OPINION:
President Donald Trump may be fighting off accusations — unfounded and ridiculous — that his travel ban on terror hotspot tourists is actually a Muslim ban.
But in Quebec, it’s much, much closer to the real thing, Lawmakers there just passed a bill barring those who wear face coverings — yes, like the niqab, like the burqa — from accessing public services. This is a smart, safety-oriented measure. But Muslims will protest, claiming they’re unfairly singled out by government. Ostensibly, clowns wearing face masks won’t be allowed to ride public transportation, either, so it’s not as if the ban will only affect Muslims.
But then again, there are probably more burqas drifting about than clown masks.
And for veil-wearing Muslim women, the soon-to-be reality will be this: Want to board that train? Lose the burqa. The same applies to those working in government jobs — they’ll have to drop the face coverings, or face firings.
Wow. What’s even more interesting is that Quebec is pretty liberal in political leanings. Maybe America needs to import some of those left-leaning politicos to plant into our Democratic Party.
From The New York Times: “The law will prohibit public workers like doctors and teachers from covering their faces at work, and will effectively bar Muslim women who wear face veils from using public transportation or obtaining public health care services, although it will be possible to apply for exemptions.”
Advocates say they’re not trying to target any particular religion, and will work to make sure Muslims aren’t unfairly singled out for enforcement. But come on now. Let’s be real. Who hides their faces in public but Muslim women?
Anarchists — but they’re not a religion.
Critics say the law’s unnecessary because it’s not as if scores of veil-wearing Muslim women were trying to gain public service sector jobs in the first place.
But likely, they walk around in public — ride the public transportation — access plenty of other public services.
“We are just saying that for reasons linked to communication, identification and safety, public services should be given and received with an open face,” said Premier Philippe Couillard of Quebec, CNN reported. “We are in a free and democratic society. You speak to me, I should see your face, and you should see mine. It’s as simple as that.”
Yes, it is as simple as that. Why hide? Muslims will demand the law be struck, citing religious freedom reasons. But any religion that is shrouded so literally in secrecy ought to be closely monitored and watched. Full-face veils are already banned in public in France and to certain degrees in Belgium and parts of Switzerland. Quebec’s trade of transparency for public services is little more than the same.
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