France, for Frenchmen

The debate between freedom of speech and national security typically hinges on the argument that certain types of speech, due to their ability to “incite violence”, should be prohibited for the good of national stability. In France, the September 2004 ban on religious attire is one such example of how a law intended to promote stability and security has had the opposite result.Ostensibly designed to limit the use of several kinds of religious garb, including Jewish skullcaps and prayer shawls, the law was really intended to address the growing presence of one particular article considered to undermine the cultural sensibilities of the French state: the Islamic hijab. With the largest Muslim population in Europe, France has become acutely aware that its immigrant population does not necessarily share the same commitment to the preservation of “pure” French culture that it holds so dear. They come to the country bringing with them their own culture, language, and of course, religion.It is important to consider several factors that provide context for the mounting hysteria and allegations of “culture wars.” Current legislative debates regarding the hijab touch on deeply entrenched societal beliefs in France, including the preservation of a proud and long-lasting culture, the fear that rising birthrates undermine “France for Frenchmen”, and the suspicion that if the hijab is allowed on the streets of Paris other more insidious forms of cultural and religious expression will follow. While these factors cannot be ignored, it is vital to recognize that in passing the legislation to ban the hijab, the French government has actually undermined its own goals of stability and security.Six years after the implementation of this law, France is no more stable as a result. In fact, it can be argued that the riots, demonstrations, and protests occurring in the 2005 and beyond are a direct result of the anger felt by French Muslims that the government is interfering in the most personal issues. Social groups are increasingly becoming alienated, which is driving them to form marginalized parallel societies. The overall result is that a new generation of French Muslims is growing up isolated and angry at their government, instead of being assimilated into the society in which they live.France desperately needs an open and honest dialogue across various forums, including with its immigrant communities. These issues should not be swept under the rug or else they will erupt later on in instances of spontaneous violence from French Muslim youth angry with the current economic situation, the deprivation they have relative to their French counterparts, and the perceived injustice forced on them by laws such as these.Instead of seeking to limit the rights of its own citizens in order to pursue some façade of “pure culture,” if the problem is as the government portrays it, then the government should turn its attention to addressing its perceived population imbalance either by severely limiting immigration or encouraging its own people to have more children. The simple fact is that France’s demographic makeup is drastically changing. Despite increasing government efforts to reverse the trend of falling birthrates, which range from heavily subsidizing maternity leave and child care costs, the birthrate of “native Frenchmen” is still far below that of many first-generation immigrant groups. Even as government programs continue to provide extra benefits for French people who have additional children, it is increasingly clear that the demographic balance inside of France markedly favors the newly arrived.Even after efforts to increase the influence of “pure” French culture, the fact remains that France will continue changing in the future. It is time they accept this fact and work toward the integration of immigrants into mainstream culture rather than passing legislation which seeks to agitate even as it prohibits. The “headscarf ban” should be overturned, if for no other reason than as a last ditch effort to repair relations between French Muslims and their government and close the growing cultural divide that has been made worse by such restrictions.The photo in this article is being used under Creative Commons licensing. The original source can be found here.