Interesting. The French ban the Burqa and the Niqab. One intention of this blunt piece of legislation to protect the rights of women. President Sarkozy asserts that these garments are symbols of servitude and will not be tolerated in France.

No doubt this will cause controversy and result in constitutional challenges. The very plausible claim that it infringes an individual's human rights is a powerful argument but it's not powerful enough. The need of women in general to be supported to have equal rights and opportunities must outweigh any individual objections.

It is true that some women who wear this clothing, are absolutely clear that they do so by choice. Although I'm tempted to throw in an argument regarding the Stockholm Syndrome, I wont.

I think an individual's belief has to be accepted, respected and weighed up. But what then? What is the greater good (or the lesser evil) here?

The objection to this decision by a minority should not deter France from making this decision. The subjugation of women should not be tolerated by any nation. Decisions by governments are never palatable to everyone. This one, blunt though it is, and unsatisfactory in many ways, is still right and the French should be supported.

A word of caution though. The French should go no further than banning clothing that covers a persons face. The human face is a window on the world, a swiss army communication tool, a liberator. Everything else, neck down, is a lifestyle choice and should be left well alone.

As Wittgenstein said, 'The face is the soul of the body'. Surely, we should all have the right as humans to bare our soul...

Burqa -
http://www.google.co.uk/m/search?site=images&gl=uk&client=safari&source=mog&hl=en&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g6-k0d0t0&fkt=2604&fsdt=9480&q=burqa

Niqab- http://www.google.co.uk/m/search?site=images&source=mog&hl=en&gl=uk&client=safari&q=niqab

Hijab-
http://www.google.co.uk/m/search?site=images&gl=uk&client=safari&source=mog&hl=en&q=hijab+styles&resnum=1&ei=r_Y8TIDWDdufjAePmKSpAw&ved=0CAwQ1QIoAA