Secularism vs Religious Expression-
Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2004 5:17 pm
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PARIS â?? Waving the French flag or wearing it as a head scarf, thousands of Muslim women marched Saturday through Paris, the center of a worldwide protest against France's plan to ban head coverings from public schools.
From Baghdad and Beirut to London and Stockholm, protesters condemned the law as an attack on religious freedom. Even in the West Bank city of Nablus and in the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Srinagar, women came out to support French Muslims.
"Where is France? Where is tolerance?" the crowd chanted during the four-hour march through Paris. "The veil is my choice."
The protesters want to scrap a bill that will go before French lawmakers next month forbidding "conspicuous" religious signs, from Islamic head scarves to Jewish skull caps and large Christian crosses, in public schools. Easy passage is expected, and the law is to become applicable with the new school year in September.
President Jacques Chirac (search) says the aim is to protect the principle of secularism that anchors life in France. However, it also is seen as a way to hold back the swell of Islamic fundamentalism (search) in France's Muslim community â?? the largest in Western Europe at an estimated 5 million.
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Western values are in conflict across the world in more ways than one. Which should prevail?
PARIS â?? Waving the French flag or wearing it as a head scarf, thousands of Muslim women marched Saturday through Paris, the center of a worldwide protest against France's plan to ban head coverings from public schools.
From Baghdad and Beirut to London and Stockholm, protesters condemned the law as an attack on religious freedom. Even in the West Bank city of Nablus and in the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Srinagar, women came out to support French Muslims.
"Where is France? Where is tolerance?" the crowd chanted during the four-hour march through Paris. "The veil is my choice."
The protesters want to scrap a bill that will go before French lawmakers next month forbidding "conspicuous" religious signs, from Islamic head scarves to Jewish skull caps and large Christian crosses, in public schools. Easy passage is expected, and the law is to become applicable with the new school year in September.
President Jacques Chirac (search) says the aim is to protect the principle of secularism that anchors life in France. However, it also is seen as a way to hold back the swell of Islamic fundamentalism (search) in France's Muslim community â?? the largest in Western Europe at an estimated 5 million.
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Western values are in conflict across the world in more ways than one. Which should prevail?
