You do realise that calling someone a wishy-washy liberal and general name-slinging doesn't add to you argument. Many liberal Muslim women do say it is a symbol of oppression. Many also say they wear it by choice for reasons already explained. Their opinion deserves to be aired too and it is 'valid' so while we're not in a position to qualify 'most' there remains an alternative view. That's the point! It's about being forced to wear something, or not in this case. This whole debate is about the people opposing the niqab (in particular the old French white men and the influence of the far right) than those who wear it. People's prejudice and bigotry is thinly veiled.
I represent French muslim lady welders and am equally unsure how this legislation affects my members. Why yes, I do have acetylene tits. Thank you for asking.
Myrtle I only call it as I see it. You talk about denial of freedom and the right to choose. Where is the woman's right to freedom and choice when she's forced to wear a veil over her face because of out-dated religious dogma and simple sexism? I agree with you that what is happening in France is a sop to the right-wing (I said so in a post right at the top of this thread). However, in this case the ends justify the means. By banning the veil it provides a step towards giving woman more rights over what they can and can't wear. At the moment their choice is simple: Wear the veil or stay indoors.
Rebel There have been many cases of domestic abuse, mental torture, ostracism and even murder because a Muslim woman has refused to wear the nijab or burka. Many Muslim women's groups throughout the middle-east have called for women to be allowed to walk down the street with bare faces, a simple human right that's denied to millions of women. Now, I agree that it should be a choice. But there is a huge reluctance within many sectors of the Muslim-community to allow women this simple choice. Banning them may be an extreme reaction but if it leads to Muslim women having more choice in the long run surely it's worth it? Personally, I would not ban it but would pass a law that the nijab must be removed in places such as government buildings, banks, airports etc.
wear the nijab and nothing else please log in to view this image or wear clothes and no nijab please log in to view this image the choice is theirs then
It's up to each country to set their own laws, if in the Arab states the rules are for women to wear the burkas then that's the law and any changes should be debated and made by the people of the said states. If France wants to ban them then that's Frances law and it should be respected.
And if France makes a law to say that all Welshmen in France should be bummed every Friday night, that should be respected too?
