American conservatives who fret that God has been taken out of the public square ought to take a look at what is happening in France right now, where leaders in parliament have called for a ban of any visible religious symbol in the schools there.

Meanwhile, supposed defender of Muslim sovereignty French President Jacques Chirac said in a speech that the head scarves and veils Muslim girls wear to school “ostentatious signs of religious proselytism” that are “aggressive” in nature.

The focus in the United States is, as it should be, on ensuring that the government does not endorse or establish any particular religion or religious expression. France wants to rid public life of any religious expression, period. Muslims here may be targets of counter-terrorist snoops, and they may be deproted just for registering with the government, but at least their daughters can wear their scarves to school.