Monday, January 09, 2006
Deja Vu
Starting on 1 January, officials in Germany's state of Baden-Wuerttemberg have been given a list of 30 questions about what they call moral values to be used as guidelines during interviews with Muslims who are applying for German citizenship. They include applicants' opinions on homosexuality and how young women should dress. The list has been sharply criticized by Muslim groups and lawmakers, as well as Jewish leaders, who argue it is discriminatory. State officials in Baden-Wuerttemberg have defended the list as a fair way to assess whether future citizens uphold the values guaranteed by Germany's constitution.