French Burka Ban: Police Arrest Two Veiled Women

[HeatSikhingMissile]

Why? These are the same people who stop Sikh boys wearing paghs in state schools.

Do you realize it's BECAUSE OF MUSLIMS that Sikhs/Jews/Christians all had to suffer under the new French law? Make no mistake, the French acted upon their new laws in order to curb Islam in their country, not the pagh. For Sikhs to come to the defense of the niqab blindly just because it is religious attire is ridiculous. Should we also come to the defense of a muslim man who says his religion permits him to beat his wife?!

Once we start dictating how others should behave (when it doesn't effect us), how can we object to others curtailing Sikh practices?

Sikhism, and most religions all fall within a reasonable manner of a civil society. OUR RELIGION PREACHES EQUALITY. How ironic that a so-called 'Sikh' would instead be defending a blatant inequality. In Quebec these fool-hardly Sikhs the 'WSO' went into Quebec parliament to defend the niqab, instead they got themselves on the headlines and once again brought out the issue of Kirpan. And now because of the media spotlight, Quebec has outright banned the kirpan from parliament.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Quebec+MNAs+vote+unanimously+kirpans+from+assembly/4254137/story.html

Tell me WHAT BUSINESS did the WSO have in sticking their nose in the gender inequality of the niqab/islam in western society?!?

Sure, this is interesting to observe and comment upon, but it probably is wise to just leave them (French and Muslims) to it. For the record, I see sullis with the veil thing everyday. It doesn't bother me.

Agreed, but if Sikh bodies are forced to chime in on the issue, being "pro-niqab" simply because we're afraid of what the implications have on the pagh is both hypocritical, and cowardly.

[VanHelsingh]

No wonder the French were referred to as "cheese eating surrender monkeys" by Mr. William C. Aretaker.

[dalsingh101]

Do you realize it's BECAUSE OF MUSLIMS that Sikhs/Jews/Christians all had to suffer under the new French law? Make no mistake, the French acted upon their new laws in order to curb Islam in their country, not the pagh. For Sikhs to come to the defense of the niqab blindly just because it is religious attire is ridiculous. Should we also come to the defense of a muslim man who says his religion permits him to beat his wife?!

So you think it is okay for the French to willfully make Sikhs suffer as a consequence of their attitude towards Islam? That is pretty despicable of them don't you think?

Actually Brits did a similar stunt when the banned ISYF and Babbar Khalsa on the back of 9/11, so maybe you want to take up the issue of bundling us in with Muslims with the people who are actually doing this?

Besides, before we jump on some high horse, it isn't like we don't have Sikh men periodically murdering their wives in Canada now is it. Maybe whites will try and use that against us in future?

Sikhism, and most religions all fall within a reasonable manner of a civil society. OUR RELIGION PREACHES EQUALITY. How ironic that a so-called 'Sikh' would instead be defending a blatant inequality. In Quebec these fool-hardly Sikhs the 'WSO' went into Quebec parliament to defend the niqab, instead they got themselves on the headlines and once again brought out the issue of Kirpan. And now because of the media spotlight, Quebec has outright banned the kirpan from parliament.

Do you have anything of substance to back your analysis of why Quebec banned the kirpan?

But I do agree that Sikhs shouldn't jump into the fray to defend the nikab. However this falls short of proactively going out and trying to dictate the practices of other faiths. The best thing to do with is lead by example. And I do think that certain apnay should avert their focus from the oppression of Muslian via covering them up, to the problem we're having with the virtual mass murder of our own jananeean through selective abortions. What sort of rubbish is it to point fingers at others when we have our own gund to deal with?

Agreed, but if Sikh bodies are forced to chime in on the issue, being "pro-niqab" simply because we're afraid of what the implications have on the pagh is both hypocritical, and cowardly.

How can we be 'forced' to chime in on the issue? Is someone putting a bandook to our head?

Sometimes we just seem to totally misjudge what battles we should fight and which ones we need to leave the hell alone.

[Ek0sikh]

religious beliefs should be upheld in any case as long as they do not interfere with the new world order. this is a fight between customs/religious beliefs/ ideology and the newer "ever changing" world scenario. we will see in the coming years how the religions and customs would be modified slowly by surely by the strategists. if you want to live in another country then you have to play by their rules. who are we to travel thousands of miles scacred of indian government/polic brutalities/corruption and then ask for our OUR way of life?

[HSD1]

Before people start with the conspiracy theories, let me just say my piece. France is a democracy. It's government has to give the people what they want in order to get re-elected. In the UK we can see this every election when the three main parties fight over the 'centre ground' regardless of their historic alignment on the political wings. In France many white people dont like muslims, especially arabs. It really is as simple as that. Some french people I've met are quite open about how they love foreign cultures but not muslim ones. They seemed quite happy with south asians though. Now in France when they seem minarets and burqas they associate them with the middle east not europe. As a result they think 'this is France, not Algeria!'. Now when times are good economically, most people can turn a blind eye and tolerate others. As social welfare cuts and a recession bite, people need to vent. France was a traditionally socialist country, but that has had to go out the window. France's economy is falling into Germany's shadow, and if it keeps up with the old system, they will fall even further behind. As their lifestyles change and there is less wealth to slush around, is it any surprise that they no longer become tolerant of people they view as a drain on their state?

One of the questions we need to ask ourselves is how does this affect sikhs? Lets face it, we dont have the numbers or political and economic clout to make a difference in Europe. Some sikhs will shout and scream in front of their computers in order to lull their consciences, but we cant do anything for the musis even if we wanted to. In fact, as time goes on, the reduction in non-western clothing and visible religous buildings will draw more of the minorities closer to the centre of french society if they are also given a purely french education. If it works we'll probably see it spread to the rest of europe.

[proactive]

Sikhism, and most religions all fall within a reasonable manner of a civil society. OUR RELIGION PREACHES EQUALITY. How ironic that a so-called 'Sikh' would instead be defending a blatant inequality. In Quebec these fool-hardly Sikhs the 'WSO' went into Quebec parliament to defend the niqab, instead they got themselves on the headlines and once again brought out the issue of Kirpan. And now because of the media spotlight, Quebec has outright banned the kirpan from parliament.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Quebec+MNAs+vote+unanimously+kirpans+from+assembly/4254137/story.html

Tell me WHAT BUSINESS did the WSO have in sticking their nose in the gender inequality of the niqab/islam in western society?!?

That was a massive own goal by the WSO for which they need to be taken to task. Unfortunately every fool with a political axe to grind seems to want to bring Sikhi into everything. Whether it's Guramit Singh of EDL, the Turban awareness nutters and their 'Sikhs against the EDL' they do not see that they have no authority to talk on behalf of the Sikhs. WSO and it's meddling in the niqab issue has now single handedly put the right to wear a Kirpan back many years.