About 2000 women, of France's estimated 5 million Muslims wear the Islamic burqa. Yet, this micro-minority so alarms the fractious politicians of France, that they have united to fight it..
On July 13,2010 the National Assembly passed a draft law (335 to 1) declaring no one in a public space may wear clothing to hide the face, no matter what religion.
.
They are bullies in number. Not one the the 2000 women were asked if she felt oppressed, they were not asked anything. It was just decided for them.
.
The worst of the intolerance came from Jean-Francois Cope, the Assembly Majority Leader, who said, " How can you establish a relationship with a person who, by hiding a smile or a glance...refuses to exist in the eyes of others?"
.
To which Bobby Ghosh, author, replied," If veiled Frenchwomen are forced to reveal their faces, will people like Cope hide theirs, in shame?"
.
While the work I do requires me at times to live an insular life, I have simply neglected thinking about injustice in the world around me. My wake up call was last week. I may wear my heart on my sleeve, but I feel alive again.
xoSherry
