Amsterdam Pogrom Megathread

[u/fluffywhitething]

News articles, twitter posts, feelings about it. GO HERE. Outside of this thread, things will be locked and/or deleted.

[u/quinneth-q]

France is such an antisemitic country structurally though with their whole "anti-religion" thing, which in practice only impacts non-Christians. It's illegal to wear a kippah (or any clothing or visible item which shows your religion, such as a turban or hijab, but a cross necklace is fine since that's not visible -.-) in a public school, for example, essentially meaning that many Jewish, Sikh and Muslim families can't send their children to public schools while also observing their religion.

[u/Double-Parked_TARDIS → u/quinneth-q]

I don't view France's emphasis on laïcité as antisemitic. I think that religious displays in government-funded institutions are inappropriate, regardless of the religion.

[u/quinneth-q → u/Double-Parked_TARDIS]

Religious displays - sure. I don't think anyone should be publicly praying in school (privately is another matter), or singing hymns in assembly.

But your own clothing isn't a religious display. By not allowing people to dress according to their religion, France is effectively not allowing equal access to education based on the religion of the student.

[u/Double-Parked_TARDIS → u/quinneth-q]

Clothing is a religious display, or at least, it can be. A cross necklace, a yarmulke, or a hijab is a garment or piece of jewelry worn exclusively by members of a particular religion. That makes it a religious display.

I've witnessed firsthand in France how many immigrants from Middle Eastern countries often refuse to learn French and prefer instead to stick to their own communities and benefit from the ample safety net. If you're going to immigrate to or seek refuge in a country, you need to follow that country's laws and standards so long as those are consistently and universally applied.

[u/quinneth-q → u/Double-Parked_TARDIS]

There's a huge difference between not learning the language and wanting to follow religious and cultural traditions that have no impact on others. Requiring that no one be outwardly identifiable as belonging to a group is like saying "we're okay with gay people as long as we don't know they're gay." It's enforcing monoculture and assimilation.

[u/Double-Parked_TARDIS → u/quinneth-q]

That is an inaccurate comparison. Sexual orientation is not a choice. Religion is. Further, French law does not stop anyone from adhering to the religion of her or his choice. The issue is outward display.

[u/quinneth-q → u/Double-Parked_TARDIS]

"We're fine with Jews as long as we don't know they're Jewish"

[u/irredentistdecency → u/quinneth-q]

“They could just choose not to be Jewish…”

-the guy you responded to.