Burka ban in France...

[Cable87]

OK just to have my say, did you know that teh Burka was actually a Christian garment to give reverence to holy shrines and was adopted by our Muslim breathern.

Now I would like to see it banned if the women were forced to wear it but a lot of them choose to. It is part of their culture and identity. Most of us find it strange and opressive towards women but the fact is a lot of them (I wont say all) do in fact choose to wear it.

Are we actually going to inforce a dresscode for the nation?
There was a time wean wearing demins was seen as the work of the devil and seemed very strange to some people.

We cant really force people to abandon their religious/ cultural beliefs just to make ourselves feel better and help these poeple become more Westernised if they dont want to.

Are we going to ban the wearing of the Kippa next for the Jews and the Pope

Excellent point to bring up Doozer, this was also something I'm glad to see get out there into the discussion.

Also of interest is the fact that no where in The Koran does it have a single word about women being required to where burqa's or head scarves, nor is there a single word in it where it in any way describes women as being inferior to men, or requires them to be subordinate to them either. People often confuse cultural practices and beliefs with religious ones, and use the term interchangably. It's not Islam as a religion that perpetuates (or even originated) this kind of behaviour, it's the cultural practices of this nature which pre-dated Islam that have maintained their hold among some non-Western cultures.

The question in France seems to be at what point does openess and tolerance of other cultural beliefs and/or practices infringe upon the rights or beliefs of the majority, and it appears that France has begun to draw the line.

[Doozer]

Excellent point to bring up Doozer, this was also something I'm glad to see get out there into the discussion.

Also of interest is the fact that no where in The Koran does it have a single word about women being required to where burqa's or head scarves, nor is there a single word in it where it in any way describes women as being inferior to men, or requires them to be subordinate to them either. People often confuse cultural practices and beliefs with religious ones, and use the term interchangably. It's not Islam as a religion that perpetuates (or even originated) this kind of behaviour, it's the cultural practices of this nature which pre-dated Islam that have maintained their hold among some non-Western cultures.

The question in France seems to be at what point does openess and tolerance of other cultural beliefs and/or practices infringe upon the rights or beliefs of the majority, and it appears that France has begun to draw the line.

Exactly if you look at non Islam countries that also hold women as second classed citizens look at Japan and China, maybe not so much in the big cities which have been industrialised but the more rural parts. Women there are also made to cover up, maybe not to the same extent but none the less

[Cable87]

Exactly if you look at non Islam countries that also hold women as second classed citizens look at Japan and China, maybe not so much in the big cities which have been industrialised but the more rural parts. Women there are also made to cover up, maybe not to the same extent but none the less

Very true Doozer. It still goes on all over the world. It's just a matter of how far these beliefs can or should be aloud to be perpetuated or maintained outside of those countries. There is room for religious and cultural practices of other in Western countries, but how far to let them go is the central issue. I believe that in France, the decision has essentially been reached that the Burqa crosses the line, and offends some central feature(s) of modern French Society, and they've decided it has no rightful place there.

[nicegirlsarenice]

Exactly if you look at non Islam countries that also hold women as second classed citizens look at Japan and China, maybe not so much in the big cities which have been industrialised but the more rural parts. Women there are also made to cover up, maybe not to the same extent but none the less

Where are they made to cover up in Japan and China? I don't know about this claim doozer....

[Westsidex]

No I don't think the French are racists.
I think the problem is that the burqa is a message which says "We don't believe in equality - deal with it".

Yep thats more likely what it is and how can they allow a law from another country to be a law in theirs when they dont have that law to begin with?

Westside