In
past couple of days I wrote a number of lines about the burkini hullabaloo in
France. They were addressed to the Portuguese readers as the controversy has
gone beyond the French borders and attracted very serious attention in several
European countries. It´s a good summer story at a time of the year most
newspapers are looking for light pieces to entertain the vacationers.
But
this is no light subject. The burkini hides a number of political issues. It is
not just a matter of freedom. It is the tip of a political iceberg.
One
should note that even now that France´s Conseil d´Etat – the Supreme Court for
these matters – has decided that the ban on wearing a burkini is illegal, the
vast majority of the French people are for its prohibition. This reveals a new
state of mind in the country. Public opinion has been deeply traumatised by the
acts of terror that occurred during the last two years. They want to feel safe
and at home in their own country. And they see the beach swimwear as an
expression of radical Islam. Moreover, they see it as a banner that says no to
the French way of life. It´s an expression of a culture that is foreign to many
mainstream people. And that is less and less tolerated.
All
this calls for a moment of introspection about the future. But it has to be
carried out with greater serenity than what we have seen so far.
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