France denies citizenship to man with veiled wife

[JEDIYoda]

It`s about time they made immigrants respected the national values of the country that they desire to live in!! Go France!!!!

PARIS – French authorities have denied citizenship to a man who forced his French wife to wear a face-covering veil, saying he had rejected national values of secularism and gender equality.

The government has been speaking out strongly against head-to-toe veils, and is moving toward banning them in public after a long public debate over French national identity in the age of globalization.

Critics call the face-covering veil a gateway to extremism, but the move to ban it has drawn fierce criticism from some of France's five million Muslims, who say such restrictions are based in fear and intolerance of Islam.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has called the veils degrading to women and unwelcome in France. Sarkozy, a law-and-order conservative whose relations with the Muslim community have often been fraught, has been a vocal proponent of an all-out ban on the burqa, niqab and other face-covering Muslim veils.

Opposition leftist parties have slammed Sarkozy's focus on the veil, which is believed to be worn by only several thousand women in France. Critics contend the issue is a political ploy to divert attention from more substantial issues and aimed at far-right voters ahead of regional elections next month.

Little is known about the man denied citizenship or his wife, as neither have been identified. News reports said the man is a Moroccan citizen and a member of the hard-line Tabligh missionary movement.

Immigration Minister Eric Besson said Wednesday the decision was rooted in French law, which permits authorities to reject applicants who fail to respect national values.Prime Minister Francois Fillon, who has the final say, has pledged to approve Besson's order.

read more---- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100204...jA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNmcmFuY2VkZW5pZXM-

 

[werepossum]

Works for me. Sarkozy rules.

 

[ichy]

Good for them. Very good for them. We like to make fun of the French in the US, but in a lot of ways they have a lot more backbone than either the British or the Americans. I'm sure here the PC police and the ACLU would be pooing their pants over this.

 

[Hacp]

Sigh, maybe they'll start denying wives citizenship for ordering their husbands around too now?

 

[Nitemare]

Works for me. Sarkozy rules.

Wow, indeed. Good going

 

[spidey07]

Good for them. Very good for them. We like to make fun of the French in the US, but in a lot of ways they have a lot more backbone than either the British or the Americans. I'm sure here the PC police and the ACLU would be pooing their pants over this.

Very true. It seems like France has more backbone than the US. Muslims are using our own PCness against us and the british. It's happening in plain site and yet we're still following this self destructive path.

 

[StageLeft]

If she wants to wear it, so be it. However

"It was nearly a caricature because the person said: 'my wife will never be able to go out without the full veil; I don't believe in gender equality; women have inferior status; I will not respect the principles of the secular society,'" he told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.

TFB he can go back to Morocco and love in a hut.

 

[ichy]

If she wants to wear it, so be it. However TFB he can go back to Morocco and love in a hut.

Damn right. There will always be more people who want to move to a developed, first-world country like France than France will be able to accept. Therefore it makes sense for them to pick and choose those who are the most "culturally compatible." Someone who says he doesn't believe in the principles of a secular society is clearly way out of the mainstream.

 

[PokerGuy]

Good, it's about time someone started showing a backbone. If you can't respect the basic foundation of the country and it's rules, then don't move there.

 

[spidey07]

Good, it's about time someone started showing a backbone. If you can't respect the basic foundation of the country and it's rules, then don't move there.

Do you think the US would deny citizenship if somebody expressed these views? I'd like to think we would, but pretty sure we wouldn't.

 

[Dari]

How would some of the Hasidic jews feel if they denied citizenship to men that like to twirl their hair? The burqa is a traditional, not religious, clothing. Will they stop at the burqa or extend their dead hand to other foreigners?

 

[StageLeft]

How would some of the Hasidic jews feel if they denied citizenship to men that like to twirl their hair? The burqa is a traditional, not religious, clothing. Will they stop at the burqa or extend their dead hand to other foreigners?

It's impossible to have a hard and fast rule but sometimes when you see something you just know it qualifies. If he considers his wife inferior as a person and veils her like a shamed ugly duckling is that really a quality France wants its citizens promoting?

 

[Slick5150]

I know when I travel to foreign countries I make sure I follow their local customs and rules to every extent I can, because I am the visitor there. So I have zero issue with France essentially saying that same thing, that they don't view treating women in that way acceptable, and if they were to offer him citizenship it would essentially be a form of condoning it.

 

[ZzZGuy]

How would some of the Hasidic jews feel if they denied citizenship to men that like to twirl their hair? The burqa is a traditional, not religious, clothing. Will they stop at the burqa or extend their dead hand to other foreigners?

From what I can gather it is not the fact that this mans wife wears a burqa, it is the fact that he forces it upon her.

I can only wish Canada would adopt policies like this. Note that I am not against the burqa, I am against this sort of extreme (you think this ends with her wearing a burqa?) dominance over woman that is common place in arab culture and strict/perverted following of islam.

On a side note I would also like to bar those who wish to change the new country they are living in and try to force their view onto others. Celebrating and showing your culture/religion (assuming it does not involve wanting to kill people) to others is fine.

 

[halik]

It`s about time they made immigrants respected the national values of the country that they desire to live in!! Go France!!!!

PARIS – French authorities have denied citizenship to a man who forced his French wife to wear a face-covering veil, saying he had rejected national values of secularism and gender equality.

The government has been speaking out strongly against head-to-toe veils, and is moving toward banning them in public after a long public debate over French national identity in the age of globalization.

Critics call the face-covering veil a gateway to extremism, but the move to ban it has drawn fierce criticism from some of France's five million Muslims, who say such restrictions are based in fear and intolerance of Islam.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has called the veils degrading to women and unwelcome in France. Sarkozy, a law-and-order conservative whose relations with the Muslim community have often been fraught, has been a vocal proponent of an all-out ban on the burqa, niqab and other face-covering Muslim veils.

Opposition leftist parties have slammed Sarkozy's focus on the veil, which is believed to be worn by only several thousand women in France. Critics contend the issue is a political ploy to divert attention from more substantial issues and aimed at far-right voters ahead of regional elections next month.

Little is known about the man denied citizenship or his wife, as neither have been identified. News reports said the man is a Moroccan citizen and a member of the hard-line Tabligh missionary movement.

Immigration Minister Eric Besson said Wednesday the decision was rooted in French law, which permits authorities to reject applicants who fail to respect national values.Prime Minister Francois Fillon, who has the final say, has pledged to approve Besson's order.

read more---- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100204...jA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNmcmFuY2VkZW5pZXM-

If you're forcing someone to wear something, you can't make an argument for religious freedom. Don't see the issue there.

 

[halik]

Good for them. Very good for them. We like to make fun of the French in the US, but in a lot of ways they have a lot more backbone than either the British or the Americans. I'm sure here the PC police and the ACLU would be pooing their pants over this.

Oh yeah, ACLU's sole purpose is to skirt your civil rights

Idiocy like that might pass on talk radio, but not here.

 

[DesiPower]

Works for me. Sarkozy rules.

This

 

[halik]

Do you think the US would deny citizenship if somebody expressed these views? I'd like to think we would, but pretty sure we wouldn't.

I take it you know next to 0 about the process then...

Having gone through the process myself, even stuff like not knowing the history test will flunk your citizenship app. Before that you have interviews with multiple INS agents (sort of redundant, since green card needs the same thing), where they evaluate and make sure you're not a fundie. Oh and the interviews are 1:1 (with the exception of a translator if needed)

Hell my brother's app got delayed, because he's an NRA member and mentioned in passing that he collects guns. The INS pinged the local PD and actually ran his registered guns and all.

 

[BoberFett]

It`s about time they made immigrants respected the national values of the country that they desire to live in!! Go France!!!!

Left wing bigots make me chuckle.

 

[HumblePie]

Left wing bigots make me chuckle.

Hrmm, Even Spidey07 who I would normally classify as a right wing nut also agreed with France's ruling. I also agree with Frances ruling.
Side note, I'm not left or right as I think both sides are nuts. Craig234 is a nut to me and so is Spidery07 in most of what they say I usually disagree with. They have some points, barely, that I can see, such as Spidery07 and I both applauding France here, but that is not always the case. Just saying this incase you feel like calling me a left wing bigot for some inane reason.

Also, this post is nothing but pure trollish behavior and is not needed. Speak of the issue, do not just bash someone because you want a sense of superiority to get your jollies off.

 

[thraashman]

Hrmm, Even Spidey07 who I would normally classify as a right wing nut also agreed with France's ruling. I also agree with Frances ruling.
Side note, I'm not left or right as I think both sides are nuts. Craig234 is a nut to me and so is Spidery07 in most of what they say I usually disagree with. They have some points, barely, that I can see, such as Spidery07 and I both applauding France here, but that is not always the case. Just saying this incase you feel like calling me a left wing bigot for some inane reason.

Also, this post is nothing but pure trollish behavior and is not needed. Speak of the issue, do not just bash someone because you want a sense of superiority to get your jollies off.

I believe this is what we call owned.
And while I do not see in particular a problem with ones personal customs or traditions, but I do not agree with the idea of forcing the wife to wear a burqua or treating women less than equal. Personally I think they shoulda let him in, then immediately told the wife that she can take the burqua off whenever she likes and if he tries to prevent her that the French will place him under arrest for domestic abuse.

 

[BoberFett]

Hrmm, Even Spidey07 who I would normally classify as a right wing nut also agreed with France's ruling. I also agree with Frances ruling.
Side note, I'm not left or right as I think both sides are nuts. Craig234 is a nut to me and so is Spidery07 in most of what they say I usually disagree with. They have some points, barely, that I can see, such as Spidery07 and I both applauding France here, but that is not always the case. Just saying this incase you feel like calling me a left wing bigot for some inane reason.

Also, this post is nothing but pure trollish behavior and is not needed. Speak of the issue, do not just bash someone because you want a sense of superiority to get your jollies off.

Wow, you're so mentally deficient you thought I was talking to you?

The OP is a very outspoken Democrat around here, so it amuses me to see him wrap himself in the flag of patriotism. Reminds me of a Republican.

If we're lucky, somebody will burn the flag while he's wrapped up in it.

 

[PokerGuy]

Do you think the US would deny citizenship if somebody expressed these views? I'd like to think we would, but pretty sure we wouldn't.

I'm pretty sure you're right, we wouldn't. That's why I said, it's nice to see someone have a backbone every now and again and say "that's enough, this is ridiculous"

 

[IGBT]

nothing like keeping your gal in a burlap bag.

 

[Sinsear]

Well done France.