What do you people think of the recent French ban on Mulsim girls being allowed to wear headscarves to state schools? (I know that the ban was on religous symbols, but I think the law was targetting the wearing of the veil)
I'm reading of a similar ban in a Sydney newspaper today.
Agree or disagree?
Your (non-racist) opinion is welcome!
if it was as simple to fix twisted irrational mind of religious fanatics.
unfortunately that comes not by banning religious symbols but by education
Religion is a part of life. It seems to me that by banning religious symbols, we would be doing our children a dis-service and not exposing them to an important aspect of the world.
I think its kinda rude to say to a muslim girl she can't wear her headscarf, because taking it off goes aginst her religion. But then again, you get boys wear bandanas and stuff because they think they're cool if they wear gang symbols, or maybe they are in a gang, and you can't tell them to take it off, because they can say "Well the muslim girl gets to wear hers"
Hello friends,
Instead of banning religious symbols, we need to look into reasons leading to religious extremists.
Suicide bombing probably was initiated by the Japanese during the Pearl Harbour episode. Tamils in Sri Lanka followed suit.
It continues unabated in Palestine and Iraq and even in my country Pakistan. So it has got nothing to do with Muslims alone. Mind you.
I am totally against fundamentalism but can we ask USA, UK aND OTHER wESTERN POWERS WHY THEY SUPPORTED AND FUNDED tALIBAN IN aFGHANISTAN IN 1979-1980 DURING THE SOVIET INVASION THERE?
After the Soviet march and after the US/UK motives were accomplished----------after Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991-------Taliban still had to flourish because the foundation was strong. So who should regret?
We all need to live together in total harmony.
Catch the culprits and offending ordinary/independent citizens anywhere will not help in any way. I can bet. In fact such restrictions would stimulate more hatred between Muslims and Christians. Lets bridge the ever-widening rift instead of making it wider.Nothing stops by force on this planet. We need to chalk out a fool-proof strategy to make Earth safer. Lets join hands
AGREE?
Sincerely,
SABIR SHAH
LAHORE
PAKISTAN
I don't think that they should have to take their scarves off as it is part of their religion, culture and upbringing, the choice should be their own. I wonder does that also mean that those wearing crosses, stars of david or other symbols will be made to take them off,as some of these would be worn under shirts would be partially hidden but still seen, i think that it is a bad reflection on ourselves that people are given a heading based on belief and then are not allowed to express themselves, if you think about it , what harm is a scarf doing ? its a symbol of someones belief, who has the right to tell anyone what to believe and who has the right to tell them yes you can follow a faith but only partially because its not acceptable to us. 
People should be allowed to wear what ever they want on their heads.. (Unless it explodes).
The reason this issue came up in the newspaper, was that it was about potentially banning the scarf (and other visible religous symbols) at public schools.
The reasoning is that public schools are supposed to be places of education rather than places of worship. They are in effect supposed to be "religous-free" institutions, with those wishing to obtain a religous education free to enroll in a religous school (of which there are many in Sydney).
The other issue was on adherence to the school uniform, and the fact that making an allowance for one group of people means that others are allowed to also request an allowance be made for them.
The newspaper article made the point that everyone is free to practice their religion in Australia, i.e freedom of religion, and that people can do and wear want they want in their own time (or in their own religous school). However, the point was made that if you choose to attend a public (free) school then you adhere to that school's policies.
Please note that this is the opinion of the newspaper article, and not necessarily my own opinion.
why push them into ghettos of religious nuts in private schools - they need less religious propaganda and not more.
what if a poor emmigrant family can't efford private school fees?
For them dress code is more about culture and tradition than religious believes. So far they were somehow tolerated in an education system - let them be that way.
Less law (or no law) dictated by the government makes lives easier for us