Crystal Bayne
4-15-2011
4:44pm
This has caused an international firestorm. With Muslims rioting all over France, as well as the rest of the world. While the burqa and niqab are apart of Islamic culture, President Nicholas Sarkozy has publicly stated that "the ban is not meant to target Muslims or Islam but anyone who uses any face covering, including masks and motorcycle helmets with visors. If the law had explicitly discriminated against one group, it would not have cleared the Constitutional Council" Regardless the country has erupted and has become split in twos. Half of France's citizens are opposed to the new law while other French citizens are more than happy to see the new law go into effect. An example of this is shown in a recent poll, which shows how the people are more concerned about the new ban, but not necessarily concerned over losing their jobs or cuts in services.
This entire scenario is a tough call. While I can certainly see why they are banning the face-covering veil for security, I can also see why the opposition is upset. Sometimes the government forces us to do things we do not want, example being at the airport. Most people do not want to get patted down or go through those new X-ray machines which can see everything. However those protocols and procedures are there not only to protect other passengers, and pilots, but YOU! And if you do not agree to those rules, well then you're not allowed to board your flight. I think that is what the French government is trying to do. I can certainly see where President Sarkozy is coming from, if it was directed towards just Muslims the mask and helmets would not be present in the new law. However you don't normally see someone forcing another person to wear a mask or a motorcycle helmet. So that makes you wonder, is this actually directed towards Muslims?
Is this racial intolerance? Are Muslims in France truly being discriminated against? Will we ever know is the real question! For us here in the United States it is hard to understand how something like that can become illegal, because in our very own constitution it states: Separation between Church and State. However France, over the more recent years have had many terrorist attack coming from Islamic extremists. So maybe this is just there way of cracking down on terrorism. I still the the women should be allowed to wear their veils, only because it is an important part of their religion.
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