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Article: EDITORIAL: Britons bridle over veil.
- Article from:
- Japan Times (Tokyo, Japan)
- Article date:
- October 23, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Japan Times. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Oct. 23--The phrase "straw poll" has acquired some nuance in Britain this month. It used to mean asking people what they think about an issue -- any issue. Suddenly it seems to mean asking people what they think about Straw -- Jack Straw, that is, the former British foreign secretary -- and in particular his opinion of Muslim veils. At about the same time as a young Muslim teaching assistant was suspended recently for refusing to remove her full-face veil in the presence of male colleagues, Mr. Straw said he found them objectionable and divisive.
Polls and letters to the editor suggest that a majority of Britons agree with him. Even Prime Minister Tony Blair has ...