European Court of Human Rights

Alas, perhaps it should be the 'European Court of Western Rights', since they have just rejected an appeal regarding the ban on Muslim dress in education: Court backs Turkish headscarf ban. It seems that provided you class human rights as 'What the West regards as human rights', then you have a good chance of finding justice at the Court. Otherwise, no... after all, we don't want to encourage foreigners. One minute they're wearing heathen garb, the next they are killing our families in their sleep. :-P

I'm all for separation of state and church - in fact, I think it's pretty much the only sensible approach to take. But this isn't a case of a school enforcing a state religion on its students - it's a case of a student (in higher education, no less) who wishes to adhere to her religious obligations, completely independently of the university. This is not a church and state issue - it's an issue of personal freedom.

Further to this, the news has recently carried a story about the 300% increase in Muslim stop and searches. This is just further evidence that we are creating a whole new apartheid in Europe, one driven almost purely by a cynical political agenda aimed at promoting fear at the loss of cultural diversity and understanding.