[Seruzawa]

Europe still hasn’t figured out that freedom thing. Nor have many on the FR. Maybe there should be a competing “Regulatory Republic” website.

[MyTwoCopperCoins]

Exactly.

[Big_Monkey]

"Europe still hasn’t figured out that freedom thing. Nor have many on the FR. Maybe there should be a competing “Regulatory Republic” website."

Honestly, I'm torn. It's a complicated issue. There was a case, perhaps several, recently where a woman on the east coast wanted to take her driver's license picture wearing her face covering hijab. I believe the state's supreme court finally ruled that they had to reveal their face for identification pictures.

I think France actually has good, legitimate intentions, but we all know about intentions and that road to hell. Also, France (and most European countries) doesn't have the same ubiquitous First Amendment protections that Americans enjoy.

I think that in some very specific, isolated places, a ban on full-face hajibs or burqas is probably appropriate. After all, try to walk into a bank with a ski-mask on and see what happens.

[Dr. Sivana]

Europe still hasn’t figured out that freedom thing.

Agreed. Besides, either the definition of burqa will be so narrow that slight modifications would bring into "compliance" or it would be so broad that traditional Catholic nuns (and France still has a few) would also be told to abandon their habit.

In any event, after putting up with slutty clothing on women everywhere, setting a bad example for my children, I am unwilling to allow laws that prohibit people from wearing clothing based on it covering too much, possibly making an exception for faces for transactions with banks and drivers license photos, and that's about it.

The government that is allowed to dictate such things will be allowed to dictate almost anything.

[B-Chan]

Freedom is important, but it is not the greatest good. Individual liberty is less important than the survival of the nation.

[VocalObserver]

Diddo.

There seems to be a double standard or blurred vision as to what freedom is. Actually,F rance takes one more step toward secularizing society and infringing upon religion. How would we react to France banning women from wearing veil’s to mass?

This “progressive” action actually restricts the freedom of these women. I would expect that if these women are committed to wearing the burqa they would either

1)opt to protest the government’s decision by wearing the burqa in public
or
2)not leave the house

Thus, in effect, the French government is further suppressing the rights of these women.