Burka Ban

The Issue

The French National Assembly announced Tuesday the creation of a inquiry into whether women in France should be allowed to wear the burka, one day after President Nicolas Sarkozy controversially told lawmakers that the traditional Muslim garment was "not welcome" in France.

A cross-party panel of 32 lawmakers will investigate whether the traditional Muslim garment poses a threat to the secular nature of the French constitution, Agence France-Presse reported. They are due to report back with their recommendations in six months.

Last week 57 lawmakers -- led by communist legislator Andre Gerin -- signed a petition calling for a study into the feasibility of legislation to ban the burka in public places.

On Monday Sarkozy declared in a keynote parliamentary address that the burka, which covers women from head to toe, is "not welcome" in France.

"The problem of the burka is not a religious problem. This is an issue of a woman's freedom and dignity. This is not a religious symbol. It is a sign of subservience; it is a sign of lowering. I want to say solemnly, the burka is not welcome in France," Sarkozy told lawmakers.

The right of Muslim women to cover themselves is fiercely debated in France, which has a large Muslim minority but also a staunchly secular constitution.

In 2004, the French parliament passed legislation banning Muslim girls from wearing headscarves in state schools, prompting widespread Muslim protests. The law also banned other conspicuous religious symbols including Sikh turbans, large Christian crucifixes and Jewish skull caps.

Last year, France's top court denied a Moroccan woman's naturalization request on the grounds that she wore a burka.

Some lawmakers have called for burkas to be banned completely, claiming they are degrading to women. They also include housing minister Fadela Amara, a Muslim-born women's rights campaigner, who has called the garment "a kind of tomb for women."

"We cannot accept in our country women trapped behind a fence, cut off from social life, deprived of any identity. This is not the idea that we have of a woman's dignity," Sarkozy said Monday.

But French Muslim leaders say that only a small minority of women wear the full veil and had previously criticized calls for the issue to be the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

"To raise the subject like this, via a parliamentary committee, is a way of stigmatizing Islam and the Muslims of France," Mohammed Moussaoui, the head of the French Council for the Muslim Religion, told AFP last week.

"We are shocked by the idea parliament should be put to work on such a marginal issue."

France is not the only European Union country to have considered banning the burka. Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a ban in 2005, although the government of the time was defeated in elections before it could pass legislation to outlaw the garment. -CNN

My Issue

Today it’s not uncommon to see women in certain sectors of life wearing headscarf's. Some religions require their women and/or men to wear some sort of head covering. I have to admit that when headscarf wearing first came out of the closet here in my community I was somewhat taken back by it simply due to the negative connotations it represented. However, over the years I’ve come to accept it and now when I see women wearing a headscarf, though it does catch my attention, it doesn’t affect me one way or the other. As a matter of fact, it seems that most who wear them are, generally speaking, very beautiful.

What does catch my undivided attention are those who do wear the burka’s. Occasionally, while shopping at Wal-Mart I will see women in full gear and it does disturb me and does cause to feel uncomfortable. For me, someone hiding behind such a garment makes me to wonder as to their intent … it’s more of a trust issue than anything else. Nonetheless, I move on. I figure to each their own. If wearing the burka is their fashion statement more power to them … though ridiculous as it may look.

Over the years the burka has stirred controversy here in the U.S. Example. Wearing the burka to obtain a driver’s license, passport or any legal American document on which an identifiable picture is required, in this instance, I don’t care what your faith dictates. In today’s world, burkas should not be allowed. Let me take it a step further. I would not and will not fly on the same aircraft if I see someone wearing a burka … Oh hell no! Now, as for headscarf’s, ok … not a problem! But if I’m going to face the enemy I want to look them right in the eye and not at some veiled individual who’s out to kill me.

As for the burka being a symbol of oppression for women, whether it be religious or whatever reason, unequivocally yes! All people are created equal. Well, maybe some more so than others. Nevertheless, the principle applies. But do we as a society have the right to ban the wearing of such a garment? I don’t know … this issue is a touchy one no matter which side of the fence one may stand. So, my question to you is this. Do you believe that wearing such a garment is a religious right or not? Please sound off below in the comment section.