Chirac Wants Religious Attire Banned in Public Schools

New York Times

Chirac's inability to tolerate minor differences between people is simply amazing. Chirac feels all religious expression must be snuffed out in order for everyone to get along. It's like "don't ask don't tell" for anything too controversial, too unequal.

Quote:

"In his speech, Mr. Chirac acknowledged the alienation of France's Muslim youth and the need to do more to bring them into the mainstream. 'I share the feeling of incomprehension, of disarray and sometimes even of revolt by those young French people - immigrants by origin - whose job applications go into the garbage because of the sound of their names, and who are too often faced with discrimination when they want to find housing or even to get into a place of recreation,' he said."

Chirac's answer to this problem is to bring immigrants "into the mainstream" by hiding their differences, rather than making everyone else simply deal with them (and perhaps, in time, appreciate them). The only thing that needs to be snuffed out is Chirac's attitude, and the attitudes of those who support this ban.

UPDATE: Volokh Conspirator Jacob Levy has more to say here, and Opinionjournal has an editorial here entitled: Veiled Threat: Jacques Chirac courageously takes on little girls in head scarves.