A scout master in the United Kingdom was expelled recently from his organization after comparing a fully-veiled Muslim leader to masked Star Wars villain Darth Vader.
The British newspaper The Sun reports that Brian Walker, an assistant Explorer Scout leader, complained to Scouting magazine about a female Muslim scout leader depicted wearing a niqab while canoeing.
Walker, 63, an ex-SAS and armed forces soldier, and a Scouts member for more than five years, pointed out that "Canoeists don't dress like this; they need all-round unobstructed vision so they protect the group. They will most likely drown wearing that Darth Vader tent."
He added that her "outward appearance is enough to frighten children and animals."
These comments got him expelled last March for breaching the Association's values of integrity, respect, and inclusivity.
In an appeal hearing last year Walker said “I did not mean to offend anyone personally, but was making a wider point about the values of Scouting”:
"Over recent years, I have been concerned that the movement has increasingly promoted Islam above Christianity. I am raising this case as I believe the fundamental values of Scouting are being undermined. Parents need to be made aware of what is happening at the centre of Scouting, and will eventually flow out into the local groups. We need to act now to maintain and protect the values on which the movement was based.”
The Muslim woman, identified as Zainab, responded, "It’s not about being Muslim, it’s about being human. A couple of times we’ve been out on hikes in our hijabs and neckers, and people have come up to us and given us lots of positive comments. It’s not a barrier; it doesn’t stop me from doing anything. I’m bossy. Nobody can say I’m repressed.”
Walker has decided to take legal action against the Scout Association for discrimination. A spokesman for the Association noted that he cannot comment on the case for legal reasons, but he stressed that “Inclusivity is at the heart of modern scouting and is a value we hold dear. We welcome young people and volunteers from all communities across the UK and we are proud of our inclusive approach to youth work."
As usual, though, the politically correct are rather selective about their inclusivity. Andrea Williams, chief executive of Walker's legal representation, the Christian Legal Centre, said,
“Scouting used to be about doing our best, doing our duty to God, serving the Queen, helping others and keeping the Scout law. It would seem that the culture this created has ceased and the scouting movement has become another great movement infiltrated and ruined by the new political dogma that cannot stand any whiff of dissent."