In Paris, the “affaire de la jupe” (Affair of the Skirt), reported on in French here is one of those seemingly small contretemps, involving Muslims in the West, that circumstances turn into something much bigger.
It begins with two women, North African in origin, who were waiting, at 11 p.m. for city bus #60, at the Botzargis bus stop. When the bus pulled up to the stop, the bearded driver looked them over, refused to open the doors, and took off. One of the women ran after the bus, and when it stopped at a red light, she asked the driver, through his window, why he hadn’t picked them up.. He told her that she was dressed incorrectly, in a skirt. He looked disapprovingly at her legs. By her appearance he knew she was ethnically Arab, and therefore believed she ought to have been islamically modest in her dress. No skirts. And that is why, he explained unapologetically,, he had refused to pick her up. A city bus, but a Muslim driver, enforcing an Islamic dress code.
Things might have ended there, for all concerned, but for the fact that the woman in question is 29 years old, and the daughter of a famous Algerian poet, Kamel Bencheikh, an apostate who lives in France and is, he proudly says, an ‘islamophobe.” (by which he means not someone with an “irrational fear” of Islam but, rather, with a deep knowledge of and dislike of the faith). When Bencheikh heard the story from his daughter Elise he posted a piece about it, and also wrote about the incident on his Facebook page, demanding that the driver be punished.
But what happened then was even more disturbing than the original incident of the bearded driver of a city bus enforcing an Islamic dress code. Facebook took down Kamel Bensheikh’s account on his Facebook page because, it said, his post tended to “incite hatred.” Thus does the world’s main social media platform decide to censor a perfectly reasonable expression of outrage by a father at the treatment of his daughter. She had, after all, been refused service at 11 o’clock at night, and left with another woman to fend for themselves in a dangerous area of Paris (Buttes-Chaumont). There was nothing in Bencheikh’s posting that “incited hatred”’; he was angry with the driver, and expressed that anger. But anger is not hate; he nowhere “incited hatred” as Facebook, in removing his account, falsely claimed. He asked himself: why does the social network accuse him of inciting hatred with this post?
Indeed, as soon as the facts of the incident were revealed, the French political class reacted on Twitter, asking RATP (the public transportation company) to provide the necessary sanctions against the driver.. Here are just a few of their responses. Valérie Pécresse: “If the facts are proven they are scandalous.”Jean Messiha:”The woman’s father posts her story on Facebook, which immediately deletes it. Are we still in France? “And Lydia Guirous, spokesperson for the Republicans, was even more radical: “There is an EMERGENCY need to eradicate political Islam in France.” Valérie Boyer affirms that “religious extremism has no place in our Republic. Our freedoms, our rights must be preserved!”
“This guy who drives a bus paid for by my taxes prevented my daughter, who holds a valid Navigo pass and therefore in good standing, who has never had anything to blame for getting on… Just because she wore a skirt,” her father the poet said.. He described the driver as a “Maghrebin” and “Islamist.” . And he demanded a public apology from RATP, which, for its part, said that the driver does not acknowledge “the facts as presented in the press.” However, the Régie (the administration of the bus service) has, however, opened “disciplinary proceedings” against him for “lack of service”. Francilians [people of the Ile-de-France region] can see, every day, that they are very often driven by bearded people,… How many drivers refuse to drive a bus [for some religious reason]? And with the arrival of Ramadan, some people are openly asking themselves the question of passenger safety, because can a driver who does not drink, does not eat all day long, be sure of all his means? Can’t he lose his attention, even for a second?”
The bus driver may well face disciplinary action, as the French are in no mood to allow Muslims on the public payroll to enforce their own notions of Islamic morality on those they assume are Muslims, and whose outfits were therefore to be judged according to Muslim standards. In fact, neither of the women involved was Muslim.
There are three outrages here. One has to do with this particular driver, who will be judged by the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP), the company that runs the transport services in the Ile-de-France. He is likely to lose his job; his behavior was clearly unacceptable. A second outrage is that there have been similar cases of Muslim bus and taxi drivers imposing their own notions of morality on would-be passengers, but who have gotten away with it because the people they interfered with were not well-connected, unlike the daughter of the famous poet Kamel Bensheikh, someone who instantly commands a wide audience. And the third outrage has to do with Facebook itself. How does Facebook explain its decision to remove the page of Kamel Bencheikh because it supposedly “incited hate,” though nothing in his post remotely resembled such incitement? The French government needs to look at what Facebook and other social media platforms censor, so far without oversight by anyone.
This “affaire de la jupe” may seem small, but in France it has loomed large, for it is one of those seemingly trivial events, whereby Muslims, little by little, attempt to impose their own rules on the larger society. In this case, thanks to the articulate apostate Kamel Bencheikh, such an attempt did not succeed. He’s in the driver seat, and the bus driver is not, and if the French political class and public have their way, that driver won’t ever be again.
Mario Alexis Portella says
This is pure rubbish and the West better WAKE UP!!! As Americans we’re all children of immigrants. That being said, even with legal migration, most Muslims come to our land with a political agenda…the seek to impose sharia on us. Hence, legal or not, they cannot come in! Thank you Mr. Fitzgerald for putting this out!
gravenimage says
This sort of thing is a threat everywhere, but this happened in France, not the US.
Mario Alexis Portella says
Go to Dearborn, Michigan and see how things have changed there for the worse, regrettably.
gravenimage says
Sadly, I am well aware, Mario.
SweetOlBob says
Unless the filthy muslims are punished for these violations of their employment rules, the law, and the rules of polite society, a precedent has been established by every incidence. No uncivilized ragheaded, pedophile worshiping, savage should be allowed , even for a second, to get away with imposing their stupid, 6th century, rules on any other people.
It should be grounds for the cancelling of Citizenship and deportation, no matter where it happens !
None of these inbred throwbacks have been invited anywhere ! THROW THEM OUT !!
Wherever a filthy muslim is, there could be something more worthwhile. Like a pile of dung being saved for fertilizer !
Carolyne says
Nope. Not a child of immigrants. Both parents, grandparents and great grand parents were born in this country, some before it was a country. I just have a distaste for the phrase “We’re all immigrants” because we are not. As to that primitive ignoramous bus driver who apparently was an immigrant, he should be fired.
Jack Holan says
Imagine if that bus driver were totally at liberty to expresshis Neadrathal ideas
smoris says
This stuff has happened. Wasn’t there a story some time back about a Muslim taxi driver who refused to pick up a blind man with a service dog because he wouldn’t let the dog in “his” taxi. Dirty, you know. Wonder what’s in those beards.
William says
Probably some shit!
gravenimage says
This has actually become quite common.
SweetOlBob says
What’s in those beards is the collected spittle of months and a supply of lice and fleas transmitted via contact from the headbags and long, black, all covering,sweat soaked, gowns.
Yucky-yetch !
Bill says
People are going to have to start taking legal action against Facebook and the other digital giants. Not for the bias in their content, but for the words and actions of the companies who slander people in the administration of their punishments for those that do not adhere to their approved speech rules, as has happened in this case.
As for the bus driver, I will be surprised if anything of consequence happens to him after the this fades from the media.
David M says
Everyone should just get off Facebook. Facebook is a piece of shit fascist web site that sells people’s personal information to other companies & bans conservatives.
gravenimage says
Robert Spencer and Jihad Watch use Facebook.
David M says
If they banned Paul Joseph Watson, Laura Loomer & Alex Jones they will ban Robert shortly too.
smoris says
Here’s the problem. Someone could come up with a rival system to Facebook. But Facebook would make them an offer they couldn’t refuse (everyone seems to have a price) and they would “aquire” that rival in no time at all. Until people quit selling out their morals we will have no alternative until Facebook effectively puts itself out of business by banning everyone who doesn’t agree with Mohammed. Then they might stay in business as a bulletin board for the Islamic state rivals to threaten each other on. Way to go, Facebook.
It may be that freedom has died of old age, outgrown itself. We have “developed” so far that we can’t use normal means to communicate and must depend upon the likes of Twitter and Facebook. Our newspapers have dwindled to nothing, everything is increasing owned by one or two entities (as in Amazon – no locally-owned or even chain book stores in your hometown). It is no longer an acceptable business model to compete with these mega enterprises. Just as Walmart put your mom-and-pop corner store out of business, Facebook is putting every communication option out of business. It is especially toxic with Facebook because here we are talking about communication, truth, things we need to know, especially in free countries where we govern ourselves. We can’t make informed decisions as a people.
I have often said it before: policies that silence the voices of people like Bencheikh or Spencer or Tommy Robinson or Paul Joseph Watson, etc., are not so much harming THEM as they are harming those who now cannot hear what they have to say – US.
It is truly a dilemma, and if we were a moral people as much as we are a lazy people, we would announce, en masse, that we are cancelling our Facebook accounts because of these actions against people we demand the right to hear. This is how the free market works. Only it doesn’t work, because just as with a freely elected government conscience can now be bought. People sell their votes for cheap free telephones, they continue to use Facebook because that’s what they do, rather than show support for free speech. It’s what we have become and we can’t blame Facebook for making hay with it. Their attitude is that “we’re getting away with it, we’re benefiting from taking Islam’s side (at least in the short run) so why should we go all “moral” and stand up for free speech? What have we got to lose? The big complainers will keep their accounts and most people don’t care anyway.
gravenimage says
I believe Robert Spencer has been suspended at one time, David M–despite his being completely non-violent.
LadyTess says
This is the faith of muslims ALL the world must come under their sharia laws it’s their mandate to convert all of humanity to islam. They will continue this radical plan unless we push back HARD! America YOU are next.
mortimer says
Muslims assuming women in Western clothing ‘have it coming to them’ and that ‘they are asking for it.”
What group of men routinely thinks like this today?
Save Europe says
M
Groups of a certain type of men, who are admitting they cannot control themselves or their primitive urges!
SweetOlBob says
Those “certain types of men” couldn’t possibly be bearded, instructors on the correct means of wife beating, and disrespectful children murdering, goat and donkey molesting. little boy and infidel raping, posturing, butt waving, filthy muslims, could they ?
Just wondering.
revereridesagain says
Since when did an emotion become illegal, and since when has Fake-Book been able to predict what emotions will be “incited”? Explicitly calling for violence against others is criminal aggression, but every reader has the choice of what he or she will feel about a story and what they will do with that emotion.
And, I bet Fake-Book never, ever, censors expressions of hatred by Muslims towards non-Muslims.
The West needs many, many more Kamel Bencheikhs!
deeperinfo says
Phobia = excessive fear
Islamophobia = (actually) a rational rear of a proven danger.
Co-Exist = an irrational dismissal of a proven danger.
Urbach-Weithe disease (theory) = damaged amygdala causes lack of fear.
Stockholm syndrome = psychological alliance with captors as a survival strategy.
liberalism (per Savage) = a mental disorder (small “l”).
Conclusions?
Islamophobia Stockhold Syndrome
(hat tip to Daniel Pipes)
Everytime someone uses the term “islamophobia” it should be immediately corrected to some variation of:
Islamo Stockhold Syndrome
Islamophobia Stockhold Syndrome
Stockhold-Islam Syndrome
Dan L. Boone says
[Stockholm]
deeperinfo says
does facebook uses the same censor / redactor script as the FBI?
Agenda driven manipulation and concealment.
Accuse me of Islamophobia stockhold sydrome but I suspect some of these decisions also have a subtle background of ‘cultural’ motivation – kind of like the former FBI translator
Abdirzak Jaji Raghe Wehelie and shabab wannabe Liban Haji Mohamaed
The fox is in the henhouse and the city-slicker turned farmer is trying to convince it to lay eggs…
Spiro says
France is lost
Murders
Vandalism of church
Forced sharia
No go zones
Women attached
Riots by Moslems gangs
Savvy Kafir says
No. France is not lost, if the non-Muslim population begins fighting back. They still make up 92% of the population. They can rid France of Muslims entirely, if they make up their minds to do it.
gravenimage says
Hear, hear, Savvy Kafir!
Rufolino says
And WHEN, might one ask, are they going to “make up their minds” to do something ??
You speak only of hypotheticals. There is little “hope” in something hypothetical.
When something merely hypothetical actually materialises, then there might be hope !
Savvy Kafir says
I can’t give you a date, Rufolino. But, at some point, the majority of non-Muslims in France (and in Sweden, the U.K., Germany, etc.) are going to realize that it was a horrible mistake to allow Muslims to immigrate to their country to wage demographic jihad, stealth jihad, & violent jihad. Hopefully the non-Muslims will still make up far more than 50% of the population at that crucial moment, so that effective strategies (such as mass deportations) can be implemented.
Michael T says
France dorsn’t have The gumption to fight back against the Moslems. R3member they caved into the Nazis and collaborated with them with nary a shrug. Their own politicians are totally gutless and are responsible for this mess.
gravenimage says
There was a French resistance.
Lavéritétriomphera says
Read a history book.
Lavéritétriomphera says
@Michael T,
Gravenimage is right there was a resistance in the country and outside France https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_France.
Savvy Kafir says
French politicians capitulated to the Nazis; but many French people (from across the political spectrum) joined various resistance organizations, and/or worked with the British SOE. Quite a few of them gave their lives in the fight to free France from Nazi control.
Although that was a different time & a different generation, I have no doubt that many French people will soon be willing to risk their lives (if necessary) to rid their country of the scourge of Islam. And certainly many of them will begin voting for politicians dedicated to pushing back the Muslim invasion.
Benedict says
With the risk of being misconstrued as supporting the enforcement of Muslim dress code in France – which I don’t – I just want to air concerns about an opposite Haute Couture movement in France, and gently suggest that there might be an ironic interconnectedness, while asking the question: could France benefit from its Muslims to open the eyes of the French for its Christian heritage? :
https://www.thelocal.fr/20180705/naked-ambition-understanding-the-naturism-boom-in-france
— “You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.”
Lavéritétriomphera says
What does naturism have to do with the context?
Benedict says
Both Naturists and Muslims try via dress codes to erase shame from their consciousness: Muslims by extreme covering of the (female) body and Naturists by extreme uncovering of both the male and the female body.
The shame of the naked Christ on the cross is the only “Kippur” for mankind and a God appointed remedy for shame, and the philosophies of naturism and Islam obfuscate this revelation with their self-pleasing inventions and attack on the Christian gospel.
gravenimage says
More from Benedict:
Both Naturists and Muslims try via dress codes to erase shame from their consciousness: Muslims by extreme covering of the (female) body and Naturists by extreme uncovering of both the male and the female body.
The shame of the naked Christ on the cross is the only “Kippur” for mankind and a God appointed remedy for shame, and the philosophies of naturism and Islam obfuscate this revelation with their self-pleasing inventions and attack on the Christian gospel.
………………………….
Then why is Benedict in favor of Western women and little girls being immured in the Burqa, as he has flogged here many times?
Lavéritétriomphera says
Indecent assault is punishable by law in France. Naturism is allowed in special areas. Veiled women are everywhere.
gravenimage says
Benedict wrote:
With the risk of being misconstrued as supporting the enforcement of Muslim dress code in France – which I don’t – I just want to air concerns about an opposite Haute Couture movement in France, and gently suggest that there might be an ironic interconnectedness, while asking the question: could France benefit from its Muslims to open the eyes of the French for its Christian heritage? :
https://www.thelocal.fr/20180705/naked-ambition-understanding-the-naturism-boom-in-france
……………………….
The appalling Benedict has done this many times before–said that Western women, and even little girls, should wear Burqas to atone for naturism–something that, unlike veiling, is enforced on no one. And now he has apparently extended this to anyone who has a liking for fashion.
Just like Muslims, he does not believe that men, including naturists, should themselves have to be veiled.
He has also bizarrely said that Europeans will “benefit” from having violent supremacist Muslims targeting them–and that this is in some unspecified way “ironic”.
This sounds as though he considers the horrors of Islam to be “moral”. When I have in the past pointed out that Islam, *far* from being moral, actually enjoins such horrors as polygamy, forced marriage, child marriage, forced veiling, and “Honor Killings” for such things as falling in love.
He has either ignored this, or–in the hideous case of child marriage–actually condoned these Islamic crimes.
Benedict is not worried about his sick views being “misconstrued”, but about being called out on them.
More:
— “You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.”
……………………….
Here the dishonest Benedict is pretending that Christianity endorses forced veiling and the mistreatment of women who do not comply. Try again, creep.
Benedict says
The party whip has gone of the deep end.
gravenimage says
In what way have I “gone of (sic) the deep end”? Note that the appalling Benedict is unable to address any point that I made.
Lavéritétriomphera says
@gravenimage,
You are right. Sharia is more dangerous that naturism and the naturists do not explode themselves, anyway the explosives could not be hidden from public view by definition. So, let us stop comparing things which are not comparable.
Amitiés
@Benedict,
Nudity is not shameful in France but keep in mind that it is forbidden in some places. You could be fined.
Au revoir
Benedict says
The law in this respect has gradually been trumped by culture and mass events and is no longer maintained or only selectively maintained.
BTW: Nudity, as in France, is not shameful for animals either.
Benedict says
L: Compare the picture Hugh Fitzgerald has chosen to illustrate his appropriate article to JW with, with the pictures in the article I have provided a link to: the pictures are not only comparable, they are comparable to a hilarious extent.
Lavéritétriomphera says
@Benedict,
Have you ever visited France ?
BTW: There are none so hypocrite as those who are Puritan.
Lavéritétriomphera says
“L: Compare the picture Hugh Fitzgerald has chosen to illustrate his appropriate article to JW with, with the pictures in the article I have provided a link to: the pictures are not only comparable, they are comparable to a hilarious extent.”
(?)
gravenimage says
Of course, Benedict is being dishonest here–the photos in this article he links to are from nudist resorts, *not* out in public. Why would he pretend that Burqas are only to be worn in private? It is actually just the opposite.
And–as I have noted, no one is being beaten or murdered because they haven’t joined a nudist resort–would that the same were true of women and girls re Muslim cover.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Lavéritétriomphera.
Lavéritétriomphera says
@gravenimage,
Hi,
Anecdotally artistic nudes, especially female nudes, are regarded as a summit of art in Italy and in France – both countries share the same culture.
And I do not think we are prepared to give up our thinking and way of life for the pleasure of “Islamic entrants” who wish to be in a position of authority and control over the local populations.
Amitiés
gravenimage says
Agreed, Lavéritétriomphera. I am an artist and paint nudes myself.
FYI says
This disregard for women goes back a long,long,way..
{Book of kanes al Umal fee Suanan al A’qwal hadith # 41925}
“Reported by Anass..Omar ibn Al Khatab saw a slave woman wearing a headscarf so he BEAT her
screaming”You should not clothe yourself like a free woman”..’
Just an example of the demonic,Godless savagery and hypocrisy of the creatures of islam:muslims may cry CONTEXT!.. but the attitude is the same today.
Women will ALWAYS be inferior in islam:the koran mandates k2:282
Note how a slave woman is unjustly beaten for covering her hair{as if she thought she was equal to a muslima}
Savvy Kafir says
Muslims make up about 8% of the population of France, and they’re already uppity enough to try to enforce Islamic dress codes. Imagine what they’ll be like when they’re 20% — or 51%. And they will hit those numbers shockingly fast, if they are allowed to remain in France.
If France is to survive as a civilized society, it needs to recognize the need for mass deportations — sooner rather than later — and get started on that extremely difficult, but absolutely necessary process.
The same goes for all Western nations.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Savvy Kafir. First we need to stop the further flood of Muslims into the West.
Rufolino says
Hypothetical, hypothetical !
The current Italian Government made an election promise to deport hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants. Almost NOTHING has happened !
Hypothetical schemes do not offer hope until they are put into action.
gravenimage says
Actually, under Trump Muslim immigration is down 90%. Not perfect–but far from hypothetical, either.
And it does look at though there have been increasing deportations in Italy:
https://icct.nl/publication/the-use-of-deportation-in-counter-terrorism-insights-from-the-italian-case/
Small moves–but in the right direction.
Savvy Kafir says
What do you suggest, Rufolino? — that we all just lie down and surrender to Islam?
The D-Day invasion of Normandy was just “hypothetical” too, until it was executed.
Unless you have a magic wand that can make this problem instantly go away, myself and others will continue to suggest strategies that CAN be implemented, once enough voters wake up and get properly pissed off.
Ned Kelly says
gravenimage…NO, not first, need to both deport + STOP immigration at the SAME TIME, like NOW
gravenimage says
Ned, I have no problem with both being done at the same time–I would love to see it. I just mean that turning off the spigot is of prime importance.
gravenimage says
In Paris: A Bearded Bus Driver Enforces Muslim Dress Code
…………………
Enforcing Shari’ah law, and then craven appeasement against those criticizing the enforcement of Shari’ah law from Facebook. *Ugh*.
CRUSADER says
More with the “PRIDE” campaign….
**** The Pride of Hijab ****
The wearing of the *hijab reflects the modern Muslim woman’s independence, her new world attitude in which she has a choice in whether she follows this old tradition or not. Her hijab displays her confidence to live life on her own terms and communicates the message that she is respected, intelligent and a pious person in her culture. She is also purposefully not drawing attention to herself vis-à-vis the male population in certain Muslim countries such as Bangladesh.
Beside religious value, this piece of folded head scarf can tell much about a woman. So, what does your hijab say about you? The colour, the style, the adornments, if any, all reflect the individual. There could be stripes or flowers that represent the softness, the brightness. These choices allow a woman to express who she is.
The hijab sends clear signals about a Muslim woman and her personality. The increasing trend of wearing stylish hijabs or head scarves among young females in Bangladesh is not all about fashion nor has it been imposed upon them by Muslim parents or family. I have interviewed a hundred young Bangladeshi women and have compiled their opinions in order to know what has most inspired them to wear the hijab.
……………
https://gmbakash.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/self-defense-the-pride-of-hijab/
LadyTess says
Then tell me why Ilhan Omar went from “stylish colors” as you put it to wearing all black? Messaging perchance. I think so!
gravenimage says
Yeah–you can really tell a lot about the personalities of the women immured in Burqas in the picture above–mostly “cowed”, I think…
Ned Kelly says
CRUSADER …PLEASE go read the book, “NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER” by ? Mamood, where rape inside the family home, from uncles + grand fathers, to sister in laws, etc, was so common, the words for it ment “To lie down”, knowing if they told, they would be killed for adultery. Dressing modestly did NOT stop the rapes.
gravenimage says
And Betty Mahmoody also writes about being constantly harassed, groped, and threatened with rape in Iran even though she goes out completely covered up.
Omar says
Facebook and suckoffberg can SCIH. FB is now owned by moozlums thru stock and ZB is on his knees swallowing everything they throw at him.
gravenimage says
No, you are mistaken, Omar–Muslims do not own a majority-stake in Facebook.
David M says
ZUckerberg is a globalist leftist though, so he aligns himself with Islam.
gravenimage says
This is true, David.
Elizabeth Thorne says
Was the above picture taken in the 1400s — I did not know they had cameras then, sure glad women no longer suffer such oppression–makes me sick to look at the picture.