Secularism vs communalism: learning from the ban on full face covering veil in France
Posted: April 21, 2011.
Print: Secularism is a Women's Issue (siawi.org)
(...) The most determined and outspoken defenders of secularism today are citizens of Muslim descent, among them numerous women. It is certainly not by accident. Said Sihem Habchi, in her April 9, 2011 statement: ’Those of us who came from other countries benefited from secularism, and this is why we are so deeply attached to it’
In recent years, many individuals and groups from Muslim descent, among them numerous women, went public on three occasions:
They testified to the Stasi Commission ( that re-examined the application of secular laws in state schools which were challenged by Muslim fundamentalists ) and helped promote the 2004 law that reiterates the founding secular principles of the French republic defined in the laws of 1905 and 1906.
These century old laws institute the separation of state and church (’church’ at that time referred to the Catholic Church, and Islam was not at all in the picture). Article 1 of the 1906 law affirms the principle that the French secular state garantees to all citizens the freedom of belief - or not to believe - and the right to practice their religion - or not to practice any.
It should therefore not be a surprise that Soheib Bencheikh, speaking in 2004 to the Liberal Muslim Network, declared: ’I have to emphasize that it is thanks to secularism, that Islam (in France) can stand on equal foot with Catholicism, in rights and duties’...
In my humble opinion, facial identification is crucial for obvious social and security reasons. I feel very comfortable abiding by any law requiring me to “show my face in public,” in exchange for a sense of security and protection.
posted on April 22, 2011This issue is rather simple: just like we should all be free to have sexual intercourse in the privacy of our bedrooms—not in public—, so do all religious fanatics should have the freedom to wear whatever symbols they want, in the privacy of their homes or places of worship, not in public.
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