Policies, as in France, that take secularism to point of bigotry

France recently banned the wearing of abaya, a long cloak that Muslim girls may wear, and denied hundreds of girls from public school entry. They had done that earlier with the head scarf, popularly called the hijab. My first reaction: France is at it again. And my second reaction: This cannot happen in the U.S.

This op-ed is not about abaya or hijab or jilbab or niqab or kippa or yarmulke or wearing a large cross (is there a size threshold) or long skirts, all of which are banned by the French.

Any overt expression of a person's religiosity, they believe, goes against the spirit of laïcité. The policy aims to keep religion out of public schools, but in effect drives religious children out of a public school. With a ban on kippa in France, large numbers of Jewish students left public schools and joined parochial institutions. Whenever possible, Muslim kids may also leave public schools. Another natural reaction is resentment that Big Brother is forcing its ideas of what is appropriate down their throats.

The core issue is how does a society deal with diversity? Does it value pluralism? Is secularism the way it is practiced by the French oppresses sections of society that it does not consider in line with mainstream values? What role if any should a government have in mandating what an individual may or may not wear?

An additional reason for banning the abaya, the French ministry says, is its association with extremism and acts of terror. This of course is a dog whistle directed specifically at its Muslim citizens. The French in a remarkable sign of loss of short-term memory, appear to have forgotten the riots in June of this year that followed the killing of a 17-year Muslim teenager of Algerian descent.

Secularism and separation of religion and state are excellent ideas. But they must be linked with pluralism, which is the glue that keeps any multi-cultural, religious-ethnic society together. If secularism is interpreted as the French define it in laïcité, it kills pluralism.

In the U.S., despite instances of religious and racial bigotry, the societal structure is based firmly on the core values of religious freedom. There have been instances involving Muslim attire, building of mosques and more but nothing as brazenly officially bigoted as the French ban. The exception was former President Trump's "Muslim ban."

France is not the only country that is guilty of religious bigotry and discrimination against minorities.

In China, practice of Muslim faith, growing a beard, Muslim attire and much more are crimes requiring various degrees of punishment and internment in education camps. This cultural genocide started with the Uigurs but is now spreading to other Muslim communities.

Myanmar has accomplished old-fashioned genocide through murder, rape and wholesale burning of villages, resulting in massive numbers fleeing the country. Eastern Europe, like Hungary, Poland and Italy have racist leaders at the helm and many instances of racism.

Another country that was pluralistic not too long ago but is rapidly backsliding is India. The hijab was banned from some schools in the state of Karnataka as it violated the school uniform. The court concluded, after its reading of the Islamic literature that hijab is not required attire. The Hindu judge of a secular court effectively gave a fatwa on an Islamic issue.

Ironically, the ruling ultra-right-wing government of the BJP, embraces Hindu religious symbols and uses loaded language targeted against its Muslim citizens. Incidents of violence against Muslims and Christians and Dalits, including lynching, bull dozing and ethnic cleansing of townships, burning of churches and mosques are occurring with sickening frequency. Minorites do not have a sense of security, either personal or for property or business.

The systemic discrimination of Muslims has seen their steady decline in educational opportunities, employment in government civil and law enforcement agencies. Unlike the U.S., where house purchase or rental cannot be denied based on religion or race, in India there is open discrimination, so ghettos are sprouting everywhere.

We must thank the writers of the U.S. Constitution for making freedom of religion and speech such core values. The Founding Fathers rightly deserve the most credit, but we must also remember John Locke, who influenced their thinking. Some of the language in the U.S. Constitution comes straight from Locke's "Epistola de tolerantia" (letters concerning toleration.)

We in the United States take these values for granted. There is regular celebration of Independence Day but hardly any recognition of Constitution Day, which was observed on Sept. 17.

U.S. citizens of foreign origin are thriving because of freedom of religion and an open society that allows for unrestricted upward mobility. They must speak out. To enjoy the benefits of U.S. society and remain silent or even worse be supportive of the racism in the home country is morally bankrupt.

• Javeed Akhter is a physician and freelance writer from Oak Brook.