Banning Religious symbols at schools in France

[winchable]

I think you are overlooking the fact that it is deemed necessary by God for women to wear in the eyes of a majority of Muslim women, it is not an elephant and it is not a gang apparel it is a sign of devotion to God. I do not think you grasp the significance of religious headdress for some people, which is obvious when you compare wearing it to showing off gang colors.

Comparing a religion to a gang is just ridiculous. When the Bloods and Crips start preaching tolerance and love of humanity, then come talk to me about comparisons between gangs and religion. Admittingly there are sects within every religion that behave like gangs, but these are still a minority despite what the media would have you believe.

Simply wearing a Hijab is not promoting a religion, it is something that one does for internal comfort, not for external advantage or to show everyone that they are what they are.

As for it showing kids that there are differences between them and others; So what?
Kids cannot grow up in a world where they think everyone is the same, because quite frankly everyone is not. The differences need to be taught at an early age, in a place like school, not to a negative end but to a positive one. Eventually they are going to have to deal with these differences as you said: "People will still be allowed to wear them out on the streets."

While I can appreciate your argument and where you are coming, I think comparing religions to gangs and elephants is not the way to go with it.

 

[nULL]

"Kids cannot grow up in a world where they think everyone is the same, because quite frankly everyone is not. The differences need to be taught at an early age, in a place like school, not to a negative end but to a positive one. Eventually they are going to have to deal with these differences."

That‘s very true; but shouldn‘t children have their own experiences to make up their own minds? If a child has always distinguished another child as being "different" because of what they wear, it‘s uncertain if the child would goto the lengths to determine the similarities because of what they say.

do you kind of get what i‘m saying?

if all the children looked the same (clothing wise) they would have to learn about their differences (and similarities!) from talking to one another, not silently creating opinions and stereotypes in their minds.

(the comparison to a religion and a gang was my idea, and not to be taken literally. it was merely used as a tool to describe how you can easily destinguish between "them" and "normal people". you KNOW the guy walking through an urban ghetto dressed in bright orange with gold chains and a boom box is connected to gang behavior somehow, the same as how you know that ultra orthodox guy with the braided hair and skullcap is jewish.)

 

[winchable]

I do absolutely see where you are coming from, and to a certain extent I agree. If children cannot see the differences then they will have to talk to one another to find out what they are, and in the process I assume learn more about said differences. It is also uncertain that with a ban such as this, that children would even bother to learn about the differences if they can‘t see them.

I do think that people need to see differences in order to begin to comprehend them, and if children are taught that everyone is exactly the same then they will never be able to comprehend the differences as adults.

I wouldn‘t argue that what you are saying isn‘t true, it wasn‘t my initial point to argue this.

My initial point was that a law like this is heartbreaking to someone who is devoted to their God enough that they dress according to how it was deemed by him that they should. (Once again, My personal opinions aside) In this sense, the law is only coming between a person and their God, which even in a secular society is not right.

 

[kaspacanada]

nbk I can understand what you are saying but comparing religion to a gang was a poor choice.

nULL, I agree that children need to learn about the differences, but I think it would be best for non-biased teachers to explain it rather than some biased parents who may either be prejudiced or mis-informed. They will see people in ‘strange‘ clothes outside school too. How would some parents - should they hold some prejudices - explain this? If they go to school, make friends with kids who‘look‘ the same, and then go to a birthday party or something over at this kids house, they may be even more confused as to why. They may also offend someone there if they don‘t know about it. I think it makes a big difference where they learn, and what they learn about these differences.

If France is so full of tension, mabey it should teach its population to better respect those differences instead of hiding them like that. If children are taught at a young age then it is more likely that they will be more tolerant of differences as they get older. Really, we have all met an old man (my grandfather for example) that has his biases that I find repugnant. It is the product of a time that they grew up in. If it doesn‘t, it will boil under the surface until one day, it could have a larger spill over.

I‘ve met people from small towns in Canada that have never seen anyone but white people and have the most ridiculous biases and stereotypes of other groups. Put them in a city and it is like opening a box of shock. Do this to a child, and they will grow up sheltered and might not like the diversity when it really hits them.

As for growing up in a ‘tough‘ city like Toronto, I grew up in some of the worst areas of East Vancouver, and have been involved with a lot of different things throughout my life. Some of which I care not to revert back to nor recall on this forum. Hate clothes are an issue, religion is not organized terror or a ‘gang‘ mentality and something as insignificant as items of clothing that have no ‘hate‘ or threatening mentality attached should not be treated as those that do.

PS: Glad you didn‘t care about the Sihk RCMP officer.