Comments on: France Will Not Yield To Iraqi Kidnappers On Headscarf Ban

By: Attila Girl

Attila Girl — Tue, 31 Aug 2004 05:29:48 +0000

What a stupid, stupid law. And I don't think it's because they are anti-Muslim: I think it's because they are anti-Jewish and anti-Christian (the same law bans yamulkes and large crosses). But whatever the motivation, it's a stupid law that restricts freedom of expression and freedom of religion--and severely restricts freedom of movement for Muslim women. The only good that might come of this is that a couple of smart French people might wake up and realize that appeasement doesn't work. There's a sort of gruesome, ugly feeling of . . . something like vindication: "this wasn't supposed to happen to us; we opposed the bad U.S. and its bad war."

By: legion

legion — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 20:46:52 +0000

One of these days, perhaps, the French government will learn that they cannot lie down with snakes and expect to get up unbitten.

Then maybe our government could learn the same lesson...

By: kenny

kenny — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 19:43:05 +0000

"it's good to see France stand up for something"

hmm,i seem to remember the french standing up for for their opposition to the Iraq war.Guess that doesn't really count though.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 19:08:19 +0000

DCL, it's not "undemocratic" to impose a restriction that most of the French public supports. It is, however, a rather nice example of the weakness of democracy in the absence of other considerations.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 18:24:04 +0000

Read the second of the three sentences I wrote.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 18:22:40 +0000

So it's good that the French stand up for something that's fundamentally undemocratic? This whole headscarf thing is silly and we all know it was enacted because if a strong anti-muslim streak in French society. Why don't we try the same thing in this country and let's see if our Supreme Court will stand for it.