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French National Assembly Bans Burqas
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by Jordan Yerman | July 13, 2010 at 11:20 am
638 views | 15 Recommendations | 8 comments
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French MPs Vote Overwhelmingly in Favor of Burqa Ban
France's National Assembly has voted to ban the wearing of face-covering veils in public places, by a margin of 335 to one. Under the law, the wearer of a burqa faces a fine, as do husbands and fathers who force women to wear the full-body veils. The law now goes before France's Senate, where it is expected to pass, and become law by next year.
France is not the first European country to enact such a ban (Belgium has banned all face-covering clothing in public), but is home to Europe's largest Muslim minority. The law, if passed and subsequently overturned, would be a boost to fundamentalist groups who would claim that expat Muslims are being unfairly stigmatized.
The bill has wide support, from the general public as well as from women's rights groups.
Burka Ban Could Be Unconstitutional
Aside from accusations that the ban is pandering to right-wing voters, the bill could be ruled unconstitutional by France's Constitutional Council, as well as under European Union law, as a human rights and religious freedom issue.
Under the new law, women who wear face-covering veils in all public places in France, including the street, face being fined 150-euro (£125) or ordered to follow citizenship classes, or both.
Life in France is "carried out with a bare face", Michele Alliot-Marie, the justice minister, said last week as she opened the debate in the National Assembly.
Face-covering veils "call into question the idea of integration, which is founded on the acceptance of the values of our society", Alliot-Marie said.
While the wearing of face-covering veils is relatively rare among French Muslims (one Al-Jazeera correspondent cites 2,000 wearers), some fear that the ban will add to the existing stigma on the whole group.
The main body representing French Muslims says face-covering veils are not required by Islam and not suitable in France, but it worries that the law will stigmatise Muslims in general.
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Jordan Yerman
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YankeeJim
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at 13:24 on July 13th, 2010
I guess I really don't get this. On one hand you want people to be able to believe as they wish. On the other hand, when beliefs undermine the rule of law and the governing statutes of individual freedom and liberty, then the government can exercise authority to ensure that people are not persecuted by their religion?
That gets pretty close to circular reasoning. I definitely don't like the Islamic faith's treatment of women, but it is the woman's right to choose as we say in America.
The burqa is more than a fashion statement, I understand. It is like a ball and chain, I guess. If that is the case one can argue that balls and chains are inappropriate.
But, many young people in recent years adorn themselves with piercings and balls and chains of all sorts. Can we say it is illegal to put a ball through your tongue? Well, the difference is that a religious order is not telling you that a ball through your tongue is required.
I probably shouldn't say that, it might give some radical fringe more ideas.
at 16:47 on July 13th, 2010
Burqa is not worn by more than 30% Muslim women,Yemen being an exception where almost 100% women wear Burqas, covering their bodies from head to toe.Even percentage of those who wore Burqas was declining,a good many discarded it for good.But with the rise of Talibanism which has little to do with Islam,cultural,social and political ethos could be expressed within ambit of religion.Definitions and expressions were narrowed down to Islamic or un-Islamic,including dress code.
French parliament has passed a law which certainly will generate a controversy and chances are that fundamentalist may use it as a weapon to attack European women and force them to wear Burqas when visiting countries where fundamnetalists have considerable presence.French law makers are no different from Talibans.Both want to impose dress code.
at 03:06 on July 14th, 2010
"But with the rise of Talibanism which has little to do with Islam,cultural,social and political ethos could be expressed within ambit of religion."
Much more to understand here. Please explain.
at 20:08 on July 15th, 2010
@YankeeJim.It is incumbent on me to explain.So I'll.
At the outset I would like to state that passage you have taken from post relates specifically to Talibans' rule in Afghanistan,their edicts regarding non-Muslims.Talibanism is worst form of radical Islam which is intolerant,whereas Islam is tolerant.
Which Muslim country has banned education for girls,TV,music on radia,enforced dress code for non-Muslims,collecting poll tax(Jaziya) from non-Muslims.On the top of that young Muslims ordered to wear long beard or face punishment.
Afghanistan is a muti-cultural,muti-ethnic country.There is no such phenomenon called Islamic culture.In short,Talibans wanted to drive a cleavage between Muslims and non-Muslims and other Muslim sects other than Sunnis,and that too wahabis.Like only black or white,there was only Islamic or un-Islamic under Taliban regime in Afghanistan.Even in Kashmir,acid was thrown on Muslim girls who were not wearing Burqas by Talibinai elements.
Talibanism is not Islam.If Afghanistan went completely Islamic under the rule of Talibans,then it is implied that other Muslim countries have gone un-Islamic.
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anymoose (not verified)at 16:59 on July 13th, 2010
is it to impose dress code or to make sure one isn't - two very different things.
at 03:08 on July 14th, 2010
The French law against burqas is to ensure that religious law does not impose burquas on free people in a free society, is that it?
at 18:39 on July 13th, 2010
To make sure that this particular dress should be worn or not worn is imposition.Insistence of a Muslim husband that his wife or daughter should not go out without donning Burqa is as bad as French law banning Burqa;both are poison,none antidote.
at 12:59 on July 14th, 2010
A bold move. I wouldn't fly Air France for a while.
On the other hand, what hypocrisy. They told the Turkish secular government that banning headscarfs at universities and government offices was undemocratic and un-European.