Muslims Protest Head-Scarf Ban in France

MyWay News ^

[Happy2BMe]

Jan 17, 9:42 AM (ET)

By ELAINE GANLEY

PARIS (AP) - Shouting "The veil is my choice," hundreds of people marched in Paris on Saturday as part of global protests against the French government's plan to ban Muslim headscarves in schools.

Muslims from all over France took part in the Paris rally, expected to draw at least 10,000. Many of the protesters were women in headscarves and bearded men in robes.

"We're here for our liberty," said Fatiha Hossol, from the southeastern city of Lyon. "It's our religious obligation to honor our God."

Algerian-born Kawtar Fawzy, 30, also traveled from Lyon. "When I came here, they told me France was the land of human rights. I found out it's the opposite," she said, amid protesters waving French flags.

(AP) A Turkish woman holds a banner that reads: "Law against the veil or against Islam" during a...
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From London to Baghdad, people around the world took to the streets Saturday to show opposition to the proposal to ban religious attire, including the headscarf, in French public schools.

The government, worried about the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, intends to enact the law for the start of the 2004-2005 school year in September. It says Muslim scarves and other obvious religious symbols must be barred from schools to keep them secular and avoid religious strife.

But, many Islamic leaders say the law will stigmatize France's estimated 5 million Muslims, who make up 8 percent of the population.

In London, several hundred people demonstrated across from the French Embassy in the upscale Knightsbridge area, waving signs and chanting: "If this is democracy, we say: 'No, merci!'"

"The (French) government is isolating Muslims and setting a dangerous precedent," said Ihtisham Hibatullah," spokesman for the Muslim Association of Britain. "Muslims see it as an aggravation."

Dozens of women, veiled in black scarves, marched through the main city of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, to express their solidarity with Muslims in France.

"Why should anyone interfere with what I want to wear. If I revolt against this transgression I will be called an extremist. Is it fair?" said Asiya Andrabi, whose Dukhtaran-e-Millat, or Daughters of Faith, is a radical separatist group that demands Kashmir's merger with Pakistan.

Other protests were expected in the United States and Canada in what would be the biggest coordinated demonstration against a law that would also ban Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses in French public schools.

Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said such protests are not a positive contribution to the debate.

"If there is a protest one day, there will be a counter-protest the next," he said Friday.

Saturday's march through northeastern Paris to the Place de la Nation was called by the Party of French Muslims. Before the rally began, a small group of men pulled out a prayer rug and said prayers at the Place de la Republique.

Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Mosque of Paris and president of the French council of the Muslim religion, discouraged Muslims from attending, saying the protest would only exacerbate the anti-Muslim climate and create tensions for them in Europe.

He has called for calm among France's Muslims "because we absolutely do not want confrontation." Boubakeur's French Council of the Muslim Faith serves as a link to the government.

Protests also were expected in other French cities and outside French consulates and embassies in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto in Canada, organizers said.

About 3,000 people took part in a similar protest in Paris on Dec. 21. More than half were women, girls and even young children wearing the "hijab," or headscarf. Protests have taken place elsewhere, too. Earlier this month, 700 Muslims marched through the Danish capital of Copenhagen.

In Iraq, an Islamic group distributed an open letter to Chirac in mosques calling for the government to reverse its position. A demonstration drew fewer than 100 students Saturday at Baghdad's Al Mustansiriya University.

Shaheen Kazi, national office manager at the Muslim Students Association of the U.S. and Canada, said protests were expected to draw a few thousand people.

"The hijab is so central to the Muslim woman's identity," Kazi said. "If we don't stand up for this issue when it happens in a European country or anywhere else, then it could be like a wave that could carry on throughout Europe and then we don't know how far it would spread."

In London, Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien said the British government supported the right of all people to display religious symbols.

"Whilst it is for individual countries to decide, in Britain we are comfortable with the expression of religion, seen in the searing of the hijab, crucifixes or the kippa," O'Brien said in a statement. "Integration does not require assimilation."

[TheForceOfOne]

AND Mohammed was a murderer of women and children not a profit.

[TheForceOfOne]

oops, I mean not a "Prophet".

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

ZOT!

[valkyrieanne]

No, this is not a "blow against religion." This is an attempt by the French to contain Islamist *ideology* - an ideology as bad as Nazism. The core of this ideology involves "fundamentalist" Islamic men and women *forcing* non-fanatic girls to conform. The French banned the headscarf in schools because girls who *didn't* wear them were being bullied into it by not only other girls, but grown men who'd wait for them outside of school, and who would even harass the entire family.

Read the April 2004 issue of Vanity Fair - not online - for an indepth description of how this whole headscarf thing is an attempt by *fanatic* Muslims to impose their own fanaticism on everyone else - first other Muslims, then the general populace.

[fortunecookie]

It's possible. I've considered that. And I don't hold any ill will. I'm simply pointing out what Yousifa may or may not know, that terrible acts have been perpetrated by Muslims against non-Muslims all over the world as of late, and the call to arms, if you will, seems to be coming from higher levels, in the name of Islam and using the Quran as 'proof' that they are doing 'good'. Certainly what yousifa says could very well be true, that the Quran (and I don't profess to be well versed in it) may be finding itself taken out of context. Entirely possible. I'm sure there are truly peacable Muslims who are horrified at the events of recent years. But terrible actions, well funded and organized worldwide, are being encouraged, urged by supposed Muslim leaders and clerics in the name of Islam. And that is the point of my post to yousifa. That it may well say one thing, but is being used with sometimes tacit, sometimes outright approval to bring suffering to many innocent people.

[fortunecookie]

I'm still wondering how Islam took over North Africa, southern Spain, Constantinople and other parts of Eastern Europe while heeding the admonition not to invade anyone's land.

Maybe it was then, like it is now. The Europeans feeling a sort of self-loathing or guilt and wanting to reach out and be 'multicultural'. The French have a sort of strange love for the Algerians. Even after terrorists shot up the streets of Paris and orchestrated a deadly airline hostage crisis (70's, wasn't it Israeli special forces that ended the situation), they still welcomed all manner of immigrants, including many known terrorists, like Carlos to seek refuge in their country. And the Brits as a whole (and of course I don't mean everyone, but like here in the US certain influential lib types) seem fully taken with Muslims in general. Princess Di was just one example.

In Spain and Europe of the pre-Moor era, there were universities and trade routes and art guilds and such. But these were peaceful activities and involved exchanges between other cultures and countries as well. Yet only the Moors in Spain and Europe forced their stay and customs at sword point. I wonder how they justified breaking their rules? To save Catholic Spain from itself? It was perfectly happy as it was, so much so that it fought back and freed itself from the Moors centuries later. And the Spaniards are doing it again (looking for link), in Granada, there has opened the first mosque, and one of the largest in Europe, larger than the current population could ever need, and the first one in over 500 years. Hmm.

It's true, the Crusades have taken some lib flack as of late, but there would have been no need for them if the Holy Land hadn't been invaded by Muslims, seemingly out of the blue.

[dennisw]

Your prophet had hallucinations that you call revelations. Islam has been aggressive ever since the day of Muhammad. Your prophet was an evil man who made war throughout Arabia. He was an assassin. He was the first Jihadist terrorist. He advocated beheading in order to terrorize. You know the Koranic verse.
The worst part is the Koran's call to emulate the life of your so called prophet.

God revealed His will to the angels, saying: "I shall be with you. Give courage to the believers. I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers." (Sura 8, Verse 12)

"When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield strike off their heads." (Sura 47, Verse 4)

[dennisw]

Psychos taking it to the streets of Frogsville. How long before they have riotous marches and have to haul out the water cannon and teargas? The Muzzies drove the French out of Algeria, now they try to drive the French out of France.

[506trooper]

So he/she signs up today, pulls up a year old thread, drops some BS about the religion in pieces and responds to no posts; this one stinks to high heaven.

[nw_arizona_granny]

We must always remember that it is all done in the interest of peace.

Theirs, not ours.

[MeekOneGOP]

Yep. To ZOT or not to ZOT?? That is the question .....

[RepublicanReptile]

"Liberty" and "Islam" do not go together methinks

[Tread]

ZOT!

[WestCoastGal]

I find it hard to believe any of them have our best interest at heart. I haven't seen one yet since 9-11.

I'm still puzzled as to why this person posted to this thread from 1-2004 defending Islam and allah (blah blah blah) and then didn't respond to any of us.

I think the kitties are circling and I smell ozone this morning. We shall see.

[afnamvet]

[Arrowhead1952]

Finally got to all the pings, and just saw this one. Another troll defending the religion of pieces on a thread from last year. Original date:

---

Muslims Protest Head-Scarf Ban in France
MyWay News ^

Posted on 01/17/2004 12:29:45 PM CST by Happy2BMe

Jan 17, 9:42 AM (ET)

35 posted on 01/05/2005 6:34:03 PM CST by yousifa

It is also against islam to kill Women, Children, Elderly, and men who are not at war.

As far as I remember, not one of the people in the WTC or Pentagon were at war. I think this yousifa is an islamic troll.

[506trooper]

I vote ZOT.

If I'm wrong, so be it, but my cause is just.

[MeekOneGOP]

I share that sentiment, and I bet he does get the ZOT.

[MeekOneGOP]

Me too. bump!

[searchandrecovery]

Dear "yousifa",
Hey, big guy. Looks like you got your butt kicked pretty well here. Sorry to see you didn't find the need to try and defend your "religion". Let me put in my 2 cents...

Whenever reading or interpriting the Koran (also spelled Quran) you must read the two sentances before and after it to understand the meanings.
Let's put that little idea to the test with one of my fave's: from Sura 8 - The Spoils

10 And God made this promise as pure good tidings, and to assure your hearts by it: for succour cometh from God alone! Verily God is Mighty, Wise.
Recollect when sleep, a sign of security from Him, fell upon you, and he sent down upon you water from Heaven that he might thereby cleanse you, and cause the pollution of Satan to pass from , and that he might gird up your hearts, and stablish your feet by it:
When thy Lord spake unto the angels, 'I will be with you: therefore stablish ye the faithful. I will cast a dread into the hearts of the infidels.' Strike off their heads then, and strike off from them every finger-tip.
This, because they have opposed God and his apostle: And whoso shall oppose God and his apostle . . . Verily, God will be severe in punishment.
'This for you! Taste it then! and for the infidels is the torture of the fire!'

So if we scroll forward and backward TWO PARAGRAPHS (not just your wimpy SENTENCES), it does nothing but reinforce the hateful nature of your "religion".

And the interpretation of these is about the invaders who invade your city! it is not telling muslims to go kill people that are not hurting them.
LOL! You are SO full of SHIT! Maybe in your little alternate universe this is true. However, let me tell ya what I think of Islam. Moo-hamid was NOT a prophet. Islam is NOT a religion. To me, it seems more like a criminal activity aimed at taking over countries, then regions of the world, then imposing this religion on others.

Funny how some people (liberal morons) bend over backwards to be tolerant of the most intolerant "religion" on earth. Please feel free to fuck off. Hey, HEY! I've got an idea! Why don't you go strap-on some explosives and blow yourself up? Seventy-two (or so) virgins just DYIN" to meet ya - no waiting!