"It would be better for ads to focus on positive American values and the virtues of American life, like freedom and democracy, than on overt symbols," she added.

Soon after the Senate vote on the Confederate flag insignia, which opponents saw as an overt symbol of racism, Helms ran into Moseley Braun in an elevator.

The revival of interest in fur today is "an indication perhaps that overt symbols of wealth, status and sexuality are again the main driving forces behind fashion's advancement," the catalog suggests.

Muslim head scarves are banned in French public schools, and women working for the government are not allowed to wear them to work on the theory that such overt religious symbols are divisive.

In the film, the hamlet is an overt symbol of drug-free suburban childhood innocence.

These are overt symbols.

For instance, since 2004 France has banned all overt religious symbols including the Muslim headscarf.

Teaching personnel in government-operated schools must not, by law, endorse any political or religious point of view; they may also face sanctions for wearing overt religious symbols.

Mr President, I want to raise the issue of various moves in some Member States, notably France, to ban the wearing of so-called overt religious symbols.

Cases like the one in France have been portrayed as a defense of the secular state - the need to keep overt religious symbols out of state schools.