With a new law yesterday, the French salvaged an aspect of Western civilization.
The law prohibits "concealment of the face in public, especially by wearing a full body covering" ("dissimulation du visage dans l'espace public, en particulier par la pratique du port du voile intégral"). In other words, it does not explicitly mention the Islamist gear known as niqab (which covers a woman's body except for the eyes) and burqa (covers the entire body).
 Feminine beauty? Burqas on parade. |
Clever. But "concealment of the face" takes place routinely. Large, dark sunglasses hide the eyes. Surgical face masks (worn to fend off contagious diseases) cover the nose and mouth. Fire-retardant hoods obscure the neck, ears, and hair. Worn together, sunglasses, mask, and hood, such as sported by actress Faye Dunaway last year at LAX, might be illegal under the new French law, even though it is not a problem. One can discern plenty about Ms Dunaway, including her gender, her approximate age, and what she is carrying. She looks odd but does not threaten fellow passengers.
 Faye Dunaway in her version of a niqab. |
Niqabs and burqas, in contrast, are not veils but head-to-toe coverings that envelope the entire person. They routinely present security challenges by hiding males, guns, and bombs. They cause Vitamin D deficiency in women and breast-fed children. They obstruct communication, disrupt family life, dehumanize women, and undermine individualism.
Legislation should focus on full-body coverings; these cultural atrocities must be banned everywhere. (April 12, 2011)
Apr. 19, 2011 update: The French version of Vogue showed in February what a burqa that does not cover the whole body might look like.
Vogue's vision of the burqa.
Apr. 20, 2011 update: For an important endorsement of the recent French step, see "France's burqa ban: A brave step that we Muslims should welcome" by Qanta A. Ahmed.
