The Guardian, UK, Editorial on French niqab ban

I must thank the editor of the Guardian, UK, for a very thoughtful editorial. The editor has correctly diagnosed the problem with the French bill that curtail Muslim women's choice or right to don the way they want. A simple question posed to any of those Muslim women by Sarkozy and his gang of secular fundamentalists, who are nothing but closet bigots, would have shown the stupidity of their false claims that Muslim women are oppressed to wear the niqab. No, they don't wear it for any such reason. While Islam does not require a full niqab, while advocating modesty for both sexes, some Muslim women put on niqab as a choice. The Qur'an is clear that what is mandated is a long garment that covers their body. As a sign of modesty, most young Muslim women therefore cover their hair and breast, while exposing the face and hands only. Anything beyond that is a matter of personal modesty. But that right to dress modestly cannot be threatened or annexed by a law that claims to promote pluralism and multi-culture in a society.
What Sarkozy and the French legislators are doing is nothing but bigotry. They want to put a litmus test for proving French identity: abandon Islam, and become French. The same program was tried back in the 19th century French Algeria towards French citizenship. It backfired to lead to the independence war of 1954. While Sarkozy may not see a repeat of that problem in Christian France, but if he is wise, he would rethink his stupid policy before promoting it any further.