Niqab concerns are real not racist

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/02/niqab-concerns-real-not-racist

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Andrew Stunell, Lib Dem MP for Hazel Grove (Letters, 29 September) is trying to blacken Jack Straw’s reputation by claiming his problem is with the niqab. I am profoundly deaf in one ear and have less than 35% hearing in the other; I wear a sophisticated hearing aid and I too have no problems with the phone, because it is held close to the ear (except for foreign accents and people who gabble). When it comes to interacting with people face to face, it’s very different. You need to see their mouth to confirm what you are hearing, otherwise you can come out with some hilarious clangers. If a person covers their mouth with their hand or a cup or behind a newspaper, it can cause difficulties. A niqab hides the mouth and muffles the voice as does a scarf worn across the face in winter. This is not a racist problem, this is a practical one.Marie BlundellWigan, Lancashire