The Burqa Ban in France

It is ironic that France--of all countries in the world--considered to be one of the major fashion capitals in the world, has banned the burqa. The ban, in my opinion, is culturally insensitive and should be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

A wrong is always a wrong. Granted, it is hard to identify those with everything but their eyes covered, but if that is what a woman feels comfortable in, should the country's parliament be able to impose a wardrobe change? If so, France should have uniforms for the entire country. 
 
I cannot think of another culture that covers their faces as Muslims do. It strips those who are practicing Muslims of complying with their personal and religious beliefs. I am tired of the trite argument that the veil is oppressive. If the veil is oppressive, is a mini skirt liberating?

The Middle East has countries that are Islamic. In Islamic countries, the Muslims dress according to their religion; when it is time for prayers, it is heard throughout the entire country by the use of speakers set up in the mosques; Muslims literally wear their religion. It is religious intolerance to disallow the use of the burqa.  It is homogenizing the Muslims of France.

I find it cruel. I find it absurd and I hope that international courts challenge the burqa ban because the banning of the burqa is oppressive. It does not allow Muslims to fully practice their religion and their human rights. Suppose, for instance, that there is a burn victim. There have been incidents where acid has been thrown into a woman's face causing permanent disfigurements and burns. Should that burn victim have the right to cover her face? This is a dangerous law and it is one that I hope France will soon change.

Another reason why education is a lie: Snooki made 2,000 US Dollars more than Toni Morrison

I watch the Jersey Shore. I take it for what it is and for what most shows are on the MTV network are about: people heavily intoxicated while they party non-stop and engage in risky sexual behaviors. I think it is dangerous for children to watch such shows because some may, for whatever reasons, make role models out of these reality stars and emulate their behavior. Snooki being paid more than Toni Morrison makes me believe that I, too, should have had a child as a teen, sacrificed my liver and my morals in order to get notoriety on a cable television show.

Teen Moms on television are paid higher salaries than some college graduates, blue collar workers and others who contribute to their communities and humanity. The cast of "The Jersey Shore" gets paid to get drunk and stay in a vacation home. They get paid! That is insane to me. "The Real World" cast receives free rent and the opportunity to live the Spring Break lifestyle for a few months. Free rent when some people are in foreclosure!  

I am not going to underestimate the power of entertainment. Entertainment has allowed some barriers to be broken. During slavery and its aftermath, African-Americans were entertainment figures in music, sports, movies and other areas that earned them money and fame. In the novel, "Unbroken," Luis Zamperini was recognized in Japan during World War II because he had been in the Berlin Olympics in the 1930s. That was long before the information age, when news traveled very slowly, but due to his record-breaking runs and picture being publicized, he was known.

Fame is at an outrageous level in this age. The so-called star-worshipers have driven the salaries of vacuous entertainment to absurd levels and that is why it is better to be a Snooki or a Rebecca Black than to have a college degree.

It is, after all, about "who you know" and "who knows you".     

Karma

Karma may take years, but I am a strong believer in its powers. Stress kills. They call it the silent killer because it is dealt with internally. Others may not be aware of how much the stressed person is suffering. I have always dealt horribly with stress. I take on the stress of anyone around me. It made me lose my hair once. I was  ambitious to the point of being a perfectionist in high school. 

I would work out for 2 hours a day because the apartment complex had a gym that no one used, I would study for hours--writing down the information manually, typing it on the computer, printing it out and then studying it. I would read several books for the "breadth and depth" aspect of information and I would push myself to either win the award, or be in the top of the class. 

I had enough stress to make my hair fall out. As though that was not horrible enough, my white blood count was high enough to where I had to be in treatment. I spoke about showing weaknesses yesterday, and for this reason alone, I learned to show my strength and hide the weaknesses. There are sick people in the world that take pleasure in another's pain. A "friend" used to tease me about my hair. He would call me "baldy" and ask how my chemotherapy was going--I did not have cancer but he found it funny. I recovered. I am healthy now, but I still cannot handle stress.      

I am at times too empathic and this has become dangerous to my health. I start to hyperventilate and I have even fainted several times. I used to wonder why in movies the police or messenger would ask that the receiver of bad news sit down before they receive the information, but I now understand completely. I feel weak when I hear bad news. The thought alone is powerful enough to make me faint. I had visited my friend who came close to death from kidney failure. While I was in the hospital, he used the language that the military doctor used 'almost expired'. Those two words made me faint. The doctors had to come to aid me because I was losing consciousness from the gravity of his condition. I care too much. 

I care about everyone and everything. I have always wanted to be everybody's friend and make the world at peace. War and violence worry me. I have tried to turn off the news. I once read that the news is a series of bad events, I believe that Louise Hay said that, I am not sure, but I concur. I cannot control the situation, but I can try to do my part in making the best of the results. Remember to take care of yourself first. I always try to care for others because it comes naturally to me and I end up neglecting my needs, but that is one lesson and the most powerful lesson of all: karma is powerful and certain. 

Thankfully, I have my hair and I am healthy. The "friend" that once teased my bald spots, he is balding--and he is only in his 20s. Karma may take seconds of decades, but it waits and it will be there. In conclusion, "Isn't it ironic, don't you think?" --Alanis Morrisette.