French President Nicolas Sarkosy arrives at Versailles Palace on June 22, 2009, to address Parliament. He condemned the use of the burqa in France, calling it an unacceptable symbol of "enslavement."
On June 22, 2009, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France arrived at Versailles Palace to address legislators, the first presidential appearance before Parliament since 1875. To protect the independence of lawmakers, presidents had been barred from entering Parliament since Charles Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte’s reign. Reforms carried out by Sarkozy’s party last summer, though, opened the way for him to speak to Parliament. (1)
Mr. Sarkozy entered through rows of French guards with raised swords and plumed helmets, then delivered an American-style state-of-the-nation address. In a sober, far-ranging speech, he spoke about the economy and his vision for the future of France. He saved his strongest comments for the most hotly-debated social issue in France: the burqa. The burqa is a Muslim head-to-toe garment that some women wear to cloak their bodies and faces. Sarkozy’s declaration, “The burqa is not welcome in France,” was met with enthusiastic applause.
Two Afghan Women Wearing Burqas
“We cannot accept to have in our country women who are prisoners behind netting, cut off from all social life, deprived of identity,” Sarkozy told Parliament. “”That is not the idea that the French republic has of women’s dignity. The issue of the burqa is not a religious issue. It is a question of freedom and of women’s dignity,” Mr. Sarkozy said. The burka is not a religious sign. It is a sign of the subjugation, of the submission, of women.”
Mr Sarkozy gave his backing to the establishment of a parliamentary commission to study the burqa and methods to stem its spread. In 2004, France banned Islamic headscarves in its state schools. France is home to five million Muslims, the largest Muslim population in Western Europe.
Two women, one wearing the niqab, a veil worn by the most conservative Muslims that exposes only a woman's eyes, right, walk side by side, in downtown Marseille, on June 19, 2009. In France, the terms burka and niqab are often used interchangeably – the former refers to a full-body covering worn largely in Afghanistan with a mesh screen over the eyes, while the latter is a full-body veil, often in black, with a gap for the eyes.A parliamentary commission may study the small but growing trend of burqa wear in France and could propose legislation aimed at banning the burqa and other fully covering garments worn by some Muslim women. The study aims to discover whether the women wear the burka by choice or out of fear.
(1) “Sarkozy Backs Drive to Eliminate the Burqa.” The New York Times, June 23, 2009.
Lisa's History Room 
Well, for once I find myself actually liking the mercurial Mr. Sarkozy. The burqa IS a garment of enslavement. One ought to be cautious in concluding that any woman wears a beekeeper’s uniform because she likes to. It is the only thing some Islamic women have ever worn, and would doubtless would be reflexively fearful without it. Sarkozy needs to focus heavily on restricting its wear in schools, so girls can grow up without feeling the need to be hidden in order to be pious. It really is an absolute abomination that women wear this contraption anywhere in the world.
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Shirley! Yes, Sarkozy is right on track with this one. I have loosely followed this burqa issue in France and it appears that the Muslim fanatics are pushing women to wear the burqa more and wear the full get-up with the veil. All is to say that they will not be pushed around and told what to do. Scary Muslim men.
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Intellectual and Moderate Muslim world should come forward to bring the awareness and true value of religion among the misguided people of so many people called Jihadi.They need religious medicine to clear their mindx which have been brainwashed for an illusion. They must be taught how to live with fellow human beings. Can any one doubt the secular credence of Britain? But my question is why these people are behaving like this? What is their motive?
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Well said, Riz. Thanks for visiting Lisa’s History Room.
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how does wearing a burqa or hijab for that matter resemble the enslavement of women?
no…the muslim women are not enslaved by hijab or even burqa and niqab.
we understand your concern over this matter and we appreciate that.
but if u want us to be happy,just let us wear anything we wish. its our body,its our rights.
i am a 27 yr old medical student and i am not married.my father never ‘dictated’ to wear hijab and my brother never said a word about it.
i chose to wear the hijab at the age of 15…on and off…and constantly at the age 20.no one ever ‘forced’ me to do so.
and yes..i am a happy woman.
what the non muslim seem not getting it is…we the muslim women..we are just like you.
we have friends..we gossip…we shop sexy undies…we control the money in the family… we go to university,we drive,we hate exams..we check out hot guys…
we are of no different than u..its just we CHOOSE to cover ourselves,and we CHOOSE to be a Muslim.
thanks.
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Hi, Suraya, thanks for visiting Lisa’s History Room.
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hi lisa..
no problem. well actually i was googling up infos on Queen Elizabeth the first and came across your history room.
i am an avid learner of history,geography and politics and have developed a keen interest in those arena since i was small.
i found these two sisterly Queens…Mary the first and Elizabeth the first were few of those powerful and charismatic women of those days.
however,it was such a pity that in those days women were not given rights to speak for themselves and to decide what do they want in their lives and were forced to marry anyone simply!
moreover,wives should not be treated as slaves.a wife should have a right on her husband’s property and her husband is supposed to protect her from harm and provide her with basic amenities of lives (eg: food,clothes,money,house)
i find your historical page as a very informative and in well ordered.
thank YOU.. =)
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Suraya, compliments will get you everywhere. Keep coming back!
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i am not here to win anyone’s heart. =)
im here to speak the truth and to clear the misconceptions.
what does a muslim woman wants?
its a high time to ask the muslim women themselves about their own lives instead of listening to the men,media and let alone sarkozy.
the original sources of Islam are the Quran and the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad. what do they teach about women?
and what does the Bible say about women?
every responsible and mature ‘spectator’ should be able to spend some time and study the issue closely from the original source before throwing any argument.fair enough,isn’t it?
i’ll pay a visit once in a while when i feel the need of doing so.
thanks =)
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Suraya, the Bible focuses on the way we treat others. There are mentions of women, the treatment of women, their clothing, but, in general, we Christians view them in the context of the times in which they were written. Mainly, the Bible, the New Testament in particular, which is written about our Lord Jesus Christ, is written to instruct us in the way to walk. We are instructed to love one another and get along with one another. That’s the purpose of our Christian teachings. In Western society, particularly here in the U.S., we are concerned with promoting and preserving individual liberties – such as allowing us to dress as we please, within societal taboos – and protecting each other from oppression. We don’t understand nor do we respect a marriage in which the husband dominates and tells the wife what she can and cannot do. That is not the American Way. Plus, it doesn’t make for a good society. Any creature who lives in a repressive state becomes stunted in growth, afraid, and is not allowed to make a positive contribution to the world. Women who are told what to do, who are denied the opportunities of men in the marketplace and the freedoms of movement and dress are not living full civil liberties, which God gives us all at birth. If you want to know why the Western World frowns on the wearing of burqas, it is because it is the symbol of all that occurs in the male/female dynamics of an Islamic controlled state. As one Pakistani woman recently commented to a reporter,”Muslim men make us wear the burqa because they want us to disappear.” Pakistan, Iran, Iraq are countries in turmoil – and will be as long as the rulers are powerful through oppression and tribal warfare.
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i am sorry but you clearly have no understanding of the importance of the hijab and niqab to Muslim women…i am a 5th generation Canadian by one parent, the other being Arab born and raised in Canada…seeing the freedom of rights my country claims to offer i decided to wear hijab expecting no complaints from anyone…and i didn’t until this ignorant sarkozy decides to do muslim women a “favour” the burqa is a problem in afghanistan where women have no choice but to wear it which goes against everything Islam and the hijab stand for, obviously. but sarzoky has taken the comfort out of wearing hijab for many many women…it is only worsening and his poison is only spreading…
i wish educated people like you would put aside your own biases (your personal dislike and misunderstanding of the hijab or niqab) and help women like myself stop this stereotypical view of hijab from spreading…by agreeing to ban it you are taking our freedom of speech and religious expression away from us, no matter how you choose to spin it. muslim women in the west feel oppressed by such laws like this one..not the hijab…you would be surprised at how strong and free-willed we are! : )
Peace&Love
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Marwa, I appreciate your comments.
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also…women have rights over men just as they have rights over us…its a balanced give and take marriage relationship that islam promotes…do not let anyone tell you otherwise…
women in the west especially continue to learn about our rights through islamic law and you have no idea just how many we enjoy! its a joyus thing..and we love rubbing it in the faces of our men 😉 and they love us more for having knowledge (i know this isn’t the case for all…but in the west, it most certainly is!)
however, what Islam teaches and what men are often, sadly, two very different things…men always try to dominate no matter what their religion is don’t act like there aren’t a bunch of women shelters where you live predominately filled with non-muslim, non-hijab or niqab wearing women…you would only be fooling yourself! i hope you and a great many others will learn this someday ❤
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Marwa, thank you for sharing your opinion.
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Suraya and MArwa have described what we, the muslim women TRULY take hijaab/ naqaab/ burka/ scarf as.
Sarkozy is one ignorant fellow. if forcing women to wear a burka is wrong than forcing those who r willingly doing it not to do it is in NO WAY right too.
The thing is , it has never been about liberty and freedom of women, specially in this context.
it is the biases that People like sarkozy hold against the muslim community all ovr the world.
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Sometimes government has to help those unable or unwilling to help themselves. You will never convince me or any women who live in democracy that wearing the burka is a choice. Sarkozy is brave. What would France do without him? He sees what forces threaten French society and is willing to take a stand – albeit an unpopular one with some – who disagree with him. What do you think of the binding of Chinese women’s feet? Is that okay, too? It’s all about putting women down and keeping them down. I’ve read Pakistani women say that the Taliban makes them wear the burka to make them invisible and feel invisible.
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Suraya, Marwa, Rimla:
Re: Embracing the veil
Please see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome
Ladies,
Starting today, choose to embrace your existence and break free of religious and cultural apologia. The choices you make have serious repercussions for your daughters, your sisters, your grandchildren, and your friends. While you find comfort in clinging to a practice that feels familiar, you are actually participating in the perpetuation of a form of gender apartheid. You are not equal if you feel better when you are wearing a blanket over your head.
I think this is reasonably clear to all rational individuals.
Free your mind and the rest will follow.*
Love,
Shirley
*Props to En Vogue
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Thank you, Shirley. I hope these women will open their minds and hearts to thoughts of a better life for themselves and their fellow women.
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I’ve just noticed with one muslim couple that I know well, that while they are both happy with the wife wearing the hijab, actually not speaking with men other than her husband or family members; it has become very difficult with the next generation. Their daughter doesn’t want to wear the hijab and wants to participate in society differently. She’s still the lovely daughter she always was and her parents are lovely people in so many ways. However, relations are extremely hostile between parents and daughter. The situation seems tragic. Sorry, but personal freedoms are extremely important and without a respect for them relationships can’t work. Whatever the religion, people need to understand that their God or Allah is interested in the state of a person’s heart and their inner way of being not the external obedience to rules and regulations.
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