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| Europe | |
| Sarko appoints muslimah as Minister of Justice | |
| 2007-05-19 | |
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| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #6 The factoid I found interesting was that she was selling cosmetics door-to-door. Not one likely to approve of head to toe veiling. I agree Seafarious. I doubt her father-brother-uncle escorted young Miss Dati on her rounds, likewise with her being out late at night for her nursing shifts. All of this points away from her being a devout practitioner. If so, then all of that points toward a potential dissatisfaction with the patriarchal status quo of traditional Islam. In light of her illiterate mother it seems doubtless that she's seen her share of abuse as well. So, perhaps, she will be less understanding about Car-Be-Ques and the like. Hardliners are gonna get riled about that. You say that like it's a bad thing, Jules. I think Sarkosy has played this brilliantly, precisely by putting a Muslim woman in charge of justice. While I retain deep reservations about Dati's record as a socialist and human rights advocate, Sarkosy's decision regarding Dati and selecting women for nearly half his cabinet posts still shows a reasonable degree of savvy. Time will tell. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-19 18:22 |
| #5 The factoid I found interesting was that she was selling cosmetics door-to-door. Not one likely to approve of head to toe veiling. I hope. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-05-19 12:03 |
| #4 Hope she's an efficient bodyguard unit. Hint, don't leave her alone with family members. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-05-19 09:18 |
| #3 I would be interested to know to what extent she is a practicing Muslim. It would be interesting to see how Muslims in France view one of "their women" in a position of authority, especially one overseeing justice. Hardliners are gonna get riled about that. |
| Posted by: Jules 2007-05-19 08:08 |
| #2 BORN into an immigrant family as the second of 12 children, Rachida Dati started selling cosmetics door to door at the age of 14. Two years later, she started working nights as a nursing assistant in a private clinic where her ambitions were fed by articles on political and business leaders she read in magazines she found in the waiting room. At the age of 20, she approached Albin Chalandon, then France's justice minister, at a reception and explained her goals. He was so impressed, he decided to help her launch her career. Now, after earning degrees in law, economics and business, Ms Dati has been appointed to the same role as her mentor. Quite the very model of a modern muslimah minister. Selling door to door at age fourteen doesn't fit the mold of the usual shiftless Islamic immigrant we are all so familiar with. I would also hope that if anyone would take a dim view of the typical layabout Muslim male it would be a female of their species. Time will tell. Either way this is a brilliant riposte to his detractors by Sarkosy. If Dati cracks down hard upon France's Muslim ingrates it will be justice handed down by a fellow Muslim. If she shows even a scintilla of partiality it will justify even the most cynical views regarding Muslim favoritism. At my most sympathetic, I can say that Dati is in a precarious situation, but it is one of her own making. I wish her well but am not holding my breath in hope of a sudden reversal of France's lax enforcement against Muslim agitators. Sarkosy has made his grand gesture and now need not flinch about dropping the hammer should Dati prove reluctant to do so. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-19 03:49 |
| #1 Risky choice, but an olive branch to the Muslim ingrates. If they don't appreciate the gesture for what it is, then it's time to bring the tramp steamers into port and begin loading them up. |
| Posted by: Woozle Elmeter2970 2007-05-19 00:58 |