ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
In my experience it's the racists who come out with shit like: 'You can't criticise Islam (or mass immigration) without being called a racist these days'.
The left should always have the courage of its convictions and not shy away from criticising when criticism is due.
Religious fundamentalism is basically right wing and conservative in nature, so the left shouldn't feel the need to hold back.
Thing is, much of what is held as (pardon the pun) "articles of faith" by fundamentalists, isn't much to do with religion, it's about control. This applies whether the fundamentalist is Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jew or of any other organised religion.
Fundamentalist Muslims justify the burqa through references to the Koranic injunctions to modesty - those injunctions applied to 7-8th century Arabia, and were with regard to wearing suitable garments of the day: The equivalent of loose shalwar kameez and a veil-and-headcovering arrangement - for both genders. The burqa, on the other hand, has only ever been a form of garb used to both indirectly and directly oppress women within parts of Pashtun tribal society. It pre-existed Islam, and was all about marking and coveting property. Did I find this out for myself? No, I was told this by Pakistani Muslims who did me the great honour of taking me into their household.