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BBCNEWS|World|Europe|Viewpoints:Europeandtheheadscarf

Viewpoints:Europeandtheheadscarf
TheIslamicheadscarfhasbecomeoneofthemosthotlydisputeditemsofclothinginEurope.TheFrenchbanon
headscarvesinstateschoolscomesintoeffecton2September,andpoliticiansinGermanyandBelgiumwantsimilarlaws.
BBCNewsOnlineaskedeightcommentatorsfortheirviewsonimposingabanontheheadscarf.Clickonthequotesbelow
toreadmoreandusetheformtotelluswhatyouthink.
AlainDestexhe,Belgianpolitician
FareenaAlam,UKmagazineeditor
AmirTaheri,ParisbasedIranianwriter
RachidaZiouche,AlgerianexileinFranceFannyDethloff,Lutheranclergywoman
AliceSchwarzer,Germanfeminist
BinnazToprak,Turkishacademic
TariqRamadan,Islamicaffairsanalyst
AlainDestexheisaBelgiansenatorwho,inspiredbydevelopmentsinFrance,hasproposedabillthatwouldsee
headscarvesbannedfromstateschools.
Wearecertainlynottryingtostampoutmulticulturalism.Butweareveryanxiousthattheconflictsoftheworldarenotbroughtintothe
classrooms,andthatiswhywesupporttheFrenchlegislationandaretryingtointroduceasimilarlawinBelgium.
Forone,publicspacesshouldbeneutralspaces,notplacestospreadaparticularviewoftheworld.Secondlywehaveadutyofcareto
childrenwhoenterthepublicschoolsystem,andthereiscertainlyanissuethatyoungMuslimwomenareoftenforcedintowearingthe
headscarfbythosearoundthem.
Thereforewhilesomeallegethatwearetakingawaytheirindividualfreedoms,insomecaseswewillactuallyberestoringit.Wewant
individualstobeintegrated,andwewantMuslimwomentobeviewedandtreatedasequals.
IamnotwhollyconfidentthatthelegislationwillpassinBelgium,asithasprovedverycontroversial.Whatpeopleseemtoforgetisthat
nobodyisseekingtoregulatewhatpeopledointheirprivatespheres,merelytostipulatethatinthepublicsphere,certainrulesmustapply.
Anditisbetterthatthesedecisionsaretakenbyademocraticallyelectedgovernment,thanleavingthemattertoindividualschoolsto
decideupon.

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FareenaAlamistheeditorofQNews,Europe'sleadingMuslimmagazine.
Modestyisonlyoneofmanyreasonswhyawomanwearsascarf.Itcanbeaverypoliticalchoicetoo.Ibeganwearingitattheageof21,
againstthewishesofmyfamily,whileservingaspresidentoftheUnitedNationsStudents'Associationatuniversity.Iwantedtoassertmy
identityandcountercommonstereotypesaboutMuslimwomen.Awomanwhowearsahijabcanbeactiveandengaged,educatedand
professional.

Isn'titthefundamentalsecularstandardthatonecannotdemandthatanyindividualsurrenderan
unobtrusivereligiousobservance?
FareenaAlam

Therearemanywomen,fromIranandSaudiArabiaforexample,whohavehadverynegativeexperienceswithgenderoppressionintheir
homecountries.Theybringthisvitrioltothedebateaboutthehijab.Thisisnotonlyunacceptabletome,itgoesagainsttheirownsecular
principlesoffreedomandchoice.DoesthisdemocraticsocietyhaveanyroomforaBritishMuslimwomanlikemewhochoosestowearthe
hijabonmyownterms?Isn'titthefundamentalsecularstandardthatonecannotdemandthatanyindividualsurrenderanunobtrusive
religiousobservance?
Thetermsofreferencethatdefinesecularismcanandmustshifttoremainrelevantinaworldthatisconstantlychanginganddiversifying.
Isn'ttheideaofwhatitmeanstobeFrenchorBritishconstantlyevolving?
AmirTaheriisanIranianauthorandjournalistbasedpartlyinParis.
TheheadscarfbanisapoliticalmoveandIdon'tthinkthegovernmentisright.Ithasnothingtodowiththebroaderissueconcerningthe
sixmillionMuslimsinFrance.
AtleastthreequartersoftheFrenchMuslimpopulationareNorthAfricanArab,whoareexperiencingthesameproblemsastheBlack
AmericansintheUS.

Theproposedlawismakingamountainoutofamolehill
AmirTaheri

TheylackopportunityandaremostlyparkedinhugeStalinistsuburbsaroundlargecitiesitisalmostlikelivinginhell.
Ratherthanfocusingontheissueofthescarf,thegovernmentshouldbefocusingontheseproblems.Youcan'tsolvethembypassingsuch
alawbystandingoutsideaschoolgateandtearingthescarfofftheheadsofgirls.
Thelawismakingamountainoutofamolehill.NotthatmanyMuslimswearitinFrance,oranywhereelseforthatmatter.Thereare1.8
millionFrenchMuslimschoolgirlsand,accordingto2002governmentstatistics,onlyaround2,000ofthoseworethescarf.Outofthose,
only157girlsrefusedtoremovewhentoldtodoso.

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RachidaZiouche,ajournalist,isthedaughterofanAlgerianimamwhohasbeenlivinginexileinFrancesincefleeingher
homeland.
WhereIlive,inasmalltowninFrance,girlsandyoungwomenareintimidatedbyMuslimmenwhoobligethemtowearthescarf.These
Muslimwomenareoftenisolated,andneedsomeprotection.Thelawtooutlawtheveilgoessomewaytowardsaddressingthisneed.

Francewantsitspeopletolivetogether,celebratingtheirdiversity,butitalsohasaseculartraditionto
protect
RachidaZiouche

OfcoursetherehasbeencriticismsomepeoplesaythatFranceisdiscriminatingagainstitsMuslimcommunity,tryingtostopthemfrom
beingthemselves.Isimplydonotbelievethistobethecase.Francewantsitspeopletolivetogether,celebratingtheirdiversity,butitalso
hasaseculartraditiontoprotectonewhichseekstokeepreligionfromthepublicsphere.Andanybodywhosaysthatitisremovingtheir
religiousfreedoms,Isaythis:doyoureallybelieveafouryearoldiswearingtheheadscarfbychoice?
IstronglybelievethatpeoplecomingfromtheMiddleEasttoliveinEuropemustadheretothelawofthelandandrespectthetraditionsof
thecountrytheyhavecometolivein.ManyofthepeoplewhocomeseemtothinkthattheonlypersontheyhavetoobeyisGod.
OtherssaythattheveilisthewrongtargetthattherealissueisthealienationoftheMuslimcommunityinFrance,povertyand
unemployment.Thetwoarenotmutuallyexclusive.Thegovernmentmustcertainlyactontheeconomicissues,butitmustalsotryto
alleviatetheoppressionofyoungMuslimwomen.
AliceSchwarzerisaprominentGermanfeminist.
Thisissueisabouttheconstitution,andthedivisionbetweenstateandreligionahardfoughtforachievementoftheenlightenment.The
weakeningofthisdivisionisutterlyincomprehensible,particularlyasitcomesatatimewhentheworldwideoffensiveofthetheocratsisnot
justmakingcountrieswithMuslimmajoritiessubservienttotheirinhumane"holylaws",butisalsothreateningdemocraciesworldwide.
CountrieslikeFrancehavelonggraspedtheconsequencesofthis.

ThepassivenenessofpoliticiansleavesthemajorityofMuslimwomeninGermanypowerlessagainst
themilitantminorityoffundamentalists
AliceSchwarzer

TheGreenpoliticianinchargeofimmigrantaffairs,MarieluiseBeckhasthecheektowarnofa"demonisation"oftheheadscarf,thataban
onheadscarvesinschoolswill"pushMuslimwomenintothehandsofIslamicfundamentalists".Infacttheoppositeisthecase:the
passivenessofpoliticiansleavesthemajorityofMuslimwomeninGermanypowerlessagainstthemilitantminorityoffundamentalists.
FannyDethloffisapastorataHamburgchurchandisresponsibleforrefugeeissuesinthecommunity
ItmakesabsolutelynosenseatalltobarMuslimwomenfrompublicplacesbecausetheywearthescarf.Thiskindofexclusionprevents
thesewomengainingaccesstojobs,stopsthemfrombeingintegrated.Itdoesnothingforemancipationindeed,byshuttingoutthose
womenwhoaretryingtobetterthemselves,ithasquitetheoppositeeffect.
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Crackingdowninthiswayisonlylikelytoleadtoasenseofvictimisation,whichwillfuelextremism,
notreduceit
FannyDethloff

Ofcoursewewanttocondemnfundamentalism,butwedon'tdothatbypunishingthewomenitisnotthewomenwhoareinvolvedwith
pushingthiskindofintolerant,politicisedIslam,it'sthemen.Atatimelikethisweneedmoreunderstanding,moretolerance,notless.And
indeed,crackingdowninthiswayisonlylikelytoleadtoasenseofvictimisation,whichwillfuelextremism,notreduceit.
Itisalsoproblematictoassume,assomepeopledo,thatwomenareforcedintowearingthescarfbyoverbearingmen.Whileitiscertainly
thecasethatsomearepressuredintoputtingiton,manyMuslimwhowearitdoitquiteselfconsciously.Weneedtorespecttheirwishes,
notourselvesoppressthembytryingtomakethemtakeitoff.
BinnazToprakisapoliticalscienceprofessoratBosphorousUniversityinIstanbul,Turkey,asecularcountrywithaMuslim
majority.
IthinktheyhavegotitrightinFrance.Civilservantsandschoolgirlsshouldnotweartheveil.Personally,Iamagainstit,itisasymbolof
theinferiorstatusofwomeninMuslimcountries.Inmanysituations,maleshavegreatauthorityoverunderagegirlsandwecannotbe
certainthatthegirlsarewearingthehijabbecausetheywanttoorbecausetheirfathersandbrothersareforcingthemto.Theyshould,
therefore,beprotected.

Personally,Iamagainstit,itisasymboloftheinferiorstatusofwomeninMuslimcountries
BinnazToprak

Inthecaseofcivilservants,Ithinkthatwhenpeoplerefertosomeoneingovernmentoffice,theyshouldbeabletofeelthattheywillnot
bediscriminatedagainstbecausetheydonotsharethesamebeliefsasthatcivilservant.Aheadscarfcouldbeseenasasymbolofthose
beliefs.
TheissueinTurkeyatthemomentiswhetheruniversitystudentsshouldbeallowedtowearthehijab.Manystudentswearitforpolitical
reasonsbutotherswearitforreligiousreasonsandIthinkthatchoiceshouldberespected.
TariqRamadanisaprofessorofIslamicStudiesandPhilosophyatSwitzerland'sEcoledeGeneveandUniversityof
Freibourg.
MuslimsinFrancebelievetheyarebeingtargeted.Theyfearthelawbanningscarvesinschoolswillopenthedoortoallkindsof
discrimination.TheFrenchdebateabouttheissueissopassionatethatMuslimsfearanewtypeofIslamaphobia.

ManyEuropeansareafraidoflosingtheiridentity
TariqRamadan

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Therealissueshouldnotbeaquestionoflawbutofhowtobuildapluralisticsociety.Thisinvolvesfacinguptosharedresponsibilities.
MuslimshavetounderstandthattheargumentaboutprotectingthesecularnatureofthestateissomethingveryspecifictotheFrench
psychology.
Theyneedtobemoreexplicitinthewaytheypresentthemselvesandtheirreligionandbefullyinvolvedintheirsociety.Atthesametime,
fellowcitizens,needtounderstandthattobuildapluralisticsocietytheyneedtoknowmoreaboutothers,tobereadytobeoutcentred
fromtheirvaluesandprinciples.
Itneedsgoodwillandeducation.ThisisnotthefeelingwehaveinFrance,orevenEuropeasawhole,atthemoment.TherealityinEurope
isofagrowingMuslimpopulation,andmanyEuropeansareafraidoflosingtheiridentity.ThedebateinFranceandothercountriesoverthe
headscarfappearstobeamanifestationofthis,anditdoesn'thelp.
MuslimsshouldseethebaninFranceasasignthattheroadaheadisnotgoingtobeeasybutitisnottheendoftheroad.Itisjustthe
beginningofthedialogue.
Whatareyourviewsontheopinionsexpressedhere?Readaselectionofyourcomments.
Theveilinitselfisjustapieceoftissue,whatcountsiswhatisbehindit.Thesewomenwhosoinsistuponitshouldbeashamedofnot
respectingandthrowingawaywiththeirstupidityandnarrowmindednessallthehardeffortsotherwomenoftheirownculture,theirown
religionhavemade,veryoftensacrificingtheirlivestogetabetterlifeforALLwomen.
Elize,ArlonBelgium
Ireallycannotunderstandwhatthefussisabout.Whyisitalwaysconsideredoktowearless,butifsomeonelikestocovereveryone
becomesalarmed?Afterallthisupheaval,onereallystartstosuspectthatWesterncultureisindeedexploitingwomenassexsymbols,and
notbeingallowedtodosobyasmallminorityisperceivedasamajorthreat?
Anna,Tehran,Iran
IcannotseeanysenseintheprohibitionorbanontheMuslimheadscarves.IssecularismtheNORM,ideologyandthe"religion"ofmodern
FranceorEU?AnyonewhodoesNOTconformtoits"religion"of"laicite"orisit"laicism"hastobeproscribed!Why?Isthisnotanother
formoffanaticalintoleranceintheguiseofthesocalledsecularism!
EliseoMercado,OMI,Rome,Italy
Itisasymbolandahumanrightthatisbeingbanned.RememberthepubliclabellingofMentally&PhysicalDisabled,Communists,
Homosexuals,andothersinNaziGermany?InarightsbasedculturethatistheFreeWest,thereisnoplaceforpersecutionbasedon
beliefs.Greaterproblemsthanmerelyclothingneedtobeaddressed.Ridiculous.
ChristopherDonovan,Perth,Australia
Doesanyonereallybelievethatthiswillstopwomenbeingforcedtowearthehijabbytheirfamiliesandpeers?Ifthelawpreventsthem
wearingheadscarvesinpublic,theywillonlybeforcedtocoverupthemomenttheygethome.Thislawwilloffendthosewhowanttowear
headscarves,crucifixesorothersymbolsoftheirreligion,andonlybenefitthosewhoaresomehowoffendedbyseeingthesymbolsofother
people'sbeliefsinpublic.
Maria,Aldershot,UK
I'mafraidthebanwillbeseentobediscriminatory.Afterall,iftheobjectionistoreligioussymbols,whydon'ttheauthoritiesbanChristians
fromwearingcrossesonachainaroundtheirneck?Theysaytheywilldosoifthecrossistooconspicuous,butthatisunfaironMuslims
andotherreligionstheysufferjustbecausetheirreligioussymbolshappentobemorevisible.
Saurabh,Delhi,India
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WeliveinasecularWest.Noheadscarvesinschools!Theveilistosilence,tomakeinvisibleandtosubjugatewomen.Itisthemarkof
oppression.
LiliAnnMotta,E.Marion,NY/UnitedStates
Yes,Istronglybelievethatthescarfshouldbebanned.Itisasymboloffemaleoppressionandhasnoplaceinamodernsociety.Thosewho
insistonwearingscarvesshouldreturntotheirnativecountry.
R.Johns,Singapore
ItisashamethatmanyignorantpeopleseemtofeelthatMuslimgirlsshouldhaveforceduponthemthe'freedom'tobeleeredatlikea
pieceofmeatasmanyofourowndaughtersarebeforeunromanticencountersinanalleyontheirwayhomefromtheclubtheyjustgot
wastedin.
AdamWard,Bristol,UK
Theideathatpeopleshouldbeforcedtowear,ornottowear,anyparticularstyleofclothingbythestateorbytheirreligionis
preposterous.ThisisaclearbreachoftherightsoftheindividualwhichIhopewewillneveracceptinthiscountry.Tojustifyforcingpeople
nottowearagarmentonthebasisthattheyarebeingforcedtowearit,andthereforeneedtobeforciblyfreedfromthat,isjuststupidand
goesnowhereinaddressingtherealproblemsofthisworld.
GabrielLee,Hertford,England
Whatbothersmeishowan"enlightened""democratic"andsecularsocietycandictatewhatwomenwear.Ironically,Franceistakingsuch
aPatriarchalapproachtothesituationintheguiseofSecularism.
Ahmad,Boston
Theheadscarfposesnothreattoanysocialorderbutinfactencouragesmoderatebehaviour.
AsimMirza,StokeEngland
Thisentiredebateisstartingtoborderveryclosetotheabsurd.LegislatingwhatcanandcannotbewornwithinFrance's"secular"society
andschoolsisatthepolarendoftheabsurdityofcompulsoryveiling.Whatdoabouttermholidaysthen?IfFranceissoadamantlya
secularnation,thenperhapstheyshouldcentretheirtermholidaysaroundrandomperiodsoftheyear,gotoschoolonChristmasDayand
EidalAdha,etc.Howfarcanitpossiblygo?TheheadscarfdoesnotthreatentheachievementsoftheEnlightenmentornationalidentity:
whatthreatenstheachievementsoftheenlightenmentaregovernmentswhomicromanagetheircitizensandfeministswhoare"allergic"
toIslam.
Alexandra,London
IfMuslimwomenandgirlsareforcedtowearthescarfbymalerelativesandalawispassedbanningitinpublicplaces,won'tthosesame
malerelativesrefusetoallowthewomentoleavethehouseiftheycan'twearthescarf?Thislawmayhavetheeffectofmakingtheirlives
morerestricted,notmoreopen.
SandraS.,NewYork,USA

StoryfromBBCNEWS:
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