Since French President Sarkozy made headlines suggesting the Muslim veil should be banned in France, a government panel has been devising recommendations and are prepared to release their report. While they may allow women to wear the face covering…in the street (um, hooray?), they will urge its banning in just about every other public place.
Andre Gerin, a Communist lawmaker who heads the multiparty panel, said the report contains a "multitude of proposals" to ban such garb in places like schools, hospitals and other public buildings, but not private buildings or on the street. He said the proposals would cover "domains that concern everyday society," a phrase that would seem to include public transportation, although he did not mention that specifically.
Gerin stressed the need to move "progressively" toward a law banning the attire in the streets and to work "hand in hand" with Muslim leaders and associations.
Is that "hand in hand" while dragging you out of public buildings and into the street? I understand the concern over gender equality here. But why would a modern government choose antagonism and prohibition over understanding and accommodation as the way to communicate values of equality and freedom?
