Brian George
Blog # 8
3/18/2011
Currently the country of France has the infamous reputation among its Islamic citizens for being quite discriminatory against those who practice the religion. In a way it’s common knowledge that France yields a large population of Catholics and Protestants, it’s only ‘recent’ that individuals of the Muslim faith have migrated to the country. “Islam is today constitutes the second largest religion in Europe. There are currently believed to be about five million Muslims in France, many of whom are of North African descent. Muslims first started immigrating to France in large numbers during the 1950’s and 1960’s when France needed manpower to sustain it’s economic boom.” (Religion In France http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/France/Religion-in-France/565). So in the past the presence of Muslims were in a way welcome and very much needed to keep the country from loosing it’s economic growth.
But currently it’s been quite the opposite, during a research study there was proof that many places of employment don’t care to hire Muslims; “The researchers next conducted a “correspondence test,” creating employment CVs for three fictional job-seekers with differing religious and national signals, one an apparently French-indigenous individual, one a French-Senegalese with a Christian given name and one a French-Senegalese with a Muslim given name. The CVs were then sent in pairs, one from the “French” applicant and the other from either the “Christian” or “Muslim” applicant, in response to advertised positions at 300 French companies. The results showed clearly that the “Christian” job applicant was more than twice as likely to receive a call back as the “Muslim” applicant..” (New study points to religion as basis for discrimination against Muslims in France http://bignews.biz/?id=854641&pg=1&keys=muslim-france-discrimination-stanford ). In many places of employment in the city, there’s hiring discrimination against individuals who practice Islam. Perhaps they’re afraid their customers may be a bit ‘intimidated’ or afraid of a employee with a ‘Muslim sounding’ name, or they simply don’t want to hire someone who didn’t want to assimilate to the majority who lived there aka French Catholics or maybe even Protestants.
There’s been no recent report of discrimination against other religions in France regarding those who practice other religions that may be seen as respectable in their region but the divide placed against Muslims has been clear.
Along with the unfair discrimination when it comes to gaining employment there has been blatant and sadly successful attempts to keep signs of Islam and Muslim denizens out of the public eye by enforcing laws that keep the women from wearing certain attire that is significant in their culture as well as the religion they practice; “In the mid 1990's, religious freedom in France was restricted by a law which outlawed religious proselytizing by persons of all faiths. The French Minister of Education strictly interpreted this law as prohibiting the wearing of the hijab. This is a scarf that covers a woman's head, neck and throat. It is traditionally worn by teenage and adult Muslim women for protection, and to display modesty. It is not simply an expression of religious affiliation, like a Christian cross or crucifix. It is considered an obligatory covering for devout Muslim women.” “France, Attacks On Religious Freedom; http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_franc2.htm). While there have been reports of innocent girls and boys being suspended from their schools for wearing certain attire pertaining to their Islamic religion; there were no such reports indicating that those who were crosses or other items dealing with various other religions were suspended.
Both instances are twisted and infuriating facts that let us know that people in other countries harbor the same disrespect and hate towards things they don’t understand. It would be a pleasure knowing that there is little to no worry when it comes to filling out one's job application and knowing my religion nor name will be a determining factor in whether or not I get hired. And it would also great knowing future offspring won't have to worry about any small religious trinkets or attire they may want to wear will result in them being expelled or suspended.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_franc2.htm
http://bignews.biz/?id=854641&pg=1&keys=muslim-france-discrimination-stanford
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/France/Religion-in-France/565
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