Why does France want to "liberate" those veiled women in the name of respect for women?
What about the girls in ads and publicity half naked, in music clips or in car shows. Should we not want to "liberate" those poor women who have lost all respect for themselves?
As long as we see those poor disrespected women in videoclips on TV we should accept women as respectable as these veiled ladies. They do not tell you what to wear so you should not tell them what they should wear, that is REAL FREEDOM and RESPECT.

Completely ridiculous...you chose to live a life where you cant even go to the beach and swim??? You cant eat in the same room as men?? Guess you dont hang out with your husband for superbowl parties! Oh wait, is American football banned too?? How can you play any sports wearing that thing?
Listen, France has enough Muslims. Muslims want to take over the world, carrying out countless acts of terrorism to try and take over land. I say, go back to Arab land if you're not happy. When you move to another country, you should adapt their way of life. If you're to ignorant to do so, then shame on you.

I think this person should indeed dress as a sitar or any other musical instrument she chooses, just so long as that dark ghost horror costume goes in the trash. Who wants a nation of zombies floating around their streets? Please only in the movies.

I think politicians are very canny to force this issue. Smoke and mirrors. The real question should be: IS THE FABRIC OF THE BURKHA MADE IN FRANCE OR CHINA? If the clothing, music, agriculture, religion, and other cultural dimensions of France are important to politicians, then here are some other questions: Should French clothing be manufactured in other countries like China? Should food and nutrition, which Sarkosy claims should be a Unesco World Heritage, include the highest concentration of McDonald's in Europe? Should the manufacturing sector continue to see plant closing so that multi-national corporations can insure higher profit margins? Just how far are French politicians willing to go to preserve French culture? Oh I see, women's clothing should be the most important thing. In another article I defended the right of France to demand an end to the wearing of the Burkha, but did some soul searching, and now feel that there really are much larger questions than this.

We've been fighting for years in Afghanistan where women are treated like slaves and are stoned to death in football stadiums, so why all of a sudden should the burka become a symbol of freedom in France??? Even Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey have banned it. Sorry, but there are things you cannot do in public. If I were an Adamite (a follower of an early Christian sect that believed in the "holy nudism" of Eden), should I be allowed to walk around naked in the name of religious freedom? Probably not. When you live in a foreign country, you abide by its laws and customs, instead of imposing your own. You are free to worship in private or at the mosque in France, as 99.99% of Muslims do, and the law is the same for ALL religions. So don't claim that France is intolerant and pretend to be a martyr if you refuse to integrate into society. Covering yourself all over because the rest of the world is "impure" is certainly the epitome of intolerance.

The holy Quran says nothing about veils and the need to wrap the women like mummys, this is all just an ancient misogynist custom that needs to die out.

In Europe you have a choise to put this on or not, but in most Islamic nations if you don't wear it all the time then you are dead.
And if you are a muslim woman here in Europe and you insist in wearing the full body veil then you are a traitor to all the women who don't want to but are forced to do.

I belive that the goverment needs to ban this all around, how can you allow people going around with their face covered all the time? If you want then you can wear it in your home but you can't have your face covered in the public.

I personaly will redicule every woman i see from now on wearing a veil.

And if you are a man and you support this then try wearing one too all the time especialy at summer!

I am completely appalled at the French government for even suggesting the idea that these Muslim women not be allowed to wear their traditional dress in public. I live in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world- Toronto, Canada, and I am outraged at the ignorance, intolerance and lack of respect toward the Muslim community in France! I have completely lost any respect for Sarkozy- his comments are shameful and portray a very bad image of France.

"The French parliament has launched an inquiry into how many women wear head-to-toe Islamic veils in France. President Nicolas Sarkozy used the occasion to spell out that "the burqa is not welcome in France", leading to concerns that he would ban it in public places."

I once thought that French are just purists, but now I think they are overreacting. If President Sarkozy banned the wearing of burqa in France, it would mean that France is not a free society at all. And this would only prove that freedom in France is not for everyone.

I live in the US where anyone can come into this country and do whatever they feel like doing. Our language has changed from one to two. We are forced by our own government to deal with the Mexicans coming into our country and pretty much taking over. I hate that my country has decided that the American people no longer count, yet illegals do.

My husband and I will be moving to France within the next year or so and I am doing the best I can to learn French because I feel that by going to THEIR and my husband's country it is my responsibility to learn what I can about their culture and not bring mine and think everyone should bow to me as an American.

Why should Sarkozy allow something that isn't part of that country? The Europeans are very proud people and wish for their countries to be what they have been for centuries, EUROPEAN.

When you go and live in a foreign country, you abide by its rules and don't try to impose your own! This is how one integrates into society. If you were born in France and choose to convert to Islam and wear the full veil, then you have to face the consequences. It's not as if the French had changed their minds on this issue overnight. Religion is a private matter and one shouldn't be exhibited it in public in a laic republic and this is even more true in schools. Lastly, while Sarkozy spoke against the burqa this week, the government was announcing new video cameras on the streets of Paris, and last week, they banned hoods and balaclavas during demonstrations to prevent vandalism. As a matter of coherence, what's the point in investing to protect the security of all, if a tiny minority has the right to hide under a burqa? Anyone could then walk around with their face covered and claim freedom of worship. France is a western country, where women are free, independent, can think by themselves and don't have to eat in a separate room, and where people look at each other in the eyes to communicate.

It is not even about being forced. Forced is something when you have do what you don't want to do! My wife, a Singaporean of Chinese origin wanted to join me to Iran. She was forced to wear the headscarf on the photos for her visa application. For a Singaporean who is used to visit Arab Street, Little India and all the other multi cultural places this was an act of force!
We all know to some point that Nicolas talks a lot, so what? He still does not force anybody into a dress code; right?
You know that sweet American boys when they wear their sunglasses while they are riding with their Hummvies through Baghdad. They wear them because they fear for their life. They don't want to be recognized because they are afraid of the consequences of their wrongdoing, even if they are ordered to behave as they do.
I take even my sunglasses off when I talk to someone else. This is a question of respect and I can not expect to be respected if I hide behind something. If religion is demanding to hide yourself then this of course may have some very good reasons!

NICHOLAS SARKOZY OF FRANCE IS RIGHT ON POINT. HIS VIEWS IN THIS INSTANCE SHOULD BE SUPPORTED. WOMEN WEARING THE BURQA IS AN EXAMPLE OF RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST. IT IS JUST AN UNSEEMLY AND UNNATURAL SIGHT FOR WOMEN OR ANYONE FOR THAT MATTER TO BE WALKING DOWN THE STREET DRESSED IN EXTREMIST RELIGIOUS ATTIRE. IT SERVES NO USEFUL OR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES AT ALL. THE WEARING OF THE BURQA IS DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY IT IS SCARY AND POTENTIALLY THREATENING. IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE SOMEONE BEING OFFENDED OR FRIGHTED AT THE SIGHT OF STRANGE PERSON WALKING DOWN THE STREET WEARING A BURQA.
EVEN IN A FREE SOCIETY OR QUASI FREE SOCIETY THAT EXPRESSES REGLIGIOUS TOLERATION OR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, WEARING THE BURQUA IS DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY. THE INTERESTS OF THE LARGER SOCIETY MUST BE SAFEGUARDED OR AT LEAST CONSIDERED IN LIGHT OF INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS BEING DENIED. ONE DOES NOT KNOW IMMEDIATELY KNOW WHETHER THE PERSON APPROACHING IS A PIOUS WOMAN WEARING THE BURQA OR A TERRORIST WIELDING SOME KIND OF WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. THIS KIND OF THINKING IS NOT BEYOND THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY. AND IT IS THE KIND OF THINKING THAT TAKES PLACE DURING A POST 9/11 ERA. IN THIS INSTANCE THE INTERESTS OF THE LARGER SOCIETY MUST PREVAIL. AND IT IS THE DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF SARKOZY TO SAFEGUARD THE INTERESTS OF ALL OF FRANCE AND NOT JUST A RELIGIOUS MINORITY.

To all muslims men and women, please think for yourself before you put certain styles in practice, would the Holy Prophet (PBUH) approved this dress. As good muslims we shoulod avoid cultural customs and associate them to Islam that create controversies in the western societies.