In a sign that the ban is creating new ideological fault lines, Bernard-Henri Lévy, France’s swashbuckling “warrior philosopher” leapt to its defence. “This is not about the burka, it’s about Voltaire.
What is at stake is the Enlightenment of yesterday and today, and the heritage of both,” he wrote in the National Post. “A step backwards, just one, on this front would give the nod to all obscurantism, all fanaticism, all the true thoughts of hatred and violence.” Given the rash of calls to attack France on militant web forums since Monday, he has a point.
But Hind says her choice has nothing to do with fanaticism. “If I want to strut around in a miniskirt, I should be allowed. If I want to put feathers on my back, why not. We have all sorts in this world and are obliged to try to live together.” People are beginning to listen, she insists. “There’s less of the hostility or mocking smiles and more of a look that says: 'Well done for having the cheek to carry on’.” [telegraph.co.uk] Read more
