No right to restrict freedom of choice

I WANT to commend Cllr Pa O’Driscoll (Letters, August 25), for taking what might be a brave move and pointing out the madness of the call of fellow Fine Gael colleague Cllr Joe O’Callaghan to ban the burka.

Cllr O’ Callaghan makes a random connection between hoodies and the burka, inspired apparently by the rioting in London. While many images of the riots have flashed across our screens and on to our newspapers, I have yet to see evidence of a band of burka-wearing women leading riots or running in and out of shops looting. Some commentators appeal to loftier ideals of liberating women but how do we do this by telling women what they can or cannot wear? Freedom is about choice. If we take away a freedom so basic as what to wear, are we not as guilty as those from whom we say we are liberating women?

In fact, Cllr O’Driscoll’s call to allow the gardaí to wear the turban is more likely to address the issues raised by the riots, contributing to a more representative police force.

Catherine Lynch

Chapelizod

Dublin