More religous persecution....we might be headed there

[camper]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,528105,00.html

Sarkozy: France 'Cannot Accept' Burqas
Monday, June 22, 2009


Print PARIS — President Nicolas Sarkozy said the Muslim burqa would not be welcome in France, calling the full-body religious gown a sign of the "debasement" of women.

In the first presidential address to parliament in 136 years, Sarkozy faced critics who fear the burqa issue could stigmatize France's Muslims and said he supported banning the garment from being worn in public.

"In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity," Sarkozy said to extended applause at the Chateau of Versailles, southwest of Paris.

"The burqa is not a religious sign, it's a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement — I want to say it solemnly," he said. "It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic."

Dozens of legislators have called for creating a commission to study a possible ban in France, where there is a small but growing trend of wearing the full-body garment despite a 2004 law forbidding it from being worn in public schools.

France has Western Europe's largest Muslim population, an estimated 5 million people, and the 2004 law sparked fierce debate both at home and abroad.

Even the French government has been divided over the issue, with Immigration Minister Eric Besson saying a full ban would only "create tensions," while junior minister for human rights Rama Yade said she was open to a ban if it was aimed at protecting women forced to wear the burqa.

The terms "burqa" and "niqab" often are used interchangeably in France. The former refers to a full-body covering worn largely in Afghanistan with only a mesh screen over the eyes, whereas the latter is a full-body veil, often in black, with slits for the eyes.

A leading French Muslim group, the French Council for the Muslim Religion, has warned against studying the burqa, saying it would "stigmatize" Muslims.

Sarkozy was due to host a state dinner Monday with Sheik Hamad Bin Jassem Al Thani of Qatar, where women wear Islamic head coverings in public — whether while shopping or driving cars.

Sorry, while I agree that DL and other photo IDs must show a face, the government has NO RIGHT to say what is or isn't a religous item simply because of what THEY think.

As we fly towards becoming Europe 2.0, this is the kind of stuff that worries me.

camper

[GoldWinger]

It's their country. They can make whatever rules they want. Turkey outlawed the fez, where was the upraor over that?

[TinGLOCK]

Yup, I can't say that bothers me too much. That outfit might have been founded by religion, but (to me) it's still about the debasement of women. Sorry.

[greasy]

The vast majority of the women who wear it do it for themselves. There is a serious political motive for the French to act as they have been against Muslims. It has been happening for years. It is oppression of a group so as to force a political and cultural conformity.

I have no respect for them whatsoever.

[Dredly]

He really should have approached it from a national security matter, with the new trend of security cameras and reliance on facial recognition, wearing these basically makes you safe from being IDed on the cameras.

You can also hide ANYTHING under some of these and there is no way to even tell if its a woman or man, its really a classic case of pure immunity from id hidden behind a religious thought.

[Robert Kayland]

That outfit might have been founded by religion, but (to me) it's still about the debasement of women.

Absolutely! I much prefer scantily-clad empowerment.

[Water-Man]

I'll give him a big +1!

[Dredly]

The vast majority of the women who wear it do it for themselves. There is a serious political motive for the French to act as they have been against Muslims. It has been happening for years. It is oppression of a group so as to force a political and cultural conformity.

I have no respect for them whatsoever.

Keep in mind, the Muslims have moved there, and across most of Europe, and are acting like Europe owes them everything, look at the riots in France and Netherlands, the UK allowing Shia (sp?) law.

They are moving in droves to non-muslim countries and then forcing the country to bow to their beliefs and are forcing their will on the public. They aren't adhering to the laws in place, they expect special treatment and now when all of a sudden they don't get that red carpet rolled out to them they riot

[Philbert]

Their predicament shows why it's a bad idea for a democracy to allow too much immigration by people who hold staunchly anti-democratic ideas.

[TinGLOCK]

The vast majority of the women who wear it do it for themselves.

Unless you can back this up somehow, I think it's a junk statement. I am somewhat in agreement with the rest of your post (about conformity), but I still can't say that it bothers me too much. My reason is that if a large number of non-Muslims moved to one of these countries where religion and government are one, I predict the same thing would be happening (in the other direction).

...they expect special treatment and now when all of a sudden they don't get that red carpet rolled out to them they riot

I'm kind of with you on this. I'm not saying these people should abandon their faith, but when they start working for the law to adhere to their faith, that's a huge problem in my opinion.