It is completely outrageous that France has become the first nation to ban veils often worn by Muslim women. In case you’re not aware, earlier this year France made the controversial move to ban face coverings in order to preserve French culture and for “security reasons.”
France Enforces Ban on Full-Face Veils in Public
The ban, which came after a year of debate and months of preparation, is viewed by supporters as a necessary step to preserve French culture and to fight what they see as separatist tendencies among Muslims. […] The police do not have the authority under the law to remove full veils, only to fine or require citizenship lessons for those who violate the new law. […]
The law does not mention Islam or women. It bans the covering of the face in any public place, including shops and the street, as a security measure. A clause says that anyone who forces a woman to cover her face can be imprisoned for up to a year and fined up to 30,000 euros, about $43,000. […]
Polls show that the law is broadly popular in France, and it passed the lower house of Parliament with only one vote opposed.
Source: New York Times
One of the most recent incidents related to the ban involves a Muslim woman who faces two years in jail for her refusal to perform “citizenship” service resulting from her “violation” of the veil ban.
French woman faces two years in jail for wearing veil
A 32-year-old mother in France could go to jail for two years after she refused to perform 15 days of “citizenship” service for wearing an Islamic veil.
Hind Ahmas was arrested outside Elysee Palace in Paris on April 11 after she disobeyed an order to remove her niqab. Magistrates in the suburb of Meaux handed down the 15-day-sentence Monday, but Ahmas was not even allowed to be present in court because she continued to wear the religious veil.
“There is no possibility of me removing the veil,” Ahmas said at a press conference following the hearing. “I’m not taking it off. The judge needs citizenship lessons, not me.”
Ahmas also could be forced to pay a fine of about $40,000.
France became the first European country to enforce a ban on Muslim face veils in April. Source: New York Times
Hopefully people can see that such laws attempt to use peoples’ fear, ignorance, and hatred of Islam to make them think it is acceptable to infringe upon a person’s right to dress as they please — whether for religious observation or not. But, how would people respond if the ban was against wearing crosses or some other more mainstream practice?
We know that French citizens would be shouting from rooftops if any symbol of Christian faith was outlawed, so why do the majority of the French view the veil ban as just? The answer is simple: The French government is using the public’s fear and prejudice against Islam to fuel hatred of Muslims and Islam itself.
Sources:
French woman faces two years in jail for wearing veil
France Enforces Ban on Full-Face Veils in Public
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