Hitchens and the Burka

Christopher Hitchens is at it again--allowing his hatred of religion to cloud his judgment and contradict basic liberal principles. In almost all of his books, columns and media appearances, Hitchens claims to hold dear the liberal principles of the Enlightenment--individual liberty, limited government, etc.

Yet, in a recent column in the New York Daily News, Hitchens comes out in support of France's flirtation with banning the wearing of burkas in public schools:

But that observation - if you will excuse the expression - brings us to another and even more powerful objection to this mode of dress. It is quite plainly designed by men for the subjugation of women. One cannot be absolutely sure that no woman has ever donned it voluntarily, but one can certainly say that, in countries where women can choose not to wear it, then not wearing it is the choice they generally make.

This disposes right away of the phony argument that religious attire is worn as a matter of "right." It is almost exactly the other way around: The imposition of burkas or even head scarfs on women - just like the compulsory growing of beards for men - is the symbol of a denial of rights and the inflicting of a tyrannical code that obliterates personal liberty.

Now I agree that the burka has often been a tool to subjugate women, something that has been forced upon them. And thus I find repulsive governments that make the wearing of the burka mandatory. However, it would be equally wrong to prevent women from choosing to wear the thing. And I don't understand why anyone would choose to do so, but some people do. What right does the government have to invalidate and infringe upon this choice?

Hitchens argues:

Think of the things that we all have to do now, like submitting to humiliating searches at airports, or showing our ID to people who have no "probable cause" for demanding it. Can we turn up at airport security wearing a bag over our heads? Can we produce a photograph that shows only our eyes through a slit? Of course not. Nor can anyone in a Muslim country (though of course in Saudi Arabia an unchaperoned women cannot turn up at the airport anyway).

Yes Hitch, often times security and individual liberty conflict with each other and a choice must be made for security in place of individual liberty. But I fail to see how school girls wearing burkas directly and negatively affects anyone's security.