A Brief Summary of the Burkha Debate, Sarkozy Position
a) We find it appalling that your religion dictates what you may and may not wear.
b) We therefore propose to dictate what you may and may not wear.
Questions?
a) We find it appalling that your religion dictates what you may and may not wear.
b) We therefore propose to dictate what you may and may not wear.
Questions?
Designed by Gabfire slightly modified by stageleft
OR…..
Those things don’t look very French, you can’t wear them.
The French have always been fashionistas, no? Designers are having a hard time making ends meet, as who is going to spend $ on Chanel if they’re going to cover it up in a burkha?
“It’s the economy, stupid”
I’ve always had a beef with Protestants, and their pressed kakhis and blue sweaters!
And he was me thinking I was the only one in the bunker who listened to Lowell Green….
Have you seen Irshad Manji’s Faith without Fear when she goes to Yemen and tries on some Niqabs? Unintentional humour when she asks for the most liberal and progressive niqab and the store clerk hands her a black curtain that looks like every other black curtain in the store.
But hey, I guess some people enjoy wearing black curtains. I certainly wouldn’t advise it in Toronto during the summer strike.
“I guess some people enjoy wearing black curtains.”
Roman Catholic nuns and Italian widows among them. Certainly their choice or wardrobe should have nothing to do with what you, I, or Sakozy think.
Balbulican,
You do have a point. But insofar as it is a cultural traditional steeped in the modesty aspect of both religions, the Catholic and Christian derivatives have greatly liberalized and changed their fundamentalist approach in mainstream society. In western society only the very fringe still adhere to such orthodoxy. Perhaps Sarkozy is hoping for a liberalization of the symbols of political Islam?
Raph: “Perhaps Sarkozy is hoping for a liberalization of the symbols of political Islam?”
Since when was Sarkozy the bastion of Islamic reform? This sort of change has to come from within Islam, not from an outlandish centre-right French leader. Change will only come from increased integration into mainstream society. Of course there would still be fringe crazies, but as you say, there always are.
If you outlaw cultural traditions, you push more and more people to it, even those who had been moving towards it.
What JonZor said.
I once got into a bitter debate with a person of the female persuasion over at David Thompson’s blog when (IIRC) I compared the burqa with high heels and miniskirts and noted that in each case it could be argued that women’s bodies were a site of cultural struggle: both objectify women. She wasn’t having that, but I think I was on to something.
What’s next? Outlaw the Scottish kilt?
That dumb piece of dressware my anscestors must have dreamed up over several whiskeys. Probably convenient when taking care of business with the sheep.
Ahh jeez, just noticed you don’t have the editing function anymore.
@Canuckguy – Over my cold dead body….laddy.
I think we should make Lowell wear a burkha…and he should have to do it with David Warren wearing bondage gear…like they do on weekends.
this anti-burkha legislation is steeped in ethnocentrism and cultural mis-communications. Poor, manly Muslim, young people lit France on fire 2 years ago, talk about a divide between traditional french society and its new immigrant population. i’ve always kind of wondered is this a debate between gender equality or freedom of religion?
It’s certainly not about gender equality, given the tender concern most of the burkhaphobes show for women’s rights in other areas. You can’t advance women’s rights by moving the right to dictate their wardrobe from their religion to the State.
One element left out of the burkha debate: enforcement.
Those who are against the use of burkhas will have to tell us how they propose to enforce a ban. Will they arrest all users? Strip them of their garments? Prosecute them in Superior Court?
And how will we define a burkha exactly? Will wedding veils be allowed? Hats with veils? Hats with veils with baggy clothing? Etc.
It would be nice to know the cost of this enforcement too.