Sorry, I should have been a bit more precise in my language (I was going for broad image). Factionalism plagued Ancient Greek city-states of Oligarchs vs. Democrats. In Rome, it was Plebs vs. Patricians. In all cases, cities with collaborative governmental institutions (not democracies, but not autocracies either), whenever a faction would gain control of the city, their instinct was to purge the city of their rivals. It's this spirit that I'm objecting to. I wasn't literally referring to Sparta as Sparta.
And that's fine. For that argument, it can be justifiable (although problematic in that it doesn't distinguish between women who voluntarily want to wear and and those who don't). What I disliked was Shaytan's argument of "the majority wants it, so fuck the small minority." That's the thing I dislike. If the concern is entirely about protecting women from oppression (and, obviously, doesn't punish the victim, i.e., the woman wearing the burka), it's justifiable. That's a societal interest that isn't targeting a minority because of who they are.
Well, I was going to go with Hitler originally, but I decided to modernize it
I figured a more dramatic illustration was needed, since obviously my Athens-Sparta metaphor missed the mark.
But there are legitimate arguments to be made in favour of such laws. I disagree with plenty of my country's and other countries' laws, too. It doesn't necessarily mean those countries are oppressive or worse than others.
-- But then why should I tell France what to do? -- You'll do it your way; so be it.
