Michele Alliot Marie: French National Assembly

Burkas Dept: A bill to ban the wearing of burkas in public places, on transit, in stores, on the street and in corporate buildings was passed by the French National Assembly last Tuesday. Burka-wearers will be hit with $200 fines, while men who coerce women in their family to wear burkas face a $40,000 fine and one year in jail. Apparently, the middle word in the phrase liberte, egalite, fraternite means everyone is to be equal in dress, too, according to Calgary Herald. If this were truly about living together, then the tiny minority who wear burkas would be left alone to do so. An ambience of live-and-let-live would prevail, since "living together" suggests cohabiting in harmony with respect for differences. No, this bill is not about anything so warm and fuzzy. This is about a fear of "the other" and a need to make "the other" look like "us." There's an unfortunate similarity between the Taliban and the government of France. Both believe in legislating how women can dress. That dress codes could be established by the Taliban is no surprise. That they could be legislated by France is deeply disturbing. French Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said burkas deny "the very spirit of the French republic that is founded on a desire to live together." As reported in the news.
@t unfortunate similarity, calgary herald