Assembly candidate condemns French ban on the wearing of the Muslim veil
Brian Faloon, who is standing as an Assembly candidate in South Belfast for People Before Profit has condemned French legislation that bans the wearing of the Burqa and Niqab in public places throughout the country.
Brian says that the ban is a direct attack on Muslim women who choose to wear such garments. He fears that the ban and the rhetoric that surrounds it will lead to increased Islamophobia not just in France but across Europe. South Belfast has suffered a number of racist attacks, including attacks against Muslims, over the years. Brian fears the latest controversy will be used to justify viewing Muslims everywhere as being separate and “different from the rest of us”.
Brian says that “French secularism is being used to deny a section of its citizens the right to religious freedom and to wear such expressions of that religion as they choose. But of course this is not solely about religious freedom; wrapped up in the arguments around the ban are buzzwords such as security, respect, integration, fear”. He says that “these are all the tired arguments that are rolled out to convince people that Muslims are inherently different and somehow a threat”. Brian also says that all the talk of Muslim women being coerced to wear the veil ignores the reality that the state has now legislated to coerce women on what they are allowed to wear.
Brian continues “Once again in Europe the spectre of right-wing politics and hysteria built up of a very small issue endangers the very people it claims to be protecting. We are only talking about 2000 women who choose to wear these garments in the whole of France”
Similar legislation has already been mooted in the UK. Brian has said that he would absolutely oppose any such measures being introduced here. “It is a very slippery slope we are on when we start to demonise minorities in the way that Muslims are being demonised in many parts of Europe”.
Brian has a long history of opposing racism. He was one of the founders of Love Music Hate Racism in Northern Ireland, a group set up to promote anti-racism and multi-culturalism through the Northern Ireland Music scene.
Brian Faloon, who is standing as an Assembly candidate in South Belfast for People Before Profit has condemned French legislation that bans the wearing of the Burqa and Niqab in public places throughout the country.
Brian says that the ban is a direct attack on Muslim women who choose to wear such garments. He fears that the ban and the rhetoric that surrounds it will lead to increased Islamophobia not just in France but across Europe. South Belfast has suffered a number of racist attacks, including attacks against Muslims, over the years. Brian fears the latest controversy will be used to justify viewing Muslims everywhere as being separate and “different from the rest of us”.
Brian says that “French secularism is being used to deny a section of its citizens the right to religious freedom and to wear such expressions of that religion as they choose. But of course this is not solely about religious freedom; wrapped up in the arguments around the ban are buzzwords such as security, respect, integration, fear”. He says that “these are all the tired arguments that are rolled out to convince people that Muslims are inherently different and somehow a threat”. Brian also says that all the talk of Muslim women being coerced to wear the veil ignores the reality that the state has now legislated to coerce women on what they are allowed to wear.
Brian continues “Once again in Europe the spectre of right-wing politics and hysteria built up of a very small issue endangers the very people it claims to be protecting. We are only talking about 2000 women who choose to wear these garments in the whole of France”
Similar legislation has already been mooted in the UK. Brian has said that he would absolutely oppose any such measures being introduced here. “It is a very slippery slope we are on when we start to demonise minorities in the way that Muslims are being demonised in many parts of Europe”.
Brian has a long history of opposing racism. He was one of the founders of Love Music Hate Racism in Northern Ireland, a group set up to promote anti-racism and multi-culturalism through the Northern Ireland Music scene.
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