Wearing a Veil in France = One Year in Jail PLUS $43,000 Fine

This woman who is wearing her traditional clothing called a niqab veil, is being pulled by a police officer

       Here comes Monday morning..People are recoverying from their relaxing and fun weekend, our new day has just started with a beautiful spring sunshine and the ocean breeze here in the West coast, California. BUT! there is one crucial peoblem which is about to go very radical. We are certainly shocked by this article from Yahoo News.com.

       Let's face it.
      "France bans face-covering Islamic veil" by Camille Rustici, April 11th, Monday.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/unidentified-veiled-woman-right-taken-away-plain-clothed-police-officers/photo//110411/481/urn_publicid_ap_org_d540610b7f6846e6a5c43827b88f3d3e//s:/ap/20110411/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_veil_ban

         So, what's happening in France today, yep, literally, is that police men are arresting those who are "veiled" in Paris. This woman who is wearing her traditional clothing called a niqab veil, is being pulled by a police officer (in the picture above). Why? It's because they are fighting against the France's new law; banning Muslimic veils.
         The article says that the county police have already sent about 61 people who tried to stop the law from officially banning veils to jail!!
The story goes on;
"It was unclear whether the women were also fined for wearing a veil. The law says veiled women risk a Euro 150 ($215) fine or special citizenship classes, though not jail. People who force women to don a veil are subject to up to a year in prison and a Euro 30,000 fine ($43,000), and possibly twice that if the veiled person is a minor (The France's law)."

         The lists of France's points about their ban of face-covering veils:
-Gender equality(Minister Claude Gueant)
- "It's just a law... the history of France"which people have to accept if living in France (Emmanuel Roux of the police union SCPN).
-"It is illegal to hide the face in the public space.."except motor cycle helmet and special festivals(The law)
-The law of banning veils apply to both tourists and citizens.

        On the other hand, People who wear face-covering veils/head-scarfs have their voice:
-It's "racist (Kenza Drider, who lives in Avignon and wears a niqab)."
-France is where people can wear whatever they want.
-The veil "is a submission to God ( Drider)."
-Against the Human Rights.
          There are about 5 million Muslims in France, and some speak out that wearing their traditional outfits is their own freedom. Moreover, those who wear niqabs, abayas, and any other traditional veils express that the law that forces to take their veils off is against the human rights.


         We talked about the same topic earlier in March, but this article makes us think whether the France is making sense, or Muslim women and those who wear veils in the public have their rights to wear what they choose to wear.

       

Picture updates, summary by Heidi

Link, summary editing by Yuri

Editing support, organization by Jose

It's your choice whether you want to cover or not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3iFk7gkaC0
--> watch this clip before reading!

Girl A

Girl B

Girl C

<Conversation on the clip>

A: Do you have to wear that dress?
B: You mean my Abaya?
A: Yeah, can't you just cover your head and wear normal clothes?
B: I prefer this. We're supposed to cover our beautiful body parts. Only our husband has the right to see them.
C: Salamaz!
A: I meant like her. She's covered and she looks beautiful!
B: (If I say that's not the right way to wear Hijab.. that would be backbiting...... How do I explain?)

footnote
1.Abaya : a long black-sleeved robe worn by Muslim women in Arabic-speaking countries, often with headscarf or veil
2.Salamaz :"Hi" in Arabic
3. Hijab : a traditional scarf worn by Muslim women to cover their hair and neck and sometimes the face
                                                                                     Created by Amirah Yousaf
                                                                                     From Youtube

<Summary>
     There are 3 different girls dressed differently. Girl A in a tiny top and shorts asks Girl B if her Abaya is something Girl B must wear. Girl B explains that Girl B believes that her body is very "special" and only her husband is allowed to see it. Girl A continues; Girl A wonders if Girl B can just cover her head and wear whatever. Girl C shows up. She is covering her head but not her body(she is wearing a casual outfit.)

<Opinion>
Yuri:
     I believe that it's totally Girl B's choice if she wants to wear Abaya or casual clothes, and no one can tell a person, like the Girl B in Abaya, to suggest/ask her to wear something else. I think Girl B is wearing Abaya not because she HAS TO or the LAW says so. (maybe some places in the world, ex, Saudi Arabia, might ask you to wear some certain outfit.) Girl A has no right to tell Girl B what to wear. Girl A says Girl C looks pretty because she is wearing something other than Abaya, so is she saying that girls in Abayas looks less beautiful?

Heidi:
     Girl A thinks abaya is not pretty and not "normal." But, who decide which is normal or abnormal? From Girl A's view, wearing abaya is abnormal, but from Girl B's view, it's just something to be proud of and beautiful. It's their tradition and belief coming from their own history. We should respect their custom.
     However, I hope Girl B wearing abaya is aware that their custom could oppress their freedom to choose what they want wear. She said "We're supposed to cover..." It means there is a force (could be tradition and belief) to educate her to think like that. Therefore, sometimes rooted tradition and belief are so strong that majority of people think it's fine without questioning even though they could be wrong. Also, I personally think women get a self-confidence when they decorate themselves nicely and beautifully with different clothes, hair styles, and makeups. Conservative people can choose to wear conservatively, but forcing every women to wear abaya by acceptable social value and custom is not right.

Jose:
     I think that it all depends on how the person is feeling with the clothes she or he are wearing. In my personal opinion if you don't like the way you see yourself in the mirror ....just get another outfit that you really enjoy!!! \m/ 

Images, a link of youtube, scripts by Heidi

Designed, organized by Jose

Edited, summaryof the clip by Yuri

Commented by al of us!