In 2004, France banned Islamic headscarves in all its state schools. Despite all attempts to label that as religious discriminarion, the ban is still in effect. Currently, France has a 32 member Parliamentary committee that is investigating ways to restrict the use of the burqa in French society.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy told the Parliament, "We cannot accept to have in our country women who are prisoners behind netting, cut off from all social life, deprived of identity." I am not a big fan of President Sarkozy, but I think he's right on this issue.
Religious or not, the burqa is nothing more than a device to keep women as second-class citizens (or even worse - as slaves owned by men). It is much easier to deny women their equal rights if you can keep them cut off from the world behind a burqa.
Now it looks like the battle has moved to France's swimming pools. In Emerainville, east of Paris, officials at the public swimming pool have banned the use of a "burkini" for swimming (see picture above). The burkini covers the entire body, including the head.
According to pool official Daniel Guillaume, the staff "reminded [the woman] of the rules that apply in all (public) swimming pools which forbid swimming while clothed." And that is exactly what she was trying to do -- swim while clothed head to foot.
The woman is a French convert to Islam. She said, "Quite simply, this is segregation. I will fight to try to change things. And if I see that the battle is lost, I cannot rule out leaving France."
She is wrong. No one has tried to segregate her. They simply want her to follow the same rules required of all other women (whether French or foreign). If other women cannot swim fully-clothed, why should she be allowed to do so?
"Quite simply, this is segregation. I will fight to try to change things. And if I see that the battle is lost, I cannot rule out leaving France."
ReplyDeleteHa Ha ha. What a loss for France! Please don't rule it out indeed! there are plenty of Lovely and welcoming countries who would love to have you. Afghanistan, the Emirates. Why don't you write to the Talebans? they d'love to have you over there! That way you can even cover your feet and even the whole of your face! Aren't you lucky! Enjoy! Byeeeeeeee!
I got removed from a French swimming pool last year for wearing a damn site less than that! The reason given to me was hygiene. She must have sent them into apoplexy.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you can't swim in that thing. far too much drag.
I don't even know how to contribute to the conversation.
ReplyDeleteBut obviously in Muslim women are not showing as much as they should and I don't mean flesh. Women in Islam don't share the burka theory in order to be religious. In prayer, they can wear it, just like the Buddhists, Jewish and Christians alike.
The burka is said to be the covering that shades our head from God out of respect, as a sentiment of humility. Same like all other religions traditionally have for garments. But, in the arabian regions, it was told that the beginning of the burka was when a king was passing in the market, where the commoners are present, and his wife,not queen, was being carried amongst the masses, the king was jealous of how the men where eye-balling his wife, and then forced all women to wear burka in the presence of MEN. This story somehow has been carried out through generations, authentic or not, it only tells that the garments back then were different.
Islam thinks by covering the shapes of womanhood would vanquish the evil gene in men. As if men only feel horny when seeing women. Ask the arabs. Besides Islam works by alienation discussion. First by banishing the concept of others disagreeing with them. They seem only to see the bad side of everything then resort to violence. The things that Muslims have succeeded in explaining some of their concepts, we have come to agree with them, but not convert necessarily.
France is not banning burka for religious conservative clothing rather than banning Muslim male dominance on women whom are forced to wear it in order to preserve allegiance to Islam. Or perhaps France is not willing to change its way of life to accommodate a new faith that has little tolerance towards other religions.
UK now, is forcing women police officers to wear head garments when entering holy places. This is to appease the Muslim followers. However, how are we to expect an officer of the law to wear vision limiting garments and place their and our lives in danger? God forbid someone should invent a new wider vision system in burka.
This is mixed feeling. There are mosques in the Vatican, but no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia, Islam has singular vision.
They are aching to change the world by breading. It is written in the Quran. Islam is what Islam thinks and talks. I refuse to be accused of intolerance. But how would you behave when our nuns are accused of showing cleavage just because they are Christians?
When we talk of Islam, we talk in general. We do not take singular instances and generalize it.
Islam is not seeking equality in France, rather than seeking to convert the Christian rule.
It is obvious they are looking for their own satisfaction on behalf of the foreign local communities.
Seriously, people are little aware of the situation, this tug war between the folks of all faiths in different communities.
I can tell you this,
the clashes between the religions can and will be the destruction of this world.
Religion is supposed to be about love and compassion not hatred and destruction.
In Addition, I agree with the saying:
ReplyDelete"Religion is an insult to human dignity."
Steven Weinberg
Did anyone care to comment on how a burkini looks like a smurf costume?