October 20, 2004
Schoolgirls expelled in France over scarves
Oct. 20 - The controversial ban of conspicuous religious symbols in public institutions has begun to produce questionable results:
four girls have been expelled over their refusal to remove their headscarves and 3 boys (Sikhs) have been kept out of classes over refusal to remove their turbans.
Over 600 cases of "defiance of the law" have been reported since the beginning of the school year in France.
I still don't really understand the ban, as it seems to confuse "tolerance" with "pretending differences don't exist," but then I'm an American and we tend to frown upon the government prohibiting freedom of religious expression anyway.
Nevertheless, I was somewhat curious to see if the French government would back down after the two French reporters were kidnapped, and thus far they have been firm on upholding the ban.
Posted by: Debbye at
06:41 PM
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1
I was more than a little surprised to the see the French stand their ground on anything.
It is one of those things which you have to look at a bit of history to really get. The American Revolution was all about freedom of religion, the French, freedom from religion.
Libertarian that I am I don't think what people wear is any of the state's business. Then again Canada does not have 5-7 million North African Muslims living in slums around most of her major cities, I suspect this changes one's perspective.
Posted by: Jay Currie at October 22, 2004 04:49 AM (0HBFj)
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I (sort of) understand the French approach to secularism, and you make a good point about the French Revolution. The hysteria over the Dreyfuss trial last century was fed by the Church and furthering secularism was seen as the remedy, and it did seem to squash anti-Semitism (although that is certainly arguable given recent events.)
What I don't get is how banning the scarf is going to work until they admit that rascism, both Muslim to non-Muslim and French to N. African, is a problem and that high unemployment of the young men in those slums is exacerbating tensions.
Of course, if I had that answer I'd be rich and famous ...
Posted by: Debbye at October 22, 2004 07:17 AM (3jeF6)
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Don't be surprised at French stubborness. THAT is what was behind their disastrous stand on blocking any military action in Iraq. They can be very loyal to whoever pays them the most, but this stand seems more political and self serving, which is where they will show the most resolve. They're no strangers to sacrificing others for their own interests, but this is a neighborhood of houses with a lot of glass, so I will just continue to watch France and judge them by their actions. Who knows? They may yet surprise us...in a positive fashion.
Posted by: John H at October 22, 2004 10:34 PM (qpCnj)
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Actually, the garment in question dates all the way back to about 1972 in Lebanon. The Islamic Radicals needed a way to differentiate between "good" muslim women and vile whores (everybody else, especially Christian Lebanese) so as to sexually assault and abuse only those whores unprotected by being Muslim. Enter the hijab.
Basically gang colors for Muslim women in secular countries, to help in target aquisition of Muslim males to know who it is proper to violently sexually assault and kill.
John P
Most schools and a lot of businesses forbid gang colors, it sounds like the French have decided that they don't want to identify the nonMuslim females for targets of opportunity.
Posted by: Jhn1 at October 24, 2004 08:27 PM (+Ogqc)
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