France's theatre of the absurd

January 21, 2004

This is beginning to read like a Eugene Ionesco play. Education Minister Luc Ferry on Tuesday had an admirable go at taking to logical extremes the dictates of the proposed law banning "ostentatious" religious symbols from France's public schools. Where exactly on the slippery slope of diminishing freedoms will the line be drawn for religiously inclined schoolchildren?

Beards are out. But only if they are judged to be a sign of faith in religion: "As soon as it becomes a religious sign and the code is apparent, it would fall under this law," Ferry said. No word of whether pleading an affinity for Che Guevara will get you off the hook.

So are bandannas. But only if they are judged to be religious. "The bandanna, if it is presented by young girls as a religious sign, will be forbidden." I suspect Madonna merchandise may make a sudden comeback.

But lack of a bandanna is also definitely suspect:

He also contended that hairstyles or the wearing of certain colors could be a source of manipulation. "Signs could be invented using simple hairiness or a color," he said. "Creativity is infinite in this regard."

Simple hairiness? The French Minister of Education just lamented French schoolchildren's infinite creativity? Marilyn Manson's act cannot possibly survive this onslaught of truly depraved hairy religionists.

Turbans are so out. When the law was first proposed, everyone forgot the Sikhs. Their men are obligated to wear a turban at all times. Nevermind that Sikhs died fighting for France in WWI — with their turbans on; this terrible symbol of male oppression will now also be banned, logically, even though the only way to get between a Sikh and his turban is to pry it off his cold, dead head.

I think it's Ferry who's lost his head. I may be wrong though: today I found myself in agreement with the Pope, who said that the law "could effectively endanger religious freedom," though he was roundly chided for the comment by the unfortunately named Bernard Stasi, the official who first proposed the ban.

Permalink