I don't see how it's subjugating women and making them feel like second class citizens if it's their choice? The majority of women I have met who wear the burkha do so because a) they feel strongly religious about the reasons behind it or b) because they feel strongly that it's the right thing to do. Allowing them to make that choice about themselves is quite empowering I think.

I do'nt understand how a woman can say she's wearing this from free will . But i guess people who give all their money to scientology also use their free will. Women fought in europe to be allowed to go out on their own, ride bikes, own houses and i think those veils send us back to middle ages. Furthermore people who were them clearly don't want to integrate in the society and mix with the others.

It is not prescribed in the quran, most muslims find those veils ridiculous, they pose a security threat. Ban them. You'll do a favour to all the poor women who have no choice in wearing them

Thank you for the voice of sense.

What's the problem with beards? They are natural!

If you get rid of beards then get rid of all body hair as well. The trouble is, how would 'The Fuzz' police it?

Actually, didn't one particularly militant branch of Islam have police that arrested you if you didn't have a beard (if you were a bloke, presumably).

It was proven that one of the failed london bombers (the second attempt that didn't work) fled the country by disguising himself with a muslim nihab. Once that happened the 'right' to wear that dress in public was on borrowed time to be honest. His use of that has basically spoiled it for all the women who want to wear it for whatever reason. The French are just a bit more militant about these things than we are.

I did find the comments I heard by the French foreign minister (I think it was) interesting. He said it was (among other things) 'against the spirit of France'. The French have always been much more protective of their 'native culture' than we are - they have a standard of language and are very picky about the 'foreign' words that they allow to encroach into it, for example.

I don't know if they are right or wrong. But it is a very 'French' thing to do.

Jon

Nuns on the run!!

I didn't know it was French to try to preserve equality between men and women that so many people fought for. Oh good then

Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité and all that...

The French ban is not just a ban on the veil or associated other garments It’s a ban on ALL religious symbols worn in public places. That includes Christian crosses, Jewish stars, the whole lot. France is a secular nation, and is trying to enforce it.

Indeed I had a complaint from one of my teachers back at school for wearing a celtic cross. Which i explained was not linked to christianity at all as there were celtic crosses all over Europe way before that.

The full veil says " Men are perverted, they can't be have in presence of a woman so she needs to hide" as well as "I don't wanna mix with you people" The connotations of it are very dangerous. hence why it must be banned. In France you learn that you are first a citizen of the republic and then whatever you want to be. but that attire goes against that principle

As already mentioned, an comparison of France with us is ridiculous. Vastly different histories and cultures and they aren't banning it as a knee-jerk reaction. It makes sense over there.

Here? Well I personally don't care. Wear what you want. I'm very much about the Prime Directive for the nerds amongst you. Just because I think something doesn't make it "right". Socrates could teach this country a thing or two, but I suspect most of it's citizens haven't heard of him. Oh well....

I know that Uk is a pluricultural and religious society so a ban here wouldn't be justified. Except if all hoods and things covering faces were to be banned (which might well happen one day )

You sure? We owned/ruled a vast chunk of France. Or they owned/ruled us. One (or both) of those statements is true. We have a lot in common.

Except that in 1789 France got read of its monarchy and destroyed a lot of churches. and in 1909 voted to separate the church completly from the government. This is vastly different to the UK which is a religious and pluricultural country

are we?