France has banned the veil and the full-body Muslim coverings. Agree or disagree with this? (Q of the Day 9-15-10)

I disagree.  It's part of their religion, and veils look awesome.

I agree, wholeheartedly.

I agree with this. The rights of a woman should trump "religious" freedom in this case. You can worship how you want but when it imposes on the freedom of someone else to the extent that they have to cover their entire face or bodies, that, IMHO, shouldn't be allowed in free society's (as one girl said you can't drive like that or you might kill someone. Probably why women are banned from driving in some Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia). Headscarfs are fine. If you really wanna cover your hair, more power to you, but when it comes to these types of Muslim laws/traditions/oppression I think we should firmly reject it. 

Surely this is a breach of human rights?

I don't care. I don't understand why they want to wear veils and those full body dresses. But I don't understand why they shouldn't be allowed to either.

Freedom means wearing whatever the fuck you want-
I like freedom

Another evidence that, because of too much time on their hands, politicians and governments come up with the most stupidest and freedom depriving rulings.  

" I disagree.  It's part of their religion, and veils look awesome. "

there are two things wrong with this. first off, they are disgracing what people believe in and what they do to honor those beliefs. the second, they are shaming those women who believe they are shamed by not wearing that garb. finally, another country is doing something to make the community mad besides my country.

Let them be. Just because a small violent minority of Muslims violently hate us and view the Muslim teachings different from any other Muslims, doesn't mean we have to spoil the fun for the others. 
 
Of course, I live in Canada and we haven't experienced any terrorist threats yet, for some reasons. We're probably too small of a target for them to hit; and most of those terrorist attacks has been thwarted somehow.

It's a tricky one. On one hand, it's part of their religion and if the women freely want to wear the burqa, that should be her choice. However, in the majority of cases it is a man forcing the woman to wear it against her wishes. It's oppressive and wrong. And it's not easy to tell the difference between a woman freely wearing a burqa and a woman being forced to do so, so the legislation does make a lot of sense. I'm still not convinced that it's completely the right thing to do, but similarly I'm not against it either.

I agree for security purposes, but disagree that they should ban women from wearing something under the guise of women's rights. What a fucking joke.

" I agree with this. The rights of a woman should trump "religious" freedom in this case. You can worship how you want but when it imposes on the freedom of someone else to the extent that they have to cover their entire face or bodies, that, IMHO, shouldn't be allowed in free society's (as one girl said you can't drive like that or you might kill someone. Probably why women are banned from driving in some Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia). Headscarfs are fine. If you really wanna cover your hair, more power to you, but when it comes to these types of Muslim laws/traditions/oppression I think we should firmly reject it.  "

I very strongly disagree.

They'll either won't get bombed because they won't go there or they'll get bombed double because they don't like the law.

if they want to wear it as an expression of their religion, fine, but due to the times, it also obscures the person's identity completely most of the time, and that leads to a big security risk. i wouldve made it a provisional ban as opposed to a permenant one... when this Al-Qaieda war has passed, then re-allow it.

People should wear what they want, this is retarded.

" It's a tricky one. On one hand, it's part of their religion and if the women freely want to wear the burqa, that should be her choice. However, in the majority of cases it is a man forcing the woman to wear it against her wishes. It's oppressive and wrong. And it's not easy to tell the difference between a woman freely wearing a burqa and a woman being forced to do so, so the legislation does make a lot of sense. I'm still not convinced that it's completely the right thing to do, but similarly I'm not against it either. "

 When did this happen? This is ridiculous. All of my veil-wearing Muslim friends wear it by choice as a symbol of their devotion. This legislation is both discriminatory and xenophobic, as well as a touch self-righteous and condescending.

let people do what they want, the stupidity of burqas would have disappeared anyway over time.

If you ban these coverings, these women will simply not be allowed to leave the house at all. So if this law is supposed to be helping them, it won't.

" @Tebbit:   Or maybe "banning" things isn't a good idea, especially in this case. Yes, men forcing women to wear burqas is wrong, but there must be better ways to stop that. Ones that still allow women to wear burqas if they want. "

it must be fun to have not only one but two patriarchal organizations trying to tell you what you can and can't wear

If I can wear my Cat Belt Buckle, anyone can wear anything they like.

" @Video_Game_King said:

" @Tebbit:   Or maybe "banning" things isn't a good idea, especially in this case. Yes, men forcing women to wear burqas is wrong, but there must be better ways to stop that. Ones that still allow women to wear burqas if they want. "

It seems like that's more an inherent problem with the religion than anything else though. If it weren't mandated, I guess the husbands wouldn't be forcing it upon them, right? Then again I have no idea how Islam operates.  I mean, they could make a law that just says "Although the Islamic faith requires women to wear a veil or headdress, in France you totally don't have to, but feel free if you dig it". This brings up the daunting question of law V.S. Religion. Oh nooooooo! "

" @Tebbit said:

" @Video_Game_King said:

" @Tebbit:   Or maybe "banning" things isn't a good idea, especially in this case. Yes, men forcing women to wear burqas is wrong, but there must be better ways to stop that. Ones that still allow women to wear burqas if they want. "

It seems like that's more an inherent problem with the religion than anything else though. If it weren't mandated, I guess the husbands wouldn't be forcing it upon them, right? Then again I have no idea how Islam operates.  I mean, they could make a law that just says "Although the Islamic faith requires women to wear a veil or headdress, in France you totally don't have to, but feel free if you dig it". This brings up the daunting question of law V.S. Religion. Oh nooooooo! "

All the Koran says is that women should dress modestly.  That's it.   Why it has been taken to this extreme is beyond my knowledge. "

" People should wear what they want, this is retarded. "

It's a complicated issue, I really don't know where I stand exactly. On one hand it's good to let people be, on the other hand, in France, it's getting to be a problem with security, with safety (when completely covered up women drive, they have extremely reduced visibility), and it's another cultural wall to deal with. 

I agree with it, under certain conditions:
1) That it's France and not a largely muslim country.
2) That its people largely wanted this to happen.
3) That France doesn't impose its ruling on foreign nationals. 
 
In any case, the winds of public opinion does sometimes shift, and they can always reverse the ruling later, and should if they want to.

I agree.
 
Wear it if you want but there's too much pressure and no free will in most cases so if they can't play nice then take it away.
It's especially true here in Holland.
They cover their face totally but wear a mini skirt at the same time...
Get the fuck out.

I don't respect she-ra law, or whatever you call it so I agree.

boy, i sure hope the people saying that the vast majority of muslim womem in france only wear the veil because they're forced to have some sort of source or survey to back that up or they're going to seem like a bunch of uneducated bigots. 
 
"hey ladies, i know you're only wearing those because those mean old husbands of your make you. so, we're going to ban them entirely because you dames are clearly too dumb and weak to make that decision yourself. you're welcome."

I disagree. I'm pretty sure that most if not all muslim women in the west enjoy the empowerment of the burqa and it's religious associations, despite what the media says otherwise. They firmly believe that and they show it. I don't have an issue with this. I have grown up knowing and understanding Islam for what it really is since i was a child. It's against the womens' religious rights, and shows that a government is succumbing to media pressure, every god damn time.

Perhaps I should point out  that for the moment this is just a law proposition by the senat and not a actual law.  
 
Quite a nuance.

I don't understand this, are they going to ban women dressing like whores as well?

If a French woman goes to a Middle Eastern country, they will make her wear a Hijab. Isn't that a breach of human rights?

I strongly believe that France has the right to do what it wants. 
 
If Iran has the right to say all women should wear a veil of some sort, then France can definitely impose a ban. I mean I think its dumb to make women wear a veil anyway. I don't think any woman would chose to do it unless she has been told repeatedly from a young age to do so. 
 
Either way, I see this as a positive change. 
 
Heh, maybe America should start something like this too.

It's never good when any government votes to take away peoples choices on any subject. No matter how big or small.

I picked 'let them do what they want', but it was aimed at letting France do what they want ...

" If a French woman goes to a Middle Eastern country, they will make her wear a Hijab. Isn't that a breach of human rights? "

" I don't understand this, are they going to ban women dressing like whores as well? "

People deserve freedom. Even if they were doing it because those items are oppressive and sexist, it would be wrong. But they aren't, this is just another piece of paranoia around the world that muslims are evil, blah blah blah.

I agree with matty FTM on Burqas really a reactionary requirement by men within their religion,.. but not always. Also I feel it justifies what ppl. suspect, that Muslims will not mix with the population at large but stay aloof, and implications worse than that. Burqas have proven to be excellent wraps for bombs. 
 
We do not need to see women wearing clothes like a second skin, or less. that lady reporter who interviewed the NY Jets with extremely tight clothes was being kinda silly. But it is good and healthy to see a face, to understand what a person is expressing and perhaps thinking, and it's an uneven deal when one party is wrapped head to toe. Rather arrogant also, which is the real rub.  
 
I guess I feel this way, Religion is okay, but leave your weird shit back where you came from, and participate in western society if you have positively placed yourself here. It's just part of the deal.

" I agree with anything that fights the muslim takeover!  My friends resterant wont serve muslims  and has his off duty employees come in to harass them if they try and stick around.  Talk loudly and bump the sits and what not.  If the muslims try an say something, they act as if it's their fault and kick them out.  Great to watch!  Glad to see the French take a stand against their oppression!  To bad Americans don't have the balls too.  Freedom of Speech my ass.     Burn a flag, it's freedom of speech.  Burn an Koran and it's religious oppression.   Muslims are the modern NAACP.  "