And thus passed a law, based entirely on a jingoistic, self-serving political right. Yes , I refer to the French government's law banning of the full face burqa. However, this post is not about that. But rather an opinion post, by Ms. Syeda S. Hameed ( http://planningcommission.nic.in/aboutus/history/sshamid.htm ) , Member, Planning Commission, Govt. of India, in The Hindu. Link is here – http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article561213.ece
Ms. Hameed makes a good argument about why liberty must be preserved and that the law, passed by the French lower house is asinine. But I am completely flummoxed by this statement -
Sometimes, Muslim women choose to veil themselves not as a symbol of their religious identity (nor in protest against western imperialism) but because they want to become more pious. The body becomes a site for action. Is it not possible that the act of veiling is reflective of an inner dialogue with the self (whether we agree with the finer points of the dialogue is quite another matter)? Is it not a coercive state which quells that inner dialogue? Is it also not a rather ignorant state which interprets bodily embodiments in such simplistic ways? If a Muslim woman's conscience impels her to wear the veil as an act of piety, the veil is no longer a symbol; it becomes an integral part of her. What role does the state have in violating her integrity?
Piety? Why? Why should there be any explanation given, much above all piety, as to the adornment of a garment? It is after all a question of Liberty! There have been enough thinkers, names Isaiah Berlin, Mill, David Hume etc. who have spent their intellect on the question of liberty. The French gave us the great philosophers and to my mind comes forth, Jean-Jacques Rousseau. President Sarkozy's administration seems to be taking a cue from Jean-Jacques. The current French law is not Emile and the burqa clad woman is not Sophie.
The one and only reason, to oppose this law is liberty. The personal liberty of the woman to choose what she wears. And a woman, who choses to wear it, need not justify to anyone, her reason to do so. So Ms. Hameed, I agree with your opinion that banning the burqa is regressive but not with the reasoning. How different does the French govt. become from that of Iran? Or the Middle East? Is this also not a form of censorship?
I do hope that the French government will come to its senses and pass a law that supports all forms of freedom. If a woman is harrassed to wear and against her wishes, then why not have the law interfere. However, on her own free will, if she choses to wear, who are we to oppose that?
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