President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed a restive Parliament on Monday, laying out a vision of France that included a withering critique of burqas as an unacceptable symbol of “enslavement.”
Speaking at the Palace of Versailles, Mr. Sarkozy directly confronted one of the most hotly debated social issues in France, saying there was no room in the republic for the burqas, full-body garments that envelop women and mask their faces.
“The issue of the burqa is not a religious issue; it is a question of freedom and of women’s dignity,” Mr. Sarkozy said. “The burqa is not a religious sign; it is a sign of the subjugation, of the submission of women.”
“I want to say solemnly that it will not be welcome on our territory,” he said to enthusiastic applause.
His speech, a sober, wide-ranging address during which he frequently looked at his notes, marked the first presidential appearance before Parliament since Charles Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte in the 19th century.
So how about you Obama, want to tell the king? Bow first, just to be sure.Yes, you read this right, the French President has taken up the cause of freedom, while the American President tries his hand at debt slavery.
No comments:
Post a Comment