France moves one step closer to burqa ban

[Hitman]

Paris, France (CNN) -- The French Council of Ministers approved a measure Wednesday to ban the wearing of full-face veils, sending the bill to parliament.
Veils that cover the face "cannot be tolerated in any public place," said a statement issued by the council.
The Council of Ministers' approval of the bill is the latest step in France's efforts to ban the burqa, niqab and other Muslim garments that cover a woman's face. Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie introduced the measure in the council Wednesday.
A panel of French lawmakers recommended a ban last year, and last week lawmakers unanimously passed a non-binding resolution calling the full-face veil contrary to the laws of the nation.
"Given the damage it produces on those rules which allow the life in community, ensure the dignity of the person and equality between sexes, this practice, even if it is voluntary, cannot be tolerated in any public place," the French government said Wednesday.
The bill envisions a fine of 150 euros ($190) and/or a citizenship course as punishment for wearing a face-covering veil.
Forcing a woman to wear a niqab or a burqa would be punishable by a year in prison or a 15,000-euro ($19,000) fine, the government said, calling it "a new form of enslavement that the republic cannot accept on its soil."


http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/05/19/france.burqa.ban/index.html?hpt=T2



Good on France. I think it should be banned in the UK too. Belgium has banned it and it's banned in certain places in Italy. Will the UK ban it? I doubt it. What do you think?

[Smits]

The UK won't ban it because it'll cause too much uprise. It should do though, does my head in.

[Hitman]

The UK won't ban it because it'll cause too much uprise. It should do though, does my head in.
You are most probably right. There would probably be a "peaceful" protest, where banners saying "BEHEAD THOSE WHO INSULT ISLAM" and "KILL THE JEWS" would be waved around, along with "DOWN WITH FREEDOM". Very peaceful and friendly.

[Frodo13.]

I personally don't think there should be an outright ban, but I do think it should be banned in places where it could pose a security risk, such as airports and banks. I also think Muslim female teachers shouldn't be able to wear them either.

[immense]

I hope they don't. Freedom of choice. I thought this said burga though, lmao.

[Swearwolf]

I hope they do, I'd love to call the police and report as many as I can, muppets

[ecstasy]

do they have a reason for banning it?

[Wig44.]

I hope they don't. Freedom of choice. I thought this said burga though, lmao.

Ok, the day I can go into a bank in disguise with my face totally hidden is the day I agree with this statement. For a start, the burqa isn't required by Islam

[-:Undertaker:-]

I hope they don't. Freedom of choice. I thought this said burga though, lmao.

The women dont get a say in that 'choice'.

[immense]

I think you forget that women find it liberating. You're being very disrespectful to their religion. Please don't post things you don't know about as I find it very offensive.

[Hitman]

I think you forget that women find it liberating. You're being very disrespectful to their religion. Please don't post things you don't know about as I find it very offensive.
Ah yes, very liberating. I bet they love it when it's hot in summer time, must be really breezy in there!

It is not required by Islam to wear them, their husbands are jealous fools who don't want anybody else to look at their wives. I've heard conflicting stories from Muslims, some saying they do it by choice, others saying it's required, so it seems even they don't know!

If you cannot see the security risk then you must be wearing a burka over your eyes. Yes, I love freedom and it's a great thing, however we are not truly free as some things can't be in order to maintain security.

I would also like to point out, the (Belgium or Italian) law does not target the burka specifically. It applies to any garment that conceals the face - balaclava or a bag, whatever.

[immense]

If you knew anything about their religion you'd also know some of the women find it liberating. I'm not saying it's right, I'm not saying them all. It's a fact.

[Hitman]

If you knew anything about their religion you'd also know some of the women find it liberating. I'm not saying it's right, I'm not saying them all. It's a fact.
I am not claiming to know about their religion, afterall many Muslims don't know it themselves* and it is a cultural thing, not a religious thing. Some might, why I don't know, but when there are security risks to consider then they must be considered. It's the same as going around in a balaclava, I am anonymous. There was a recent robbery at a jewellers where a burka was worn by a man to gain entrance to a shop and his 'gang' came in after.

*A Muslim girl in my class drinks and says it is allowed. Many other Muslims, including my friend, say it is Haram (forbidden). The same goes for voting, some say it's forbidden whilst others say it's not.

Are you the expert on Islam then?

[Wig44.]

It's liberating because people won't know who they are. Just like it is liberating for a criminal to conceal his/her face.

[immense]

How rude. They find it liberating because they then feel safe and that men aren't oogling them.

[Hitman]

How rude. They find it liberating because they then feel safe and that men aren't oogling them.
You are rude for ignoring me! :@ Huff. It's their husbands who want them in the burkas, besides who's to say that other men will even look at them? There are plenty of women walking the streets. :S When it boils down to what you say, we risk security issues because some women's husbands don't want others looking at them. Hmm. I would rather security came first - in the Western culture people show their faces and do not hide behind veils because others will look at them. If they really don't want anybody to see their wives then they can go to a country that accepts the covering of the face.

[jackass]

I really do hope it gets banned here in the UK as well!

[HotelUser]

I would initially of said that banning it is stupid, because people should be allowed to represent their own culture with clothing. Then again, I think banning it makes sense, because it's it's perceived by many as woman's wear which represents inequality. People of other cultures don't really appreciate that and shouldn't have to.

[GommeInc]

If you knew anything about their religion you'd also know some of the women find it liberating. I'm not saying it's right, I'm not saying them all. It's a fact.
It's not believed to be part of their religion. It's more of a sub-cultural thing that just arose from no where.

Hitman is correct, they only really exist for the sake of their husbands paranoia. It makes a woman an object, something that is frowned upon in western culture. The reason behind them contradicts freedom. They wear them to show they are bound to their husbands, a nicer way of saying "imprisoned" (as a exaggeration, of course :P). Besides, men can oggle at them in a different way.

[Matty]

It's a pain in the neck it's one of those things that in reality they is nothing wrong with it, but it's just a pain. I hope it gets banned in Brit.

[ecstasy]

the french dont put up with anything they dont like. we need to be more like that