To me, the concept of culture wars is about Muslims versus their adopted country and how they attempt to impose their values on others. Culture war is not about Progressivism versus Orthodoxy anymore.
Nicolas Sarkozy knows what culture war is about, he's conducting one himself today in France.
The Netherlands A proposal to ban veils failed in 2006 after lawyers said that it would be unconstitutional. The Government has since said that it will try to ban face-covering veils in schools and for government employees
Italy A law passed in 1975 required people to keep their faces visible in public but it is not usually applied to Muslim women. Silvio Berlusconi’s government said in October 2009 that it would try to add a specific ban on religious garments that cover the face
Belgium Full veils were banned in the town of Maaseik in 2004 but there is no countrywide ban
Germany Some states have banned teachers from wearing headscarves in public schools
Switzerland The Justice Ministry said that it would consider a ban after November’s referendum halting the building of new minarets
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3 comments:
I had no idea that headscarves were banned in so many countries. What a pleasant and politically incorrect surprise!
It sends a very strong message. Too bad the U.S. hasn't the cajones to do such a thing.
This is still an on-going debate here in England too.
Many schools ban them, and I keep thinking back to that 6'+ man that was trying to sneak out of this country dressed in a Burka. What gave him away were the size of his feet, and the fact that he was a wanted terrorist!
Quite scary when you think about it. What/if they are trying to hide something?
I wonder about the legal challenges. There is, as always, a trade-off in rights. Do they have the individual right to head scarves or do we have the collective right to define our culture?
Ironically, and characteristically, this effort aimed at saving our culture obscures the existence of our culture. What?? That is, a face is a sign of individuality. Individuality is a sign of our culture. So while it may look like it is just about not letting women being turned into a stereotype, it is also about women maintaining their collective right to avoid being pressured into theocratic conformity. It is a collective effort at protecting individuality.
Thanks for the recognition of my new doctoral status!!
John
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