French President Wants to Ban the Burqa

French president Nicolas Sarkozy cannot abide the burqa. From The Associated Press:

In the first presidential address to parliament in 136 years, Sarkozy faced critics who fear the burqa issue could stigmatize France's Muslims and said he supported banning the garment from being worn in public.

"In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity," Sarkozy said to extended applause at the Chateau of Versailles, southwest of Paris.

"The burqa is not a religious sign, it's a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement — I want to say it solemnly," he said. "It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic."

Hurrah! Sarkozy "gets it," as are many more people in the civilized world. If the issue were as simple as promoting modesty and chastity, there would be nothing wrong with the burqa (or burka, if you prefer). But it isn't that simple. The prevailing interpretation of Islamic law holds that women are little more than property, barely to be seen and definitely not heard. The burqa is an outward sign of a general disregard for the unalienable human rights of the female gender.

Sarkozy's statement likely will have repercussions as France is home to an estimated 5 million Muslims, many of whom aren't going to be very happy with him.

But ask yourself: If you were married to Carla Bruni, would you want her all burqa'd up?