France to Ban Burka and insists on Separation of State and Religion
bbc
22-Jun-2009 (7 comments)

French President Sarkozy expressed his strong distaste for the head-to-toe Islamic veil, calling it not a sign of religion but a sign of subservience. "It will not be welcome on French soil," he said." We cannot accept, in our country, women imprisoned behind a mesh, cut off from society, deprived of all identity. That is not the French republic's idea of women's dignity." President Sarkozy's comments have not come out of the blue. They are in response to a call last week by a group of 65 cross-party MPs, led by the Communist Andre Gerin, who wants a parliamentary commission set up to investigate the spread of the burka in France. They want to see whether such a spread is indicative of a radicalisation of Islam, whether women are being forced to cover themselves or are doing so voluntarily, and whether wearing the burka undermines French secularism. The separation of church and state is jealously guarded by everyone from school teachers to government ministers - and the constitution states the republic "does not recognise, subsidise or renumerate any religious body".It underpinned the French Revolution, and has been a basic tenet of the country's progressive thought since the 18th century when French Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire, Diderot and Montesquieu regarded religion as divisive, benighted and intolerant. It was this same concept that was invoked five years ago to ban conspicuous signs of religion - including Islamic headscarves ... >>>

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Burka

by A B (not verified) on Tue Jun 23, 2009 02:47 PM PDT

I'm going to say what we all think:

Only the ugly ones need to wear the Burka.


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I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek

What an idiot

by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on Tue Jun 23, 2009 08:37 AM PDT

What Bravo? Did you ever stop to wonder, that even when you think it is a prison, some women do not know differently? That they may actually WANT to wear that? And that to take it away will be traumatic? Why can't women be free on their terms too? Free to wear or not wear? 

Anyway, Sarkozy has no idea what will come of this. He is interfering in people's lives and causing more stress for these women who live in fundamentalist islamic households.

If you want to help, this isn't it, Sarkozy e khar. 


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French has it right

by azadi55 (not verified) on Tue Jun 23, 2009 08:16 AM PDT

Women/girls who wear a burka in a free society have certain idealogy that does not mesh well with the free world. I think, it would be OK for these women to cover themselves with a blanket in public but they most likley wish that the rest french women did so as well. These people do not see the freedom of choice as part of the living, as they follow extreme version of Islam and consider that to be the only rule to follow. so they cause problems in the long run as they don't fit in the society.

One can argue that they should be allowed to wear what they want in a free society, but given the status of the world today and the plague of islamic fundemantlists through out the world, Sarkozy is doing the right thing for his country.


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Barbra

of course the ban will only create tension

by Barbra on Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:30 AM PDT

"women imprisoned behind a mesh, cut off from society, deprived of all identity" and he knows!

There's number of people in Europe that dress like neo-nazis, they're neo-nazis in fact, it's scary and no one gives a damn... 

HUH, Google added "How to convert to Islam" ad for me :-)

 


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suggestion

by Farzad1 (not verified) on Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:23 PM PDT

Burqas should be allowed in western world as long as women in all islamic countries are allowed to appear in public without head covering.


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rtayebi1

idiots

by rtayebi1 on Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:10 PM PDT

these idiots with their stupid ideas fu... up Iran, and now is Europe's turn. please don't let them


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Bravo indeed. In fact they

by Anonymous2 (not verified) on Mon Jun 22, 2009 07:29 PM PDT

Bravo indeed. In fact they should ban all head coverings which are religious in nature. If head covering is so good, they should have stayed behind in their countries, and practiced it till they dropped. With Islam, it is their way or highway. They should not be given an inch. Never.


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