03 October 2014

When schoolgirls dream of jihad, society has a problem. Look at France - Don’t underestimate the role of the burqa ban in turning teenagers into would-be militants

Teenage angst can cause all kinds of unfortunate behaviour, but when schoolgirls tell their parents they want to join the fight in Syria and Iraq, then society has a serious problem. Alarmingly, this is increasingly happening in France, as young Muslims express their desire for jihad. Worse still, an estimated 100-150 young women and girls have actually joined groups such as the self-styled Islamic State (Isis), travelling to a war zone to devote their lives to setting up a highly militarised caliphate and, if necessary, dying for the cause.

.... Choice of clothing might rightly be regarded as inconsequential in the context of a terrorist movement carrying out atrocities against its western enemies but, as the French case shows, the influence of repressive and discriminatory legislation on vulnerable young minds should not be ruled out.

[TOP RATED COMMENT 1410 votes] Banning the burqa is the best thing France could do. The logic of these poor suffering victims of discriminations is amusing:

"She texted her parents, telling them to search her bedroom where, under the mattress, they found a pained letter saying she was “heading for a country where they do not prevent you from following your religion”."

So they are leaving a country that bans the repression of women to join a clan that beheads people of different religions or none. France should celebrate this exodus.

[SECOND 1117v] It is, of course, reactionary western 'intolerance' of muslim cultural choices that lies at the root of the problem. Sheeesh! I wouldn't have guessed it.

[THIRD 1051v] "Don’t underestimate the role of the burqa ban in turning teenagers into would-be militants." Absurd. What a stupid argument; These Muslim supremacists would not be killing people if people were not so mean to them. They are fascist. They believe in Fascism, not Burqas.

[FOURTH 935v] I think they should respect her choice and let her go. I also think France should tell her to fuck right off if she wants to come back. You make your bed, you better lie in it.

[FIFTH 803v] Tell me how many disenfranchised western teenagers dream of Jihad? There is the odd nutter who has access to weapons and goes on a rampage, but other than that you won't find many cases. The problem is Islam not our society. Stop pointing the finger in the wrong direction and see the big elephant in the room, i.e. a 7th century moral code that has no place in this day and age. [Guardian Cif] Read more