French Minister Wants to Ban 'Unacceptable' Islamic Burqas
Filed under: News
The controversial burqa (left) and French immigration minister Eric Besson (right). Photos: AFP/Getty Images I Franck Fife, AFP/Getty Images
From Coco Chanel to First Lady Carla Bruni, France and fashion go together like Pepe Le Pew and restraining orders. But now, the country's highest leaders are taking aim at one controversial fashion garment: the burqa.
Following public outcries from French president Nicolas Sarkozy and assorted politicians, French immigration minister Éric Besson is demanding a complete ban on the full-body Islamic garment, The Daily Mail reports.
Despite previously suggesting that a ban on burqas (which feature a mesh screen over the eyes) and niqabs (which have just a slit) would create divisiveness, the paper reports that yesterday Besson spoke out, saying, "The burqa is unacceptable and contrary to the principles of national identity, of sexual equality and of the French Republic."
The burqa has been a major source of protest in France, which the paper reports has the largest Muslim population in Europe (at five million people), with an estimated 200,000 citizens wearing the controversial veil. According to The Daily Mail, women's rights groups and left-wing MPs have dubbed the garment "a walking coffin" and "mobile prison," while last July President Sarkozy supported a movement by 58 French MPs calling for an inquiry into whether the face-obscuring garments were legal. The inquiry's findings will be reported next month, the paper notes.
"This garment makes women prisoners and deprives them of their identity," said Sarkozy, the paper reports. "I say solemnly that they are not welcome on the territory of the French Republic."
Naturally, this outcry against the burqa has raised ire with the Muslim community. The paper reports that in July Al Qaeda called for revenge should a ban take effect.
Stay tuned for more details as this story develops. And tell us: Do you think the French government should have a say in what its citizens wear -- particularly if the garment has a religious affiliation?
France has burqas, Mississippi has saggy pants. Click here to read about one mayor's fashion battle.
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Eve 9-15-2009 @ 1:10AM
Someone wearing a burqa is plain scary. It is a mask, and they could have any kind of weapon under there. I worked at a large retail store in jewelry. Every time someone came in wearing one it scared the bejeebees out of me. There could be a man under there just as easily.
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EvilHasGrabbedIslam 9-24-2009 @ 9:46AM
I Totally agree. This Islamic people have taken over the middle east & now they want to take over the world. I am from the middle east & these radical bastards have push out my family & have followed us. What are they doing in France? They need to be sent back. They are pure EVIL!! Try wearing a large cross walking around in Mecca or Medina. Try opening a Church, Synagogue or Temple. They will kill you. They are like rats, a bad nightmare. They are the creepest people. To all you westerners you are being fooled!! Wait till they have majority population, then its over!! You have doomed your kids to Sharia Laws in the future. Fight back say something to these slimy bastards.
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Amanda 9-24-2009 @ 11:28AM
They can't ban the dress. Whether or not people agree with it is not the issue. That clothing is not only personal choice but a matter of religious doctrin. You are stripping someone of the ability to demonstraite their faith by adhereing to its guide lines. While I understand it could be a security issue, many things already are and they have yet to make us get onto planes naked in the name of better security. This would be like telling a buddhist they could not shave their head, a hindu they could not pierce their child's ears or a christian they could not wear a cross.
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kollapse3 9-24-2009 @ 11:53AM
These muslim people who want to live outside their homelands need to be respectful of the culture in which they've relocated to. This is a problem all over the world with people who want to reap the benifits of living in a foreign land, but don't want to break with their old traditions or just simply insist on showing national pride of their former nationality......COME ON PEOPLE! What ever happened to the international "unwritten law" (which simply states) "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"? This is a RESPECT issue. I think that in this case, the nation of France is justified in their beliefs......would you feel comfortable living in a community where everyone was allowed to wear a mask and hide their faces? Would you feel safe knowing that someone who committed a crime may not be identified just because they're legally allowed to hide their identity? (YES, Women commit crimes too.) If it's SO important to these people to hide their faces, I say they're welcome to go back to where they came from. These same people would NEVER allow us to impose OUR customs on THEM....yet they expect the rest of the world to bow to THEIR wishes. ...well I say that "THAT'S JUST WRONG"....and I VERY MUCH resent it.
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Corey 9-24-2009 @ 1:55PM
Decapitating people and flying 747's into buildings to prove a point is part of their religion too but thats illegal
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