AP - For France's Muslim community, a similar dilemma loomed 2,500 miles away in Iraq. There, kidnappers were threatening to kill their two French hostages unless France lifted the scarf ban. For the French Muslims, the question was whether to stand by their opposition to the newly instituted ban, or go along with it in solidarity with their government.
In the end, both went with the French flow: Faten shed her scarf, and the Muslim community sided with the government in resisting the kidnappers' demand. It was a defining moment in a long and bitter dispute.
Worried by the rise of an alienated minority in its midst, France has over the past decade sought to coax into existence an "Islam of France" compatible with French values and Muslim beliefs. The scarf ban is an important step in this effort, and the stakes are high. With an estimated 5 million adherents -- almost a tenth of the population -- Islam is France's second religion.
Can you imagine how this story would read if it were about the American government trying to Americanize Muslims with an "Islam of America" movement? We'd be called barbaric and uncouth.
Why is France pursuing this silly ban? Let the kids wear head-scarves. What could it possibly be hurting?