Monday, June 22, 2009

No Burqas in France

French president Nicolas Sarkozy gave a speech today in which he said the following:  
“The issue of the burqa is not a religious issue, it is a question of freedom and of women’s dignity,” Mr. Sarkozy said. “The burqa is not a religious sign, it is a sign of the subjugation, of the submission of women.”
After Obama's pandering to Muslims in his Cairo speech, it's nice to see a western leader speak out against a degrading religious practice such as forcing women into burqas.  I can't imagine our president making such a clear statement, for fear of offending Muslims. Sarkozy reinforced his point by saying,
“I want to say solemnly that it [the burqa] will not be welcome on our territory.”
Many on the right are fond of bashing the French, but should give Sarkozy credit for having the nerve to speak so forcefully about what the New York Times calls, "one of the most hotly debated social issues in France." 

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