Less than two days after Muslims across the globe celebrated the cancellation of a scheduled Quran burning in Gainesville, France stepped into the anti-Muslim arena as it banned “concealing the face in the public sphere,” a clear reference to the Muslim burqa.
Well, at least we gave Muslims two days to savor the small victory in Gainesville, but the effects are already being felt in France.
After the French Senate voted to ban the face veils with only one dissenting vote Tuesday, the Eiffel Tower and surrounding areas were evacuated after a bomb threat was reported. French police say the two events are reportedly completely unrelated.
Supporters of the ban on face veils in France say the ban, if left unchallenged by French courts, will prevent men from forcing their wives into submission and allow for greater freedom.
Opponents of the law deny these claims, saying it will only force Muslim women to stay inside rather than be seen in public without a veil.
Although we are wholeheartedly opposed to any type of sexism, which supporters of the ban suggest this law will prevent, we also support freedom of religion, and we recognize that a majority of Muslim women do not see face veils as a form of voluntary submission.
We must stop trying to impose our Western-European views of justice on the entire world and realize this law is the best example of ethnocentrism at work.
