France's ruling party discusses Islam (& altering their stringent separation of church + state laws)

Source: Al Jazeera English

UMP members hold criticised debate about Islam's place in secular France, days before ban on face veils is implemented.

Last Modified: Apr 05 2011 22:25 GMT


The protester's banner reads 'the veil in front of your eyes is much more dangerous than the veil on my hair'

France's conservative ruling party has held a controversial debate on the practice of Islam, rejecting charges of bigotry and saying that airing the issue could help stem the rising popularity of the far-right.

President Nicolas Sarkozy had called for Tuesday's discussion on Islam and secularism to address fears that some overt displays of Muslim faith - including street prayer and full-face veils - were undermining France's secular identity.

The UMP party were considering 26 ideas officials said were aimed at bringing France's stringent laws decreeing the separation of church from state into step with the times.

=snip=

Islam is France's second biggest religion after Roman Catholicism. Interior Minister Claude Gueant says there are five to six million Muslims in the country.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/04/201145203442292956.html

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More details at the link.

Looking for the full list of 26 proposals, but a few of them according to the article are:

* Banning the wearing of religious symbols such as Muslim headscarves or prominent Christian crosses by day-care personnel

* Preventing Muslim mothers from wearing headscarves when accompanying school field trips

* Preventing parents from taking their children out of mandatory subjects including gym and biology.

First you can't protect Lybian rebels, now you want your constitution to be rewritten by Glenn Beck.

I like your trains, health care system, Mediterranean coast, and unemployment checks. Otherwise, that country can go to hell.

their separation of church and state is mandatory.

Like that is Sarkozy's goal. To protect France from the far right.

Everyone knows that he is trying to win votes from far right voters in the upcoming presidential election. He is currently polling behind the Socialist Party and the National Front (the far right party). He must figure that it will be easier to take votes from the National Front, by adopting some of their policies, than winning any votes that will go to the Socialists.

He launched a deportation campaign against the Gypsies (Roma) last year and has been pushing Islamophobia, both a political effort to appeal to the nationalist far right that is afraid of "others" in general. Yeah, he's "protecting" France from the far right by becoming them.

The "left" is in many cases for undermining the secular foundations of the state. The right has won over many traditionally leftist working class voters with its seeming defense of secularism. This is not just some question of racism. Many people do not want religion to be far out in the public square. I can understand, though I have no position due to needing more information.