I note you didn't respond to the fact it's illegal to dress as a Muslim in some places in Europe but it's legal everywhere in the USA.
France also has a ban on the display of religious symbols in public schools. The ban is applied wholesale and does not discriminate against any one particular group. This law, as I understand it, is motivated by a strong desire for secularism in the public education system.
Wow. This is monumentally dishonest, especially given how the law came to be and how it's been applied.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/when-did-islamop...
> but rather in the fact that face coverings make identification difficult
A poor reason to assault someone's culture and religion. Rather Big Brotherish, in fact.
> and do not fit in with the expected norms for social interaction in that country.
Back in the day, allowing blacks and whites into the same schools didn't fit in with the expected norms for social interaction in the USA. We got over it.
> France also has a ban on the display of religious symbols in public schools.
This I don't have a huge problem with, even though it seems a bit over-broad. Does it also prohibit people from wearing cross necklaces, for example? How about if someone had put ashes on their face for Ash Wednesday?
Also accusations of Big Brother coming from Americans at this point is rather hilarious.
Ah, but it bans something that it just so happens only Muslims would wear. Suspicious, no?
> Also accusations of Big Brother coming from Americans at this point is rather hilarious.
Irrelevant. If you think the NSA is alone, you're delusional.
Off-topic but funny in and of itself. Also a small note, but even in America some places view face coverings with extreme caution, wearing one in a bank for instance is a big no-no. Not a religious issue in those sorts of cases, really an identification, wariness that you might rob the place issue.