The measure, which would outlaw conspicuous religious clothing and symbols in classrooms, was approved 494-36. In early March it goes to the Senate, where little opposition is expected.

According to The Age "French leaders hope a law will quell the debate over head scarves that has divided France since 1989, when two young girls were expelled from their school in Creil, outside Paris, for wearing head scarves. Scores more have been expelled since then."

The government argues that a law is needed to protect France's secular traditions and to ward off rising Islamic fundamentalism. The ban would apply to Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses as well as the head scarf.

Cyberista doesn't profess to be an expert on French constitutional matters. Neither are we about to take cheap pot-shots at the country and its citizens. It's too serious an issue.

Given the huge majority vote for the law, the worrying thing is that it appears to overtly reflect the wishes of the nation.

It also begs the question: do the French really want state enforced racism? Suppression of the individual's needs and rights to express themselves religiously, as well as individually, through their choice of clothing?

Whatever your answer one has to dig deep past the emotional outrage to try to see what forces are really at work.

Firstly there is some reverse colonialism going on. France, along with Britain, is now well past its prime as a colonial power. In fact the term itself has been dead for years. However past colonial sins have been catching up with both for some time.

The human condition to work towards a better life explains why so many natives from those foreign colonial lands decided that theirs lay within the bosom of the former colonialists. Christian, Muslim and Jew alike.

Secondly the cultural pressure that France is feeling is a reaction to the its perception that immigrants are threatening its national identity. Whether this is true or not, perhaps it is time that Western first world societies took a more honest and realistic approach to third world problems.

These points are posed as items for debate and are deliberately left open-ended for the reader to consider their own view. Maybe some of you have opinions you'd like to express on our letters pages? Why not email us then?

The unfortunate reality is that a groundswell of xenophobic anti-immigration sentiments has been building in Western Europe for some time particularly throughout the last decade. It has little to do with 'secularist traditions'.

The scary thing about this French law is the dangerous example it presents to the Reverend Matt Hale's of this world. See our recent movie news for further details.

And lets not forget that for every Matt Hale there is a Pauline Hanson too.

For now our message to the French parliament is a simple one:

Libertie, Egalitie, Fraternitie & Diversitie.

Vive Le Difference!

LINKS

News Link - France votes to ban head scarves, The Age 11th February 2004

AMERICA, IRELAND AND THE SECOND BRITISH EMPIRE - Historical Studies 205-L02 Lecture Notes - March 5, 2001 / Dr. Peers

History for Dummies: French Colonies