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0 pointsdragonwriter10y ago0 comments

> Separation of church and state is a top priority (well above the U.S. and U.K. -- for instance, head coverings are not allowed in public schools).

That's not separation of church and state, that's suppression of unpopular religion by the secular state, which is no different than suppression of unpopular religion in favor of a popular religion by the state. (And its not just in schools, though that was one of the focal points in the debates, the ban applies in all public spaces in France.)

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solidsnack900010y ago

On the face of it, there isn't any language targeting a particular religion or its symbols.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_law_on_secularity_and_c...

The French do have a fairly rigorous approach to separation of church and state. Where do they cross the line into something blatantly discriminatory?

dragonwriterOP10y ago

> On the face of it,

On the face of it, sure; OTOH, the specific targeting of traditional attire of certain Muslims was overt among the promoters of both the ban you link to and the broader ban on face covering in public spaces.

stvswn10y ago

I wasn't endorsing, and I think you and I would probably agree about quite a bit. I was pointing out ways in which French values are at odds with the terrorists'. Still, I admire their resilience, solidarity, and the willingness to stand up for their culture and values. I think the West could use more of that.

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