Some of them will have to choose between, for example, work and their headscarf
In this NPR podcast from 2015, Audie Cornish discusses what it means to be a Muslim in France with two women, Sofia Arrash and her sister Anisa, after the Charlie Hebdo attacks. These two women are from Muslim Algerian parents but have very different experiences and opinions concerning Laïcité. Laïcité is not just a political philosophy, it is law. It is a strict adherence to the separation between church and state. There is no One Nation Under God or In God We Trust. Any public display of religion through symbols or garments is forbidden. For instance Laïcité forbids Muslim women from wearing the traditional Burka headdress. This in particular is a hot button issue since France has the largest Muslim minority population in Europe.
Sofia Arrash describes Laïcité as a type of secularism that saves Muslims from discrimination. It is not just about disallowing public displays of religion. It allows different religions to be expressed in a country with no state religion. Her younger sister Anisa couldn’t help but join in on the discussion. Anisa is a 24-year-old law student. She has a very different interpretation of Laïcité. “Today, Laïcité is really, really dangerous for people practicing their religion.” This is a very different answer from her sister who is a teacher and a public servant. Cornish asks, “You started wearing the hijab, your headscarf, just three years ago. What do you think this generation is going to have to deal with if they’re going to really feel a part of France?” Anita replies by saying, “Some of them will have to choose between, for example, work and their headscarf.”
This interview gives a unique perspective at the problems of Laïcité in everyday French life. These two Muslim women, one a teacher and the other a law student, have opposing views to the morality of Laïcité. This is a great insight for historians about the modern debate over Laïcité. This NPR inerview gives 2 perspectives on the laws, one good, the other damning. One is a teacher, the other a student. One works for the government the other doesn’t.
NPR is a great medium for people to express their concerns. I believe NPR gave the interviewee plenty of space to voice her concerns without placing their own agenda on the story. This is very fair for future historical analysis.
Aaron Brown