Sarko says No to the burqa
Following up on the French burqa story, Sarkozy says burqas are ‘not welcome’ in France (emphasis added)
President Nicolas Sarkozy lashed out Monday at the practice of wearing the Muslim burqa, insisting the full-body religious gown is a sign of the “debasement” of women and that it won’t be welcome in France.The French leader expressed support for a recent call by dozens of legislators to create a parliamentary commission to study a small but growing trend of wearing the full-body garment in France.
Sarko didn’t make this statement in a passing conversation – he made a big gesture in an historic ocasion:
In the first presidential address in 136 years to a joint session of France’s two houses of parliament, Sarkozy laid out his support for a ban even before the panel has been approved—braving critics who fear the issue is a marginal one and could stigmatize Muslims in France.“In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity,” Sarkozy said to extended applause in a speech at the Chateau of Versailles southwest of Paris.
“The burqa is not a religious sign, it’s a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement—I want to say it solemnly,” he said. “It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic.”
The French understand symbolism, and by his making this statement – a clear and unequivocal statement that is not symbollic at all, but specific and concrete – while addressing both houses of Parliament, the country knows for certain where he stands.
Earlier last week Sarko had denounced the Iranian government’s “brutal” reaction to demonstrators.
At least one president knows what he stands for.
UPDATE
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Tags: burqa, Fausta's blog, niqab
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Vive Le Sarko!
June 23rd, 2009 at 1:37 am
The last time that happened was when the government was announcing that German troops were leaving Paris and France. No wonder it took so long for a repeat.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
[...] NYT illustrates how significant the setting and the speech (that I posted about yesterday) are: Sarkozy Backs Drive to Eliminate the Burqa Mr. Sarkozy gave his speech, a sober, wide-ranging [...]
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:27 pm
[...] national scale by scheming, corrupt, murdering mullahs? Fausta has an excellent three-parter (here, here, here) on how the French President has one pair more than Obama when it comes to stopping sharia [...]