France's controversial ban on clothing that covers the face — aimed at the burqa and niqabs worn by some Muslim women — took effect Monday, sparking protests around Paris. French police arrested at least two veiled women, purportedly for protesting without a permit, not for violating the public burqa ban. But as France is leading the charge to overthrow repressive Arab and African despots, should it really be arresting Muslim women peacefully protesting for religious freedoms?
France's attack on Muslim values is "hypocritical": The French loudly "proclaim liberté, égalité, fraternité as their most fundamental values," says Mohammed Khan in Al Jazeera. Well, "where is the liberté at home?" French President Nicolas Sarkozy is crazy if he thinks his "diversionary tactics in pretending to back human rights in Libya" will make the Arab world overlook the obvious "hypocrisy and bigotry toward Muslims" in his freedom-quashing burqa ban at home.
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