France and the Hijab
This commentary about the French trying to ban girls from wearing the Hijab in state schools has a very interesting idea. It is not religion that they are opposed to, it is cultural identity. The French are a culture that protects itself from outside forces. They got rid of the word 'walkman' and replaced it with a French word. It is really a mater of culture and not religion. If the French had invented the hijab, there would be no problems.
Of course in many religions, Islam being one of them, people do not think you can divide religion from culture. I have also heard Muslims that the Hijab is not a sign of there religion, but a religious obligation. To keep them a women from wearing a Hijab is to impinge on their religious freedom.
There is a basic conundrum here. The French see the headscarf as a sign of oppression of women. There are women who are forced to cover up. There are other women who choose to wear the Hijab. Who has a greater right in this situation? Do you protect the women who are forced and oppress the women who are not?
This commentary about the French trying to ban girls from wearing the Hijab in state schools has a very interesting idea. It is not religion that they are opposed to, it is cultural identity. The French are a culture that protects itself from outside forces. They got rid of the word 'walkman' and replaced it with a French word. It is really a mater of culture and not religion. If the French had invented the hijab, there would be no problems.
Of course in many religions, Islam being one of them, people do not think you can divide religion from culture. I have also heard Muslims that the Hijab is not a sign of there religion, but a religious obligation. To keep them a women from wearing a Hijab is to impinge on their religious freedom.
There is a basic conundrum here. The French see the headscarf as a sign of oppression of women. There are women who are forced to cover up. There are other women who choose to wear the Hijab. Who has a greater right in this situation? Do you protect the women who are forced and oppress the women who are not?
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