Opinions | Editorials
To enforce or ban attire is wrong
French President Sarkozy has found an easy target which misses the point.
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:29 July 11, 2009
The discussions in France are moving ahead on President Nicolas Sarkozy's eccentric plan to ban the burqa, the head-to-toe covering worn by a few Muslim women (no more than several hundred in all of France today).
The proposal is badly flawed in that it over-rides an individual's right to wear what they might wish, and assumes that the burqa is an imposition. This error was eloquently summed up by French Urban Affairs Minister Fadela Amara, who is a Muslim, when she said last week that a French court was right last month to deny citizenship to a Moroccan woman who wears the burqa, adding that she hoped the ruling would "dissuade certain fanatics from imposing the burqa on their wives".
French lawmakers should concentrate on considering whether such an imposition is wrong, not the clothing itself. By looking for an easy Muslim symbol to target, they will get themselves into the same mess that was created by France's 2004 law insisting on secular clothing for students. It managed to discriminate in favour of Christian and Jewish students by assuming that the wearing of crosses or stars of David was 'discrete' and therefore legal, but that headscarves were 'conspicuous' and therefore illegal.
Share this article
More from Editorials
More from Opinions
Popular in Opinions
-
Speak Your Mind
Focus: Halloween
Paranormal holds an insatiable appeal for our imagination, but do you believe in them
Opinion Editor's choice
-
Peace process depends on US
Obama must enunciate a clear plan to end Palestinian suffering and stem Israeli ambitions
-
Recycling should be part of our routine
By simply sorting your waste, you are doing your bit to ensure a green future
-
Healthy lifestyles prevent disease
Dubai Healthcare City is holding a festival to encourage people to look after themselves
