Sarkozy: Burkha is not welcome in France!

[UKBusinessLive]

Nowhere in the Koran does it state that a woman's face and body must be covered in a layer of heavy black cloth. Instead, Muslim women should dress modestly, covering their arms and legs.

Many adult British Muslims cover their heads with a headscarf - and I have no problem with that.

The burkha is an entirely different matter. It is an imported Saudi Arabian tradition, and the growing number of women veiling their faces in Britain is a sign of creeping radicalisation, which is not just regressive, it is oppressive and downright dangerous.

The burkha is an extreme practice. It is never right for a woman to hide behind a veil and shut herself off from people in the community. But it is particularly wrong in Britain, where it is alien to the mainstream culture for someone to walk around wearing a mask.

We must unite against the radical Muslim men who love to control women.

The veil restricts women. It stops them achieving their full potential in all areas of their life, and it stops them communicating. It sends out a clear message: 'I do not want to be part of your society.'

Every time the burkha is debated, Muslim fundamentalists bring out all these women who say: 'It's my choice to wear this.' Perhaps so - but what pressures have been brought to bear on them? The reality, surely, is that a lot of women are not free to choose.

And behind the closed doors of some Muslim houses, countless young women are told to wear the hijab and the veil. These are the girls who are hidden away, they are not allowed to go to university or choose who they marry. In many cases, they are kept down by the threat of violence.

The burkha is the ultimate visual symbol of female oppression. It is the weapon of radical Muslim men who want to see Sharia law on Britain's streets, and would love women to be hidden, unseen and unheard. It is totally out of place in a civilised country.

Precisely because it is impossible to distinguish between the woman who is choosing to wear a burkha and the girl who has been forced to cover herself and live behind a veil.

It is time for ministers and ordinary British Muslims to say, 'Enough is enough'. For the sake of women and children, the Government must ban the wearing of the hijab in school and the burkha in public places.

To do so is not racist, as extremists would have us believe. After all, when you go to Pakistan or Middle Eastern countries, you respect the way they live.

For Muslims who want to live in a Talibanised society, and turn their face against Britain and elsewhere, is this: 'If you don't like living here and don't want to integrate, then what the hell are you doing here? Why don't you just go and live in an Islamic country?'

Thats the reason I believe it should be banned.

[TruthElixirX]

Forced modernization with threat of violence is awful. Making women wear veils if awful.

Why not try educating them instead of threatening violence?

[JacquiiDesigns]

I actually voted yes - because I think the premise of empowered woman is a noble one. But then I rethought this - and the first thing that comes to mind is "How the hell can this President Sarkozy or anybody else for that matter tell me what the hell I can or cannot wear?" --- When a government gets in to legislating what type of clothing is acceptible blablabla - It may be time for that government to find better things to do with their citizens resources and for their citizens money.

Jacquii.

[UKBusinessLive]

Originally Posted by JacquiiCooke

I actually voted yes - because I think the premise of empowered woman is a noble one. But then I rethought this - and the first thing that comes to mind is "How the hell can this President Sarkozy or anybody else for that matter tell me what the hell I can or cannot wear?" --- When a government gets in to legislating what type of clothing is acceptible blablabla - It may be time for that government to find better things to do with their citizens resources and for their citizens money.

Jacquii.

For the very same reason Jacquii that the rulers of Saudi Arabia state you cannot drink alcohol, for same reason the Ruler of Pakistan says women need to be covered up, and for the same reason in afganistan the taliban are telling women to dress up as tents and have no function in the real world.

Its like me saying "How the hell can this Saudi Ruler anybody else for that matter tell me what the hell I can or cannot drink in his country"

As you can never prove if a woman "Really" wants to wear one or she's being forced to wear one, the best option is to make it illegal, That way your protecting them all the Fantical muslim who wants to talibanaise the western world will remain in their islamic country and at least those that do end up in france, for the woman it gives here a bit of her freedom back.

[JacquiiDesigns]

Ah - separate and equally dressed by our oppressive governments. :P

No - I really do understand the conundrum - but when Sarkozy says "thou shalt not wear the burkha ever never ever ever" --- Is that really the solution to correcting the debasement of women?

I certainly understand that societies are made up of laws. When in Rome - sometimes I acted like a Tennesseean and such, yet when in France I will be the native Tennesseean without hesitation and certainly without a burkha... But should that option be completely stripped away, verbatim?

For instance - in highschool - there was a crowd who wore combat boots, another crowd made fun of them and called them Nazis - others called them skinhead wannabes - yet the principal did not ban the boots. I probably would have because combat boots with tight-rolled jeans is a fashion no-no.

Likewise - perhaps I simply want to wear a burkha because I don't like showing my curves in public and having men undress me with their eyes and make lude nuiances and sexual advances and... ARG - I'm dreaming - of course I adore nudity... But yeah....

I suppose - what I'm saying is that - what may work for you - may not necessarily be the same thing that works for the next Joe or Josephine. Again - the concept of stripping away the debasement of woman is quite noble. My good percentage of my poetry is about empowering and being the empowered woman. --- But at the same time - telling me I cannot wear an item of clothing because it may be signify oppression to someone is a bit absurd. And though this argument may be a bit boorish - I will argue it anyway: What's next:
No one can wear the color red because the blue gang thinks it denegrates their ideals? Men can no longer wear shorts or thongs because some women find their hairy legs offensive? Dresses in the rebel flag patter (of the ol' southern US) can no longer exist because a majority of Blacks do not think it represents southern pride?

Perhaps we should all be nude.

Jacquii.

[Allan]

I agree of course.

[home9000]

NO

Let assume this issue related to Jews
Do you think Sarkozy can do it

Who did this rule doesn't care about Muslims and this bad sign from Sarkozy to Islamic countries . This will effect the relations between France and Islamic countries in the medium term.

But who is the benefit from this rules ?
I do not think Muslims or France we gain anything from this rule except more spite between nations

[UKBusinessLive]

Originally Posted by home9000

NO

Let assume this issue related to Jews
Do you think Sarkozy can do it

Who did this rule doesn't care about Muslims and this bad sign from Sarkozy to Islamic countries . This will effect the relations between France and Islamic countries in the medium term.

But who is the benefit from this rules ?
I do not think Muslims or France we gain anything from this rule except more spite between nations

Lets not miss the point here, We're not going on about jews as this is not what the thread is about, Its about a Soveriegn Country deciding that it will not allow a certain type of Muslim Dress into the Country. Its not about Muslims, France has the Highest Population of Muslims living in France than any other European Country. So you can't say that France dosn't care. Alot of Muslims that have moved their have escaped death from the Taliban in countries like afganistan, and made France their Safe haven. Its only natural that France protects its muslims from These Stricter religious sects.

A lets Remember that only a few percent of Muslim women wear the Burka, So its nothing to do with muslims in General or the religion.

We need to remember that the burkha is is recent idea which originated in Saudi Arabia, We need to remember that the Taliban aslo originated in Saudi Arabia and they did indeed want a strict religion where women were mere items to remain Hidden and Unheard off. Where theres no education, and no contact with the modern world, no books, computers, Teachers and doctors were often beheaded or stoned to death, women were told to cover up and only be seen outside with a burkha in the company of a male relative.

Its also from this stricter type of islamic religion that allows older men to have new brides with no minium ages, its common to have men in their 50's with a bride of 10 years or under.

You only need to read up online the numerous forums of muslim women that have had the courage to speak out

http://www.themuslimwoman.org/entry/...-saudi-arabia/

In Islam, there is no such concept of free will, especially with respect to women folk. They are treated as mere commodities in the hands of men. They are battered, molested, killed when they ask for freedom. To make the situation worse, women have given no say in their own marriage. Girls less than ten years are given away to men over fifty years!

Do you expect women in Islamic countries to breathe?

There are no such laws in Saudi Arabia that define the minimum age for marriage. Although a woman’s permission is legally required, but that’s a different story that some marriage officials do not think it’s necessary to ask them.
Running on the similar lines, recently a case has come up from Saudi Arabia where the court has discarded a divorce plea from eight-year-old girl married to 58-year-old man.

We need to Remember that the Muslim Faith is a peace loving Religion but there are certain factions that are simply fanatical and don't care who they hurt to get their way, even other muslims.

Lets not get mixed up here with Moderate muslims who wish to wish to simply live amonst us, This is about one country deciding that they do not want a particular faction in their country.

Its horror stories like these from Afganistan thats going to make alot of countries ban the Burkha

There is hope, however. Ten women study alongside 600 men at Kandahar University, a former male bastion.

Zora Koshan, 20, a returned refugee from Pakistan, is one. Koshan, who spurns the burqa, said: 'Many women are under the control of their husbands. They need their permission to do anything. We want an education, to be able to work and bring money to our families.'

Other women have been emboldened by circumstance. Widow Bibi Gul, 60, gathered her two daughters in a quiet room to tell their story. After her husband died, said Gul, she refused to surrender the deeds to their house, so her two youngest sons drove her into the desert and threatened to kill her.

'They pulled me out of the car and beat me,' she said. 'They said they would throw me into a well.'

Gul's daughter Aailia, 37, a nurse, showed a large bald patch on her head which she said had been made when the brothers attacked her.

Aailia's sister Anar, who suffered at the hands of her opium addict former husband spoke last, telling how she left him because he took a second wife. His torture left her partially blind, she said.

Now the three women live together. Talking to a male Western reporter could provoke even more abuse, but they no longer care.

Her mother nodded towards three blue burqas piled on her bed and said: 'I want to pour oil on top and set them on fire. I hate them.'

Like islamic countries, if you go to france you obide by their laws.

[Shelley_c]

The major reason I voted yes was because it was the nearest checkbox to get to. There were other minor reasons which influenced the decision though.

[UKBusinessLive]

Originally Posted by Shelley_c

The major reason I voted yes was because it was the nearest checkbox to get to. There were other minor reasons which influenced the decision though.

Although the disagree was directly below it

As a woman Shelley what are your views ??