A big flap in France over new law
By lilwonders
@lilwonders456 (8214)
United States
October 7, 2010 4:19pm CST
It seems France has really stepped in this time. They have outlawed burques. Yep...women are no longer allowed to cover their faces in public. In fact...no one can completely cover their face in public. They can cover their hair...but not their faces.
Well as you can imagine this has caused a big stir. Want my take on it? Well here it is...France can make any laws it wants. The people of France overwhelmingly support this bill and they get to decide how their country is run. So it is really none of the rest of the world's business. Also if you move to France...or any country...don't exspect the country to assimulate to YOUR culture...you similate the theirs. If you don't like their culture or laws...don't move there. Or if you already live there...either move or assimulate to their culture and laws.
I have seen some messed up messages from people on CNN and other news sights basically saying this will cause France to come under terrorist attacks and that it will cause a war "in the streets". Or criticizing them for being "narrow minded". Which is stupid.
On the flip side...I don't like the idea of the government telling people what they can wear...but it is not my country...so if the people of France are comfortable with it who am I to say anything bad about it?
What do you think?
2 people like this
7 responses
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
8 Oct 10
Little by little they are changing everything that they can in our society. We have to build public wash stations all over the country so that they can wash before prayers or they will wash in the public fountains etc. They had to build special wash stations in schools so that they could wash their feet. All at tax payers expense. Now they are stopping traffic in major cities 5 times a day to say their prayers because they do not all fit in their Mosques and they overflow into the streets. There are pictures all over UTube showing this. Do you think that a christian church would do this? Christian kids are no longer allowed to wear large crosses to school because of complaints about them. I just wonder where or when or if this will end.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
8 Oct 10
X is right. Do we really want to open that door? Do we want the government to start telling us how we can dress? Not to mention it is unconstitutional for us to do it.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
8 Oct 10
Islam is trying to force its ways on the world through terrorism or the threat of terrorism. I say three cheers for France for not giving in. If the Muslims don't like the dress code in France, they can always move.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
9 Oct 10
I don't see the illegals understanding that when our own government is fighting for them.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
8 Oct 10
exactly...it is their country and their laws..don't like it...move. Now if we could just get the illegals here to understand that....but that is another topic.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
17 Oct 10
I agree with you, lil, it's up to the people of France and if they're ok with it, so am I. I can definitely understand their reasoning and I don't see it as being at all racist or anything like that. I think it's a simple matter of security. Who knows what someone could have hidden under on of burquas?
Right in my area a local bank has been robbed several times recently and they now have a sign on every door stating, "Please remove all hoodies before entering." I thought that was a smart move as well since the robbers have all been wearing hoodies to hide their hair and part of their faces.
Annie
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
8 Oct 10
I'm really not a fan of fashion police. Obviously this wouldn't fly in the US. Heck, it was hard enough just to make it a rule that a woman couldn't get a driver's license in Florida if her face was covered (the woman in that case was a convicted criminal who'd used that burkha to evade the law before).
I don't agree with the law and I think it is a form of religious intolerance, but then I don't live in France and this law doesn't actually harm anyone so it's not the kind of thing I'd make a stink over. Europe has a different outlook on freedom of expression than we do. I think it's important to note cases like this when people try to pretend that Europe is some utopia of tolerance and mixed cultures.
On a side note the Florida state senate once tried to play fashion police outlawing those baggy pants that morons wear so low you can see their boxers. The bill passed, but got vetoed by Gov. Crist who said he opposed having fashion police in Florida.
@ethereal (106)
• Egypt
7 Oct 10
In Saudi Arabia foreign women must wear the burqa or risk punishment or deportation. Non-Muslims entering the country are not allowed to carry Bibles, crosses or any other non-Islamic symbols of faith. The building of churches is banned. Nobody's protesting Saudi Arabia's extreme religious intolerance.
The burqa ban is also taking effect in many Muslim countries as well (Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey) mainly as a security measure, not a form of religious persecution. Crimes have been committed by men wearing burquas, cheating on university exams; there was one case where a guy entered a women's dorm in a burqa.
Covering the face is not a requisite in Islam so why do they do it? I fully agree that burqas should be banned.It's not freedom of dress, it's a form of isolation from society. Personally I find it offensive when I can't see the face of the person I'm talking to.
Nice post, cheers!
@TheMetallion (1834)
• United States
8 Oct 10
SO according to you Saudi Arabia sets the standard for what is appropriate to legislate. And you find it acceptable to pass laws that regulate what people can wear based on whether you find it offensive. Got it.
@ethereal (106)
• Egypt
8 Oct 10
I did not say Saudi Arabia sets the standards for anything; my point is that nobody speaks out against this in light of the big number of non-Muslims working there. Great article on why France is taking this measure here http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1905554,00.html
Yes, I personally find it offensive. First of all, Islam does not order women to cover their faces, only their heads. The burqa is an invention of Wahabi extremism and is opposed by many moderate Muslims. I used to live in Egypt; the head of Al-Azhar himself supported the decison to ban burqas in hopsitals, schools and universities, arguing that it had nothing to do with freedom of dress. He said patients and students, especially young children were entitled to see the faces of their nurses and teachers. "If you want to put a barrier between you and society", he said, "stay home"
By the way, Metallion, I love reading your comments especially in the politics section. I knew I'd come under fire from you!
@Tyrillis (55)
• Australia
8 Oct 10
I think good on the french. It is a security risk letting them wear burquas but that's not even the point. Like you said if they are going to move to france....then assimilate into their culture not force your culture onto france. I think it's completely wrong that they think people are being racist towards them when it's got nothing to do with race....it's culture....geez i wish people would understand the difference.
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
7 Oct 10
I have to say and this is no offense meant to anyone who is French, France is one of those countries that will find "it" and step directly in "it" if they can. They really aren't that fond of foreigners even Americans. I do agree with you on it is their country and their rules.
