Burka and Veil ban and French Liberalism‏ & Liberty

Sometimes it can be hard to understand which side of the Liberalism and Liberal argument a subject can fall under. Take the case of the vote today in the French parliament on 'Open-faced democracy' or banning the covering up of ones face such as with the Veil or Niqab and Burka which has now passed by an overwhelmingly vote (although it must now be ratified by the Senate and will have some legal battles to come).

The French are famous for their Liberty (not to be mixed up with Liberalism)


Maybe some definitions would help

Liberty - The condition of being free from restriction or control. The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing.

And Liberalism - a political orientation that favours social progress by reform and by changing laws rather than by revolution. is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights.

As opposed to the economic meaning of both which is the same - an economic theory advocating free competition and a self-regulating market. These terms are more board than they may first appear. They mean slightly different things in different countries.

definitions taken from (http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=liberalism)



You may note that Liberty doesn't really have any issue with revolution unlike Liberalism, which prefers a more structured change in upholding Liberal values. The French of course are famous revolutionaries.


Now here is the problem

Banning things is not very Liberal. Having a choice on what you can and cannot wear should be a personal matter but as an MP from President Nicolas Sarkozy's party said about people who wear the Veil he saw "a sign of alienation on their faces and had to be liberated!". Accept of course he can't see their faces?

The problem is some people choose to wear one (liberal) while others are told to wear one (not Liberal). So to some this is about protecting people which is why this bill is harsher on men (30,000 euros and a year jail term for men who force their wives to wear the Burka) than on women (150 euros fine). As women under this law are seen as repressed even if they don't know it.

This of course hides the problem that others will claim that this is their right and their rights are being violated. some will point to tradition and religion (Therefore not a choice but a belief?). Jean Glavany, a Socialist MP, said that it is "nothing more than the fear of those who are different, who come from abroad, who aren't like us, who don't share our values".

And that's just it, this ban is about not so much Liberty in France but the French values of Liberty because if you are truly Liberal you would not ban the Veil.

This has become a complicated argument and it can be easy to fall one side or the other. The middle way would be to not ban the Burka/Veil but to protecting people with the law that fines people who force this upon others. Now enforcing that of course as with the law being proposed is another issue.