direct copy of article about burqa debate!

When it comes to the burqa debate, France should look to Canada
By Elsa Rizkallah
Commentary by
Monday, November 01, 2010

Listen to the Article - Powered by

As the burqa controversy continues to make headlines in France, it is worth examining what France could learn from Canada, which has worked to reconcile freedom of religion with national security and women rights.

Bills banning the burqa – a garment that fully covers a woman’s body, head and face – were created in the post-September 11 context of insecurity. The US, UK, France and Canada all developed a heightened concern for national security – which led to heightened concern about the larger religious group from which the September 11 attackers claimed to stem.

Many believe, however, that these bills also attempted to restrict Muslims’ freedom of belief and religion. Yet, the freedom to wear the burqa is protected by the French Constitution in its very preamble. The first article states: “France shall be an indivisible, secular, democratic and social Republic. It shall ensure the equality of all citizens before the law, without distinction of origin, race or religion. It shall respect all beliefs.” Similarly, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the Canadian constitution reads: “Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: (a) freedom of conscience and religion; (b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression … ’’

How then does a country reconcile its people’s religious values and its legal bans on certain religious expressions?

What some might not understand is that implementing a law against the burqa does not prevent a woman from wearing it; it just means she is no longer able to wear it outside the home. However, the ban relates to an even bigger issue – the isolation of Muslim women. Denying Muslim women the right to express their freedom of belief and religion the way they wish to will only serve to increase their sense of isolation.

Thus, although the stated purpose of the bill to ban the burqa in France is to promote gender equality, security and the values of the French Republic, in doing so it is in fact limiting diversity.

Canada has a history of using “reasonable accommodation” when it comes to all religious and cultural practices, meaning that accommodations should be made for minorities, within reason. Stemming from a 1985 labor law, “reasonable accommodation” keeps norms in the workplace or in society flexible in order to avoid discriminatory practices. The primary objective of reasonable accommodation is to provide a society with security and peace while respecting and gaining a better understanding of its diversity.

In the Canadian province of Quebec, for example, the provincial government allows women to wear the burqa in public, but requires these women make certain accommodations, such as showing their faces on health insurance cards.

The more we are able to understand these differences, the more we are able to protect immigrants’ main reason for immigration: to live in a democratic society which respects freedom of speech and religion. It is in this same society, then, that Muslim women should be seen as individuals, equal to others.

The solution in France should not have been imposing a law against wearing the burqa, but rather looking for a reasonable accommodation between public-service requirements and the religious freedoms of citizens to create strong social bonds.

Before rushing to meet in the Assembly to pass such bans, lawmakers should first meet with representatives of various cultures and religious traditions to try and understand these traditions’ origins – as well as new manifestations of them. Those representatives might also be consulted and asked to submit their own solutions. Certainly, this approach would better accommodate Muslims in French democratic society.

Ultimately, the aim of such dialogue is to ensure the security and the equality of all and to prevent hatred and conflicts from arising. It’s a kind of a new social contract.

Elsa Rizkallah is a student at the Bar School of Montreal, and has written articles for Lex Hebdo, the review of the Public Law Research Center at the University of Montreal. THE DAILY STAR publishes this commentary in collaboration with Common Ground News Service (www.commongroundnews.org).

Read more: http://dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=5&article_id=120984#ixzz142sAr3Yg
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

independence

Identity. new lines. new boundaries.

if we are like maps, as human beings , and the human plane is a context aways intuited , yet not always known, have we drawn and redrawn boundaries to reflect certain relationships?

For example, this year was the bicentenial of the Mexican independence of Spain. So a lot of flurry of thought was going around about the concept of Independence from Spain. Some people on some end, watched as others mindlessly celebrate what they consider not a true independence. So this goes out for them.

To get to know some of the basic criticisms, I lead you to read various articles on the subject. Mainly about Spain´s buying of things in Mexico, etc. Don`t want to get into that too much here.

I want to explore the concept of identity and independence. Where do these concepts begin? They begin in our family. While Locke and Hobbes may describe our need for a social contract from the perspective of a sort of savagenss to nature, I would argue that it also comes directly from the concepts we learn in a family, as we develop our view of nature. Thus, the concept that Locke and Hobbes give, makes the impression that somehow humanity is moving toward a place away from nature. Yet, if we rememeber always that this movement comes from within, i.e the natural psychological stages of a human within a famiy order, we might realize that this state of nature is always there..(and will always be there). And maybe that is freedom and maybe that is real.

Mexico is a concept of a country that has retained so much naturalness to it, that we can learn a lot about the human nature here. We can also aim to gain the kind of freedom from within that is achieved here. Yes, they have issues still with thier government. Yes they have issues with transparency. et these things can be resolved withthe concept of abetter communication or sytem of government. The utopia of who we can be might just possible be able to develop on Mexican soil....:)

Firstly, we will have to analyze what are the drawbacks to the USA concepts of freedom, and the overall governing concepts. As in, where is it headed? Starbucks...justin bieber....why we can have an alternative. Without going into all of the world`s concepts of critiques of the American way, because as a USA-er, I know they just end up saying, sure but then go out after it all the time. So let `s leave it at a couple basic things which

Basically, the point of interst for this ,is to have a more objective, rational, truthful consicousness of how our socieites developed. With what principles in mind toward the world were these societies here developed?

Mexico, I will state for the record, definitely has a fear of the outside world because of its crash with the Spanish civilization. The Mexican perspective, in comparison to the USA one, is fascinating, and real, one vis -a -vis the world. Its emotional connection, with lack of more tangible ones, is there. There is a timidness, because the culture is so developed and sensitive to its roots, to the outside world.

In contrast, the US sells its land to others. Look at what happened to BP! When Mexico has to sell out things such as the refinement of their oil to US industry, that is because of a lack of power to develop all that due to whatever circumstances. (Not that they couldn`t. Perhaps that they simply don`t because they know the technology is already out there and it gives them more time to do other things.)
Nonetheless, going on, when the US sells off their things, they don`t seem to mind. (after all, it wasn`t really theirs to begin with!) And when some USAers complain that it is not ¨american¨ to do so, they say it because it means less jobs. They always put everyhing in the parameter of ¨jobs¨. And after awhile as a USAer, you feel empty, you realize this is why it is all we talk about....because this is all we have. Jobs not culture. Jobs not history. How long can this structure hold up?
Mexico has simply put, nature. natural order. Mexico minds terribly, (and internally is heavily criticized by its citizens) for giving out parts of is production to the US. But they don`t seem to rush to say because of jobs, but because of something more ethereal and yet more real, a sense of pride in their land. Because it is their land from centuries and centuries ago, and that is not an ambitious sense but a responsible sense. (reference waht happened with mexican flag cartoon....the sense of pride of mexicans was hurt by this insenistive drawing.)

Responsible in what manner has Mexico been as opposed to the US?
How many money bills will you find in the US with a native amreican with a song about nature on it? Or how many USA- ers do you see worried about conserving water and electricity the way they do in Mexico? (and it si not just for money, but out of inherent respect for the land). One person once cynically told me it was probably out of the money reason. But I realized something from that talk, and that is that there yes but it is definitely for both reasons. It is for the nature reason. because of people here, it is THEIR land. Not necesarrily as opposed to others , the way the White european colonist took it, but simply as in it is their land.
Just the way China feels it is their land or India. And we can also see how open the native blood was actually....Upon the arival of the Europeans why were they very accomodating, much to their own disdain or rather certiain loss of power.
But is it really? Here in Mexico I would like to beliive there is a chance for a RETURN of Quetzalcoatl. Such a beautiful name. Such a beautiful word. Once again, the concepts of the Natives are not like the white ones. A return seems to bring a shudder to white people here.
Yet return might mean co-existence and recognition of the beauty of the natives. It might be a new flourishing.
Just because the white way was a total taking, a destructive of native culture, annihilative way of the others here, let us rememebr that the indigenous in no way whatsover acted that way. I refer you to Chief Seattle`s speech. So, please relax upon readin g about a return of Quetzalcoatl and one day believe me, you will give thanks. Because it will restore you since you are now a part of this land, however , in your ideals and your concepts you refrain from submitting completely. you believe the concepts of Europe are better,

If Mexico is so advanced, it needs to shake off the concept of any type of inferiority to the US due to not having developed things so much. Because it cetainly didn`t fall behind in developing a human race. Here is sensibilty, their potential for huge sophisitication as witnessed in the middle class.....their heart it is so amazing. and yet they do need of someone in the world to demosntrate thet they do value this. That hey are no just worth their value in hide. but that their inside counts too.

So d

Giving credit where credit is due

A pause

What does Jutin Bien¡ber have to dowith this?.....ceci nèst pas une pipe

que significa algo desde una perspectiva mas alta? Quizas Mexio se ha ganado esa perspectiva y ni lo sabe. Pero al darse cuanta, se vera como alguien que en el mundo puede ver las cosas de una forma muy bonita y muy sagrada. Puede compartir con culturaas que tambein tienen estos formas. Que tambien sabe interactuar con el nuevo mundo, pero que son muy muy acostumbrados a actuar en formas de sanctidad.

Esto es el probema que se ve hoy en dia con la gente que practica el islam, que por globalizacioin, se han ido teniendo que meter al mundo. Sin emabrgo, han vivido con una culura muy especifica por siglos. Que haran ellos ahora en este mundo? Como cualquiera , tienen la curiosidad de las cosas materiales producidas en EeUu. Quien no? Pero a la vez, siento que han de buscar algo mas, sin saberlo. Asi como cualqueir humano que ya qeurie agarandecer su muno. Asi cmo cualquier uhumano que queire unir fueras para no sentirse solito en el mundo Est mundo si es un mundo feroz de repente y hay que jugar la jugda. Nohay siemrpe hacernos los tontos y para que ala mera hor anos veamos como imbeicles delante eeuu. cuandosabemos que noe tamos de acurdo al 100 po ceinto ceon eeuu. Entonce, en vez de seguir haciendo est aptron rdiculo de no hacer nada y leu alla mera hor aetar a disposicinon de eeuu. yp digo que hay k meter la taolla y ya chinge su madre, al entrarle al juego de este mundo. Quuizas asi, sentiriamos nuetra marca, y uiza esta mrca, hara queel mundo no sea este que quuias no queremos isnouno que si queremos. uno que hueal a nsotros unso k ineracute ocn paz.uo que vaor los ito...de la vida...si solo asi ..penandolo en casa y siienod vicitmis no ayud. hay k levantsrnos pueblo...hay k revoucionar pero dia tras dia....con moda y con con objetividd.

the importance of knowing how much poverty hurts people

Ih find it amazing that when we, the people, the press, the US, Mexico, whomever, discuss the problem of narco violence, we never talk about the abusive backgroudns of poverty from which many of these narcos come. Actually, I would like to indicate that in various articles here in Mexico, there is a reference to the fact that the real common denominator to this problem is poverty.
I believe that many people would not go into this mafia- like world if there were other means to gain any kind of living. If Mexico were only to raise the standard a little bit, things might be different! An excellent article indicated that a woman might not support the mafia- like narco people if she could just earn like 4 dollars more a day!!! Buut the US govenrmetn chooses to spend millions on military efforts. Come on. We allknow ht eproblem is poverty, not narco criminals who jsut need to be stopped once. I mean, and then the enxt time? Adnthe next user willg et another peoson to buy from adnthe chain never stops? Who is both the Us and Mexican governemtn kidding wiht this way of handling the problem? It only creates fear among everyoen to see soldiers roaming around allthe tiem now. It sucks to be honest. The difference between living and just surviving. There are so so many problems here in Mexico, However, with the right attitude, and the willingness, they can be addressed. I am sure the people are willing. And perhaps if the narcos have achieved anything, it is to exacerbate a problem that people have been aware of here for years. Decades. Forever.
But like so many things, we as people don´t do anything about a problem until a crisis occurs. Then it is is like, WEll, we HAVE to come up with some solution. And magically, as human beings, we do come up with solutions. WE have to find a solution to the poverty here.
I will write diligently until I get out all of the observations I have made. And I hope people read my blog. I hope people care to open their minds. This is the only solution. Remaining as we are has only led to this atrophy, this horrible infectious nauseating poverty that makes people animals. It makes me writhe in pain as a fellow human being that shares this planet with them!! I cannot believe sometimes some of the things I see people tolerate here! It would break your hearts.! But I will write about it. I will write until I cannot write any more and then I will write some more because we simply have to realize where these problems are coming from. These people are not caring to treat others as humans, because their society tolerates the mistreatment of many many of their citizens. The soluton is not on the shoulders of these narcos, but on us, on the people who haven´t had so much poverty we can´t even think, we can only react. So let us be mature, let us be calculating, let us be reasonable.

women

i think the major thing to understanding anything is history. I mean, what is the first thing a detective does in a crime scene? He or she finds out where people were, when they came and left, what they were doing. Then the detective will even go into motives. Such as,who were they dating, why were they not working, what was their childhood background. All of this is to ascertain truth. To find justice. In a world however where we believe justice is somethign we have to hold off on, we are fearful of leaernign from other toomuch of their lives. Nonetheless, in these days, in these times of the world shringking adn so much shirn gbetween cultures adn antions, we have to grow up out of htis frame of thought.

So i guess I feel that it is love and care to actually find out all things about people. When we are talking about men and women, or about people in their religon, we must find out not only their beliefs, because most beliefs weren`t given with no context!!! The Bible didn`t just come out of nothing. Niether did the Koran. We don`t know exactly how books such as Genesis in the Old Testament were written or if it is clear . We do know however the exact year in which the Koran was started to be revealed and then continued to be revealed in a real time, play- by-play manner over a period of 23 years. The calendar, also, does not take heed to the zero placed by christ`s death , but rather by a yet another 0 given by God to muslims when the Hijrah, or migration of believers from mecca , (a place of persecution of believers in God, as prophetized by Mohammed p.b.u.h) to Medinah, where they were able to start a new form of state based upon Godly laws on Earth.

During this time civilization as we know it TODAY, was being laid in its foudations. Actually perhaps more in the times of hte Jewish Book the Torah can we say the first civilizations.

During the time of Christ and shortly thereafter, movements came about that spurred htigns htt are still goign on today. They are based on builduing upon these original revelations, jsut as an adolescent human being builds upon its childhood foundations, However, oftentimes it doesn`look like a direct building upon until they reach a greater maturity. It can be said, when the human being goes full circle on some things, such as creaitng htier own nucleae family.This revelation was done at a time now called 0, when we go form bc to ad. That is a big deal that our sense of time in history is maniputlad so incredibly by our religious beleis. Tus , I argue that it is impossible to separate relgion from reality. We are so entrenched and we are acting like it isn`t so. Or we know it is so, but the evolution debate made the religion thing not something we can talk about. Its like putting hte mute button onthe music. Imean we know it s playing and it is actually more frustarating to no be able to jsut tlk about it. So, to conclude , in order to be good investigators, we mus ask questions. We must investiggt the time and place of our religions. We must discover the motives by knowing what peopel were doing, where were they, who did htye interat wiht. What civilization had already been built and wha t had`t, Becaus each religion had diffent contexts inwhich they grew and developed.

this is hard!

HA! OK, this is like .... hard! and don`t think pervertedly , please!! Gsoh, mexican joking has gotten to me!!!!

I enjoy writing. I believe writing is sacred. I had a diary (ies)that were stored in Volumes, yes. because that is how much I value and love to write. It was a place to reflect, and more than anything,a pause, and when I look back upon those days of so much writing , I am grateful because I realize it changed the course of my life, by giving me moments of bliss amidst the hustle and bustle.

So now here I am like may people wanting to write a blog. Why do we want to write blogs? Is it because we want to get our opinion ...out there?? Is this really the forum, the best forum? Who knows. I kind of was turned off by the idea after the initial wowness. It seemed like I was cheapening myself by making it accessible to absolutely everybody! Like , ok whoa! hold on...that is a lot of people. And it sort of made me feel that way beause it feels like this big blob of an audience..oh that is cute, "lol¨ a blob for a blog...hahahahhaha Oh and people really take the time to read these individually? How do I get it ôut there^as in, I wish the perfect audience would read it. But that is my idea of a perfect audience, and that must be not fair I am sure. Surely people whom i might not reach out to, would like my writings or find some piece of lesson from the blog essay. hmmmm