than their freedom not to get beaten up.
Sunday, 25 July 2010
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