After France, headscarf issue causes ripples in Italy

San Diego Tribune-Herald ^ | 26 March 2004 | Aidan Lewis, Associated Press Writer

[MegaSilver]

ROME – The debate over headscarves that divided France has reached Italy, with a kindergarten asking a Muslim trainee teacher to remove her headscarf because it might frighten children.

The case has made headlines here and prompted debate among politicians and church officials over the role of Muslims in this predominantly Catholic country, just months after a Muslim activist went to court to have a crucifix removed from his son's public school classroom.

The issue arose last week when a private kindergarten in Samone, in northern Italy, voiced concern about the headscarf worn by a prospective intern, Moroccan-born Fatima Mouyache, who was being placed by a teacher training service.

The Miele & Cri-Cri kindergarten said it had agreed to accommodate Mouyache's schedule of daily prayers, but asked the training service if she would be willing to remove her headscarf. The school said it feared it might frighten the students.

In a statement sent to media organizations, the kindergarten said it wasn't acting out of prejudice but merely to avoid "the negative reaction of the children who aren't used to seeing this type of dress" and the possibility that parents might be uncomfortable with it.

In an interview Thursday in the Rome daily La Repubblica, Mouyache said she couldn't understand how the veil, which covers her hair but not her face, could frighten anyone.

If it did make children afraid, she said she could be flexible: "In front of women and children, I can take it off," she said.

After the story was publicized, the town council in nearby Ivrea offered Mouyache a position in another kindergarten and she accepted.

"We decided to offer her a position at the nursery in Ivrea to complete her training, with or without the veil, just as she likes," Andrea Benedino, a municipal official in Ivrea, said.

While saying many Samone parents agreed with the school's position, Benedino said he too didn't understand how the veil could frighten children, noting it was similar to those worn by Catholic nuns.

Italy is officially secular, but largely Roman Catholic.

The Mouyache case was the first one publicized in Italy. It follows last month's vote by France's lower house of parliament to ban students from wearing Islamic head scarves and other religious apparel in public schools.

The French government argued the law was needed to protect France's secular traditions and ward off rising Islamic fundamentalism; critics said it would inflame anti-French feelings among France's large Muslim minority.

Most politicians in Italy's center-right governing coalition have criticized the school and called for tolerance.

"The Muslim veil, worn with dignity and without ostentation, is a harmless symbol of cultural and religious identity that deserves our full respect," Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said.

But the Northern League, an ally in Premier Silvio Berlusconi's government known for its xenophobia, has spoken out against the veil.

"If someone comes from the jungle and is used to going around dressed like Tarzan, they can do it there, but not here," Northern League senator Roberto Calderoli said.

The Northern League has recently taken up another issue concerning Islam, pushing for a law that would require referendums on requests to build mosques in Italy. The party contends Islamic culture is "historically antithetical" to Italian culture.

Confronted with such positions, even Vatican officials have chimed into the debate. Cardinal Julian Herranz, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, told Repubblica on Thursday the issue went beyond whether someone is allowed to wear a headscarf.

"Everybody must be allowed to freely profess their own faith, according to their own conscience, their own traditions," he said.

[MegaSilver]

I predict that Europe will be at civil war in a few decades.

More than likely, the Europeans will be able to win. But it will be a bloody battle, and they will probably have to fend off retaliatory attacks from the south and southeast, as well.

[Mr. Mojo]

......asked the training service if she would be willing to remove her headscarf. The school said it feared it might frighten the students.

Yeah, removing her headscarf could very well frighten the students ;)

[Bismarck]

As a European let me tell you that we fought and defeated the Ottomans back in the 17th century. It seems that we are going to go four a second round. This time it will be the West against the Mohammedan Hordes.

[TopQuark]

I predict that Europe will be at civil war in a few decades. More than likely, the Europeans will be able to win

I am afraid it's not that simple: civil wars nowadats have backers from outside. So add to the equation nuclear-capable Iran, unclear situation in Russia, and not-so-distant China.

And, civil war between whom and whom? You say "Europeans" and imply, I presume, that the other side is Arabs and Berbers. Well, look at us: we have open borders; if someone wanted to fight, do you think the fight would be between Americans and Mexicans? H-ll no: it would be between Americans themselves.

The same in Europe: the fight, if any, is likely to be between the Europeans themselves; that is, between leftists and even more exreme leftists.

[McGavin999]

This is a pretty sad situation. It never should have been allowed to come to this point. The head scarf should not be the issue, militant Islam should be the issue. The Mosque is not the problem it is the Imam who is preaching in the mosque and what he is preaching.

[arbee4bush]

Then again, Catholic nuns that wore the full 'habit' when I was a little kid in grade school sure scairt me :)

Seriously, this is going too far I think. Let the lady teach in her head covering, or the moderate Muslims will end up joining the radicals--and I think we have our hands more than full now with what we are dealing with.

[Robert_Paulson2]

I predict that Europe will be at civil war in a few decades.

---

I suggest it already is.
Chechnya is very close to being Eastern Europe, and the bosnian, serb, muslim terrorist (albanians) wars are just the tip of the iceberg.

But what you mean is definitely true. ESPECIALLY for nations with large islamic populations. Muzzies were expecting that if they were the majority, or a large minority, in any european democracy that they could begin to FORCE sharia and submssion to allah INTO the democratic government.

They won't understand if and when sharia is not allowed to happen, just as they don't understand why the albananian/islamic head scarves are not allowed today. They are incredulous about not being allowed to "sharia" in public. And if they actually revolt a la "palestinian" style, I suspect a leader will emerge to crush them as the enemy of Europe...

In fact the islamic terror, might be the one threat powerful enough to unite the habitually bickering Europeans.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Seriously, this is going too far I think. Let the lady teach in her head covering, or the moderate Muslims will end up joining the radicals--and I think we have our hands more than full now with what we are dealing with.

I can not understand why they are attacking the headscarf worn by Islamic women when it is Islamic men who are 99% of the problem.

In any culture, if you want to infuriate the man, attack the woman. Even if he doesn't think much of her you are going to tap into either a protective or possessive instinct. A "I may treat her like dirt but she is my dirt!" kind of thing.

Not to mention it's silly. Now the government is going to be the fashion police? Can teachers wear hats? Wigs? Long hair? A little tattoo of the cross on the inside of the left wrist? All of these can be religious symbols. Or they can just mean that the person had a bad hair day or got drunk one night in college.

[raloxk]

"I predict that Europe will be at civil war in a few decades.
More than likely, the Europeans will be able to win. But it will be a bloody battle, and they will probably have to fend off retaliatory attacks from the south and southeast, as well."

I agree with the first part of your prediction, but I dont agree that Europe will win. They will lose. Already the majority of babies born in Brussels and Amsterdam are Muslim. When Europe is 25% Muslim, it will be 50% Muslim for those under age 30. I dont see an Army of 70 year olds doing very well against an army of 20 year olds.

[olde north church]

I would respectfully disagree with your assessment of Europe v Ottoman Empire. Although the Ottoman Empire was stopped at Austria (read the history of the croissant for fun) in the 17th Century the islamic folks were hanging around the outskirts of Europe near Albania and the Balkans.
The Ottoman Empire was referred to as the "sick man of Europe" because of instability.

[JasonC]

It is not a "sad" situation, it is simple stupidity. It is unjust to campaign against items of religious clothing. So stop it. It merely puts the authorities in the wrong, to absolutely no purpose.

Find a real injustice to fight against, not this innocuous piffle. It just makes the nativists out as ogres. If the problem is crime in the ghettos, do something about crime in the ghettos. If the problem is immigration, regulate immigration. If the problem is terrorism from overseas, cooperate in the WOT and help us deal with terrorism overseas. Instead whacking at kindergarten teachers over their hats is beyond petty, it is pig headed stupidity.

[JasonC]

Of course it is silly, stupid, and mindless. Why do they do it anyway? Because kindergarten teachers are rather more mild opponents than Osama Bin Laden, and debating hats is rather tamer than debating immigration. It is blank cowardice, putting a let's pretend issue in place of the real ones, as something they can pretend they are getting tough about.

[Petronski]

I predict that Europe will be at civil war in a few decades.

Perhaps we'll beat them to it.

[Guillermo]

Moahmmedans are easily defeated, if one fights back.

But, the European mindset is that they'd rather not fight, as that may offend.

Consider this particular mindset:

"The people of Madrid are reaping the fruits of our intolerance towards those of different races and religions. The war in Iraq was never going to solve the problems of that region but instead inflamed Arab people all over the world to new heights of anger towards the West." - Reverend Mark Beach, preaching at St Andrew's Church, Rugby, Great Britian.

[Iberian]

That it's simply not possible. The equivalent of states going at each other here in the States. Face the Euros head on and we will win. We have more resources!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I have always maintained that the reason france passed their ban is because it is easier to pick on school girls then deal with the actual problem which was the behavior of certain men in the Muslim community toward females not wearing the scarf.

Of course it also meant that those girls were stripped of what little protection that scarf gave them from those men as well. They just expanded the potential victim pool.

[Iberian]

Guillermo, you are dead on. The Spaniards have $itch slapped them since the year 711 when they tried to come to Europe through the Cadiz straight.
Their character is no different now than then. When the crusaders went after them they killed (almost all) of them.

Unfortunately they left some behind!!

If the Spaniards had to do it again, they would have exterminated them all

[tkathy]

The headscarf has become a political symbol rather than a religious one. Banning it will be huge.

[MegaSilver]

The headscarf has become a political symbol rather than a religious one. Banning it will be huge.

Islam generally doesn't draw distinctions between religion and politics, anyway, though.