Session has started. Please submit your questions.
We apologize for not being able to answer all of your questions due to time limitation.
Answer
-
Name
Norman Madarasz
-
Profession
Philosopher/journalist
Question
Sir,
France is the country of intellectual jousts, heady debates, divergence, indeed, as in the past, civil conflict. This perpetual civil conflict or war took on a different variation during the Algerian war of independence. At that time, religion was hardly the flash point between the defenders and opponents of the Empire-Republic; it was the question of Arab decolonization and Marxism. That war was further stained, as you are well aware, by the disappearance of several dozen Arab demonstrators at the hands of the Parisian police in 1961. I highlight this criminal historical incident, for the current French State in seeking to assume a peaceful stance between “moderate” communities has, in the end, neglected all of the essential points asserted by the Stasi commission, save for banning religious symbols from public school. After all, the Stasi commission had been in the process of formulating recommendations on how to modernized French immigration-integration policies. If France refuses to consider that it has not reformulated integration but institutionalized exclusion, what does it advocate for the future of integration policy? Or, are we henceforth held to think that France has adopted a split-off policy with its Muslim communities?
Answer
Concerning the Algerian case, I agree with your point of you, but the past is the past. The most importing thing is the present.
The Stasi commission's effort was certainly far from perfect, but it was an attempt to hear fom all the elements of the society. The Commission made some recommandations with prohibitive measures over religious signs, but also had some positive measures, such as entering Jewish and Muslim events in the official calendar of the country.
The government, unfortunately, only took into consideration repressive measures. It did not elaborate on, or even reacted to, measures of integration.
Everybody knows that the Muslim veil is the real problem. For a few decades, France has indeed had some problems with the French Muslim community.
The media focus was harmful, because the problem of veil initially began with a specific case, now thousands are involved. If we were to take a stance in defense of secularism against the attacks that it faces today, we risk the marginalization of the Muslim community.
Name
Sarah
- United States
Profession
Question
Good afternoon Dr. Guetny. I've read many differing viewpoints on the issue of hijab in France and have had discussions with non-Muslim French people as well. I have also read the writings of Dr. Tariq Ramadan on the concept of European Islam. It seems to me that the French government does not want to see a European Islam as envisioned by Dr. Ramadan, but only secularized Muslims who have completely abandoned their faith, or totally radicalized, reactionary Muslims who separate themselves from France totally. Do you agree?
As a Muslim woman, who wears hijab and lives a normal life in the States, the actions of the French government reek of racism and xenophobia, in my opinion. Thank you for your time.
Answer
I think that the French government really wants to integrate its Muslim citizens. The question for me is: Does it justify the means? The law concerning the veil, in my view, risks the stigmatization of a specific category of the French society. Between France and the United states, there are differences in each country's definition, or understanding, of the relationship between religion and society, and religion and the state.
In France, we fear the possibility of religion entering the political scene. In the US, the fear is of the implication of politics entering religion, in which case the call became against the interference of the state into religious affairs.
As for the second part of your question, we can't speak of racism, yet we fear that the law could facilitate it and help it spread within some categories of the society.
Name
LG
-
Profession
Student
Question
Peace upon you Mr. Guetny
So, What is the future of Islam in France?
Answer
Islam represents the second religion in number. I think that, inspite of what we say about the difficulties of the integration of Islam into French culture, the Muslims of France show a very good ability to adapt and integrate. They occupy key posts and run big firms. Certainly, some people, who were originally Muslim, have give up their faith, becoming Muslims only on the social level, but a lot of them do know how to combine modernity with their faith. I think that with this capacity, Islam can indeed be easily integrated into France. It is already happening now.
Name
JJ
-
Profession
Question
In your news-in-brief page in the most recent issue of Le Monde des religions, you give a short pre-history of the veil, i.e. “a piece of fabric [that] has taken on an oppositional dimension, while arousing divergent attitudes”. You dodged the issue, however, of defending this significance of the hijab, i.e. “a polysemical cultural and social sign”, namely to oppose the French law. What is your stance on the latter, and how do you foresee the work on integration in the law’s aftermath?
Answer
It is obvious that I stood strongly against the law. What I found interesting was the point of view of many researchers, who demonstrated that the veil is a cultural tradition more than a religious obligation. I regret that among Muslim theoligians there weren't ones who shared this idea.
The question of the veil will always be analyzed within the social context. For me, it is obvious that a lot of women and girls wear hijab merely to confirm their identity, a rebellious, protest based approach.
The French need to requestion the image that they have about Islam, which is always presented in clichés such as "Islam = immigration" or "Islam = terrorism."
We can ask Muslims to respect the common law, but in return we should respect them as equals in this society.
Name
M
-
Profession
Question
Given that the Muslim girls wearing the hijab are citizens of the Republic, does the Ministry of Education foresee actions by which to integrate these girls, despite their choice—which is not, after all, illegal socially speaking. Indeed, French Law dictates that all children must attend school until the age of 16. But if the State were aiming at the exclusion of these girls from school, will it then proceed to exclude them, intentionally or not, from society itself?
Answer
The law voted by the Parliament stipulates that no penalties will be reinforced without prior dialogue with the veiled girls who violated the ban. It is a positive point, because it will be a paradox to defend a republican principle (the neutrality of public space) at the expense of another principle (obligatory education).
The deputies also accepted to review the articles of the law within a year. At that time, we will see the result of the law; positive or negative. Personnally, I would like to see a flexible application which minimizes the exclusion factor.
Name
Jim
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
What is your personal judgment of the responsibility of this deadlock? Do you think that the French government lacks vision, or is the Muslim community to be blamed for provocative actions, as many have argued?
Answer
I will not speak about the government in general. There are deviations within it. Some ministers voted the principle of the law without reservations, and some others supported it after refusing it earlier, such as the minister of education.
The government is indeed being ambiguous: It demonstrates its intention ti integrate Islam by creating an Islamic council, yet it reinforces stigmatization by putting the ban on hijab.
Today, France faces an increasing challenge that further contributes to uncertainties and creates more ambiguity regarding the values secularism.
We aren't sure if we do have a tendency to be agressive towards the "other."
This is just a brief and simple psychological description of the French social reality.
Name
Nat
- Egypt
Profession
Question
How does this new law reflect on the future of working places in the country? There are many French Muslim women who already suffer from discrimination due to their hijab? Is the French government suggesting that Muslim women abandon their religious practices in order to remain equal French citizens?
Answer
The veil ban concerns just the public schools. Hijab is not forbidden in other places. Perhaps there will be a law concerning hospitals, but it doesn't exist yet.
On the other hand, it is important to note that French secularism is based on freedom of conscience, and the possibility of expressing publicly one's religious convictions.
Some French people are determined to criticize this fundamental principle, and it is interesting to see that "secularist militants" demonstrated their protest in the favor of veiled girls!
We should not dramatize the situation.
On the other hand, the majority of French Muslims prove their moderation. Some others are on the extreme, and they exagerate their forms of expression. It is not by demonstrating in the street using anti-Jewish slogans that we can progress in this freedom cause.
Name
Jamila
- Austria
Profession
Question
Is it true that there are divisions within the secular camp over the type of secularism that needs to be enacted in France? And how?
Answer
It is true that secularism on the French sphere is divided. This is not true only today. In 1946, when deputies voted for the constitution of the Fourth Republic, they were divided into three main groups: Communists, socialists and Christian democrats.
It goes without saying that they did not share the same understanding of the concept of secularism.
Today, some secularist militants were opposed to the law. Others, insisted on the necessary neutrality of public space and were for the law.
This clearly demonstrates that France isn't a centralized country, and that important debates take place even within secularist spheres.
Name
lisa
-
Profession
Question
What has France done to encourage integration? Has France created programs that were inviting in nature to encourage integration and cooperation of Muslim immigrants? What programs exist to invite such reform and participation - programs that are inviting and open in spirit and not controlling and demonizing?
Answer
France is a country where words take special value. It has presented its own case of integration. This is passed within politics and city life. Some achievements are in fact the fruit of this approach.
But we see that the model of integration lacks speed: cities are still filled with runed homes and violence is still spread everywhere.
Today, there is a lack of political will to really solve the problems. We end up stigmatizing people by their appearence and their origins rather than underlining the disabilities within political scene.
Everybody knows that the problem is not religious, it is a social one. There is work to be done in order to spread more accurate knowledge about Islam and the Muslim civilization.
The idea of learning facts on religion within secular schools will still be implemented. If this idea can become a real and pressing reality, old plans of marginalizing Islam could considerably weaken.
The Stasi commission did insist on the fact that there needs to be more knowledge on Islam in France.
Name
Fedwa
-
Profession
Question
I hear a lot about Muslims' lack of assimilation and integration - but what about the other side of the coin? Has France treated the Muslim people before the Law the same as non-Muslims? Doesn't the French media portray Muslims as the American media does? As terrorists? Does France or French citizens really open and welcome Muslims being in politics, and in positions of influence in France? How are the Muslims treated in France - as pests or as human beings? Could it be that the discrimination and inequality before the law against them is discouraging them from assimilation like the case in America?
Answer
I share with you the same analysis. We speak a lot about the duties of Muslims towards the Republic, but we don't speak enough about the duties of the Republic toward its Muslim citizens.
At the moment of the law of secularism in 1905, it was the Catholic church which had a bad image. Today, some French people have a problem with Islam in which they see it as a violent religion that does not respect women and is engrossed in politics.
This view can be easily modified if we were to know Islam better, and if Muslims, through their work and achievements, were to reflect a positive image of an integrated community actively participating in intellectual contributions.
