France seeks to ban veil

Post Reply New Topic

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8480161.stm

While I disagree with the practice of wearing the veil, I don't think they should be banned. It's simple freedom of religion. And the idea to refuse citizenship to those displaying signs of "radical religious practice" is very easy to abuse. It's also not very sensible. The Amish are pretty radical, yet they're generally a peace-loving folk.

I suppose the argument that "the full veil is a challenge to [their] republic" is somewhat true, but lots of things are a challenge. Displaying any other flag than the French could be considered a challenge. While I agree it isn't good, and the full veil looks terrible, these are not proper reasons to restrict religious freedom.

I do think it should be ok for individual companies or schools to have a dress code, and if that bans religious garb, then so be it. But I don't think you should be allowed tell people what they can or cannot wear in their free time.

How is preventing a woman in a burka from boarding a bus any less of an infringement of her rights than forcing her to wear the thing in the first place.

Several countries in Europe have been trying to ban them for years now so this isn't exactly new. France, though historically Catholic, has been considered a Secular nation for some time now. They have never tried to ban Religious practice as Russia or China, but they do tend to discourage extreme practices which affect the general public.

This is a joke. How on earth do they plan on enforcing this? Who decides what a veil is? Or are French people banned from wearing scarves over their faces when that cold Siberian wind blows in too?

As for dishing out fines. How do they know who to give it to? Who is behind the veil? Are they really going to start forcibly removing women's clothing in the streets of Paris?

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks this is a ridiculous law. Personally, I hate the burka, but people should be allowed to make their own choices. There are far worse things in the world than the veil.

I'm glad France is doing this. women doing this is a security breach , i have been hearing on the news that women have been doing acts of terrorism and if they cant block out there face it would make it harder to get away with such crimes.

Also it is agints the republic ways to force discrimination or oppression on people. and if they move to a different country they need to adapt culturally. its just the way it is.

I really hope they pass this law.

I am against the burka yet I would hesitate to ban them.

Orthodox Jews must wear Yarmulkes and Seiks must wear their turbans.

Some schools around the world ban jewelery or religious jewelery so they will stop a Christian from wearing a cross or St Christopher medal.
Ok, no one HAS to wear a crucifix but if you demand that a Seik take off his steel bracelet then he would be honor bound to fight you to the death.

What if a school makes a policy that boys must have short hair and be clean shaven?
Yet Seik men must never cut their hair and some Muslim men believe that they must never cut their beard.

If a Muslim man and his burka clad wife are walking down the street and you demand that she bare her face then the husband will kill you or die trying.

Is this what we want?

Purely from a logistical point of view, I can understand the concept. Putting aside the "religious oppression" aspect (and living as I do in a nation so obsessed with security that old ladies must lower their hoods or be escorted from premises, it seems unfair that a whole section of society should be considered exempt from what is (sometimes) a sensible security precaution. Aftre all, if helmets and balaclavas must be removed in banks and building societies, why is it reasonable to allow a whole section of society to disguise their features in such a manner? Its not as if Muslim women are incapable of committing crime, or that enterprising men cant abuse the dress-code to do so.

France has sort of the right idea, but seems to be going about it in the wrong way and for the wrong (or at least ineffective) reasons. That would include perhaps demonstrating to a public tranport official that they are who they claim to be with picture ID.

For safety, security and politeness, women should be prepared to expose at least their faces to some degree of scrutiny. Its not like theyre being asked to flash their chests or something.

As for the faith angle... the burkha/niqab, if it must exist at all, should be optional.. ie according to the choice of the WEARER.

they should not be allowed to wear them in banks or shops.
it could even be a man behind the disguise.

To put this ridiculous law into perspective, the population of France is about 65.5 million people of which it is estimated about 6 million are muslims. The number of women who wear the veil is around 2000. That's it, 2000. Talk about setting the cat amongst the pidgeons.

They are going to outrage and upset 6 million people for the sake of what 2000 women are wearing, which in turn will lead to problems for the other 60 million.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/ja ... l-veil-ban