The ultimate niquab protest

[woolybanana]

This is a short film to protest the anti-niquab law. I suspect that even Normie will blanche at translating the lyrics, though Clair might smile as she does so. Who says satire is dead in France?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/8036686/French-women-cause-a-stir-in-niqab-and-hot-pants-in-anti-burka-ban-protest.html

[cooperlola]

Parfait!  I'm going to write to these women to congratulate them, they have so hit the nail on the head.

[woolybanana]

"Hit the nail on the head" was the one synonym I could not find so thanks Coops you lovely free spirit. "hrapper la tête du clou" doesn't sound quite right though, so what can we use in French apart from those already in the lyric. How about "burnish the brass"?[6]

[5-element]

This is hilarious!!!! And so many new expressions to be learned!!![:P] - it reminds me of the book "Tipping the velvet"!

[Chancer]

Its a pity they werent wearing a string and les bas dentelles.

[idun]

Well the song is 'interesting'.

This just illustrates how bad the niquab is. It makes me angry, deep deep down angry. It insults me to my core.

What does it say about the pathetic cowards of men are who 'need' women to be dressed niquab/burqa. These men do not need to control themselves and their sexual urges, they can blame women for their weaknesses if women are not 'invisible'.

So no, these girls have enraged me. I would not felicitate them. They need to be doing something to liberate muslim women who are subjugated, instead of getting at the french authorities. We women in the west have had our 'liberty' for so little a time; it is precious and I could not support anything that feels like it is encouraging something from the dark ages.

[pachapapa]

mi pute

mi summise

that"ll raise some hackles

[Braco]

Great video – it is the duty of everyone who loves liberty to ridicule politicians.

[cooperlola]

Whilst, Idun, I undertstand your anger, I do not think it is possible to liberate anybody from a religion - or rather a twisted version of it - or an ideology or anything else.  This can only come from within and thus sound and reasoned argument and real moral and practical support, plus help for these women to escape is what is needed, not silly laws about what women, men, kids or anybody else has a right to wear.  I am reluctant to get into this argument again as it seems that by opposing the legislation it is assumed that I am in favour of the suppression of women, which I certainly am not, and that I agree with the tennets of these twisted faiths, which I certainly do not.  As I have said before on this forum, to my mind the only consequence of the banning of this sort of clothing is that those who were forced to wear them for whatever reason (whether they believed it pleased some mythical deity or other or whether they did it because their men had them in virtual slavery) are now less and less likely to come out in public at all and thus will enjoy even less liberty - and thus the opportunity to interact with others who might influence them in more positive ways - than they did before.

[JohnM]

I'm a bit concerned that anyone feels it is necessary to go out in a public place with their identity hidden.

I'm a bit concerned that the authorities will be fining the women who have been forced into wearing the "mask".

I'm a lot concerned about men who want to control the woman in their life in this way.

I'm a lot concerned that these men will probably not ever be fined as it would be so difficult to prove that they make the women wear it (No no officer, I chose to wear it.... because it's easier than putting up with his childish tantrums).

 

 

[Quillan]

[quote user="JohnM"]

I'm a bit concerned that anyone feels it is necessary to go out in a public place with their identity hidden.

[/quote]

That's the bit I agree on and I am pleased that such a law has been put in place as those that cover their faces don't seem to understand peoples concerns in this day and age with global terrorism etc and security in general. If they don't understand that and selfishly carry on hiding their face then unfortunately the law has to intervene and I see nothing wrong with that.

In truth I have not been fully following this in the French press but I wondered if many (or any) Muslims have demonstrated about this law and in particular Muslim women. It seems to me that its mainly western people who have complained and demonstrated in France but I might be wrong. For all we know those (small amount, estimated at anywhere between 2,000 and 8,000 women depending on what you read) Muslim women that do wear this garment in France may be quite happy to do so. Personally I have not met one, even in Toulouse, who I can ask.

If those women amongst us feel that there should be total equality amongst the sex's (something I, as a man, agree with by the way) then they might like to turn their focus more towards another issue in France, or more to the point Paris. There will be a 5th attempt shortly to remove the current law (1799) banning women wearing trousers in Paris. The last attempt to have this law removed was by Sarkozy in 2003 (try googling "women wearing trousers in Paris" for more info).

 

[Braco]

Interesting how the charlatans that represents us use fear and wasted education budgets to control the masses. The current flavour of the month is Muslim.

 

I totally disagree that we are living in an age of global terrorism. What little terrorism that exists is promoted to a far higher level than justified, and I am sure that it would dwindle to almost zero if we stopped invading and occupying foreign lands. 9/11 was probably a protest against US troops in Saudi.

 

On the woman’s rights side of the issue I have no idea how many wear theses garments out of choice but even if the answer was only one I would support their right to choose.

[Richard51]

[quote user="Braco"]

On the woman’s rights side of the issue I have no idea how many wear theses garments out of choice but even if the answer was only one I would support their right to choose.

[/quote]

Which implies that you do not support the other 99% of women who would choose not to wear them but are required to.

[Braco]

Not in the slightest. I believe strongly that the freedoms of the masses are built on the rights of the individual. There are many things I find repulsive, the difference is that I do not seek to ban any of them.

 

At best it is a non issue at worst it is politicians pulling the strings of the insecure and fearful.

 

I would guess that there are probably tens of thousands of women that are forced by partners to work in the sex industry and to attend swingers clubs. Where are the campaigners?

[Quillan]

[quote user="Richard51"][quote user="Braco"]

On the woman’s rights side of the issue I have no idea how many wear theses garments out of choice but even if the answer was only one I would support their right to choose.

[/quote]

Which implies that you do not support the other 99% of women who would choose not to wear them but are required to.
[/quote]

Braco - Lat 3 years, possibly longer, its been Muslim knocking time. [;-)]

You see here we have the crux of the matter. What if 99% of the women prefer to cover their faces and 1% don't. There seems to be very little data on this with regards to France from which to form an opinion. We can't necessarily believe the news papers as each has a political leaning, what we need is some independent research but I doubt we would get it.

[Richard51]

It's a shame there isn't - but unlikely that the position will change.  If you feel intimidated enough to comply with wearing a burqa you're unlikely to come forward to speak honestly and openly to a government official.

Q, it's not just France and UK (traditional Western Europe) where this is an issue.  We have several good friends in Istanbul (muslim) who are seriously concerned at the encroachment of fundamentalism there.  While we walked the streets they took us to the more conservative areas (largely the poorer areas of the city where teaching is via the local imam and very islam focussed).  They pointed out girls as young as nine or ten wearing the niqab and how this is becoming more and more common.  The women in these areas have a sunset curfew, can only mix with other women and have screens on all their windows so no passers by can see them.  Even the kitchens in the (very small) houses are split into male and female areas. They applauded the French government's stance on the burqa (in fact - it was the favourite topic of conversation while we were there last May!) One of the couples we know already have plans in place to migrate to New Zealand if the fundamentalist threats to the freedom of women accelerate.  As the wife said - she enjoys her freedom, being able to wear western style clothes, go out when she wants and to work outside the home - there is no way she wants to lose that.   Our friends have the privilege of being relatively wealthy (lawyer, banker, senior HR management, advertising exec) so they are more mobile and can migrate to preserve their freedoms - those in the poorer communities can not do this.

Mrs R51