Sarkozy says burqas are 'not welcome' in France

Tuesday 23rd June, 06:17 AM JST

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BeaverCleaver at 09:42 PM JST - 24th June

The burqua is not religious clothing. The term makes no sense anyway. I do not think there is any particular type of clothing sanctioned by any religion is there? All the burqua is is a type of clothing that allows Muslim women to fulfill ideas of modesty that might be in the Koran. But interpretations vary.

If women want to wear it, its their human right, right up until it becomes a security risk. And the only way to know that for sure is that a crime against French security or even a neighbor's must be committed that is aided by a burqua. Until that happens Sarkozy has no business making half the statements he does.

What? You don't want to take the risk? Well, freedom and democracy are not for the faint of heart. Relocating to a far more secure totalitarian regime is just a plane ride away. Bye.
Sarge at 10:10 PM JST - 24th June

"Qatar, where women wear Islamic head coverings in public, whether while shopping or driving cars"

I'll bet a lot of women in Saudi Arabia wish they were in Qatar.
BeaverCleaver at 10:11 PM JST - 24th June

Sarge, we are discussing France.
Sarge at 10:29 PM JST - 24th June

Beaver, you're new here, so I'm going to give you a break.
Anything in the article is up for discussion, and I commented on something in the article.
Brunobear at 10:33 PM JST - 24th June

A German town recently refused the construction of a mosque because the Islamic architecture did not fit with historic buildings it would be set among, and also because the town leadership would not accept a major building in their town where women were not treated as an equal.

Wearing of these outfits in some Middle Eastern countries like Egypt only became widespread after the 1967 Israeli/Egyption war when secularism was swamped by the old bastion of religion.

In Turkey I have seen groups of women wearing them for vital sun protection in the fields while their husbands sat around all day in the village playing cards.

Roman Catholics nuns gave their similar garb away in the sixties.

Shiria law does not require the cutting off of hands for stealing or the the public spectacle of stoning women for unfaithfulness if the accused publicly repents. But it is widely done whether the accused repent or not.

Moslem women in France are better off to adopt the truism "when in Rome, do as the Romans do". Same with their men folk.
Madverts at 12:02 AM JST - 25th June

"How many who risk pain, injury or even death for disobeying? Don't think you can just ask them whether or not they want to wear the thing; the pressure on them to answer affirmitively is too great."

The other side of the coin is also allowing immigrnats to contine treating women in this way. The French can be critisized for the way they go about a lot of things, but I support the end of immigrants coming here - many of them with the sole intention of living off state benefits - and refusing to integrate.

"last time they had an issue with headscarves in the public school system they went and banned them along with all crucifixes, stars of david and yarmulkes, if my memory serves."

Lacism in action. The international media made it about head-scarves, but it was about all religious symbols. Yon know I'd much rather faith-based religions were kept from any sort of decision making, especially at state level. That way we are at least protected from nut-bag fundemantilsts taking away our choises.
BeaverCleaver at 12:28 AM JST - 25th June

Madverts- "The international media made it about head-scarves, but it was about all religious symbols. "

A head scarf is not a religious symbol. It is an instrument and sign of piety. At most it is a symbol of religious culture. The proof is that no religion and almost no sect is consistent about the clothing. If you ban the clothing, then you may as well ban certain haircuts as well, such as the braids certain Jewish men wear. Or beards, as some Muslim men are required to have them when they marry. If you say having a thing for a religious purpose makes it a religious symbol, you open a great big can of worms.
Madverts at 01:20 AM JST - 25th June

Here in France the headscarf is associated with Islam, right or wrong. My point was that the international media made it seem like France was picking on muslims, when it is in fact about protecting the seperation of church and state.
sharky1 at 08:31 AM JST - 25th June

The conspiracy theory...what we have is a concerted islamic effort to convert all nations to their theocracy through infiltration and trying to out populate the rest of the world. Islam is a predatory religion and good on France for their efforts to set boundaries.
suebe36d at 08:49 AM JST - 25th June

Time Place Occassion - as protection against desert sun & sand; or so as not to endanger men focused on serious work like safe driving.
BeaverCleaver at 08:17 PM JST - 27th June

Madverts: "Here in France the headscarf is associated with Islam, right or wrong."

Was Jackie O. a Muslim? Her and other non-Muslim women often wear head scarves.

My point was that the international media made it seem like France was picking on muslims, when it is in fact about protecting the seperation of church and state.

I am afraid I don't see your point at all. It some burqua or head scarf clad Muslim woman running for a parliament seat? It seems to me Sarkozy was on about ordinary people wearing them on their own private time, not people making government decisions.
bushlover at 10:55 AM JST - 29th June

Should we allow them to keep the burka and the honor killings as well? Oh it's religious freedom now. Off with the burka and the safer we'll be when terrorists start to use them against us. The first boom will be an eye opener.
dammit at 04:35 PM JST - 29th June

Brunobear,

In Turkey I have seen groups of women wearing them ... while their husbands sat around all day in the village playing cards. Moslem women in France are better off to adopt the truism "when in Rome, do as the Romans do". Same with their men folk.

lol, I can well imagine Muslim men doing the "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" thing! Instead of sitting around in the village all day playing cards, they'll sit around in the village all day playing cards and guzzling wine! Since when have French men (or any others) been famous for treating women as equals and not ever being lazy beggars? lol!
jonnyboy at 04:47 PM JST - 29th June

most shops won't allow motorcycle riders to wear their helmets inside. this is grounds to disallow the burka as well before you even get into religious debate
teleprompter at 08:10 PM JST - 1st July

Al Qaeda declares they will get their revenge on France

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/0701/1224249838610.html

Waiting for the preposterous "All religions have their extremists" attempt at rebuttal from the multi-culti crowd...