Mes: agosto 2019

The man’s case came to light after his wife was fined for driving with a veil covering her face, and his comments are an ironic riposte to those in French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s government who want to push immigrants to better integrate into French society. The 31-year-old Frenchwoman drew nationwide attention last week to a driving fine she received for apparel that hinders her vision. But it soon emerged that her husband may have four wives – although it was doubtful the marriages were made official under French law. The situation appeared to be a boon to Sarkozy, who is trying to rush through controversial legislation forbidding burqa-style Islamic veils that cover the face, on the grounds that they don’t respect French values or women’s dignity. But it has stoked debate and may backfire on legal grounds. Many Muslims fear a law banning face-covering veils because they say targeting the tiny minority of women who cover their faces stigmatizes France’s entire Muslim community – at an estimated 5 million people, the largest in western Europe. Those who want a full ban on the face-covering veil contend the garment conceals more than the face, notably helping to perpetuate practices like polygamy, approved in some Muslim countries, and is a signpost of a radical interpretation of Islam. Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux wants to revoke the French citizenship of the driver’s husband...

Jeff Glor hears from Kevin Wilson about “Family Fang,” his inventive novel about a quirky couple obsessed with performance art. For them, everything in life is secondary to art, including their children. Jeff Glor: What inspired you to write the book? Kevin Wilson: I knew I wanted to write about family, what it means to be born into something and how you eventually leave it behind to become your own person. But the biggest event that spurred me to write the book was the birth of my son, Griff. Once my wife and I became parents, I thought more and more about what the responsibility of caring for a baby meant and if our actions were helping or hurting our son. JG: What surprised you the most during the writing process? KW: How much I grew to care about the characters. I felt such an affinity for Annie and Buster, the children in the novel, that when I finished the book, I missed writing about them. I imagine it was the same feeling a parent has when a child leaves for college. They left me behind, but I still had more ideas for them. JG: What would you be doing if you weren’t a writer? KW: Most of my life, I’ve been a secretary, so I imagine I’d keep doing that. I am very good at taking orders and...