Danish, French Laws Requires New Citizens to Shake Hands— An Offense for Some Jews and Muslims

France has found a new way to deny citizenship to Muslims and Jews: require a handshake during the citizenship ceremony. For observant Muslims and Jews, any touching between the sexes is strictly prohibited. In other words, these nations are requiring people to make a choice between citizenship and religious observance—an absurd choice that is based on the idea that a good citizen is a person who assimilates.

Denmark’s handshake law goes into effect on January 1^st.

France has already denied citizenship on these grounds. An Algerian woman refused to shake hands with male officials at a French naturalization ceremony. France’s top administrative court ruled that she cannot become a citizen, saying that her refusal “in a place and at a moment that are symbolic, reveals a lack of assimilation.”

The court rejected her explanation that she cannot shake hands with a man due to her religious convictions.

The men in the picture presumably cannot touch a woman’s hand but they can hold each other’s hands and comply with their religious precepts. France and Denmark have much to learn from them.