For more than 2,000 years the city of Paris has captivated people from all over the western world, beckoning lovers with a combination of mystery and romantic fantasy. Even when the city was a simple collection of mud huts plunked down in the middle of an island on the Seine river, one could imagine city boosters sending out word that their swampy little slice of paradise was a grand place to go if you were young, in love, and didn’t mind the stink.

“Fluctuat nec mergitur” is the city’s motto, Latin for “she is buffeted by the waves but she does not sink.” Judging by what’s been going on the last eight gruesome nights, Parisians are experiencing a lot of “fluctuat” and are certainly in danger of “mergitur”-ing. Rioting by “youths” as British media is calling the gangs of mini-Osamas and Arafat wannabees who are methodically cutting a path of destruction through the suburbs of the City of Lights, threatens to cause the cynical Parisians to actually raise an eyebrow in surprise. Unless something drastic is done and soon, the French may wake up one day with their smug little world of cradle-to-grave benefits and fantasies about being a world power again destroyed by their own haughty arrogance.

It’s too easy to blame the riots on poverty or living conditions, or lack economic opportunity for the unassimilated Muslim children who have discovered a way to tweak the nose of their tormentors. Ignored, shuffled off into the corners of society with little prospect to rise above their assigned place in the rigidly sterile social hierarchy of their adopted country, this generation of Muslims has apparently had enough and is in the process of demonstrating that “tolerance” and “understanding” are words empty of meaning if the word “freedom” isn’t included.

I don’t think that the rioters are out to establish Sha’ria law in France. But the term “intifada” which is being bandied about to describes their actions may be pretty close to the truth. They don’t see the French as occupiers. But they definitely see them as oppressors. What that must do to the high falutin self image of the French I can only guess. It must be hard to realize simply having good intentions and mouthing platitudinous nonsense about tolerance means jack to people who are reminded every day by every gesture and facial expression that you don’t belong. That you are different. And that there is no chance you will ever really measure up because you’re not part of the tribe.

Before those in this country are tempted to compare the plight of Muslims in France with African Americans here please don’t show your ignorance by doing so. The situation for Muslims in the last 40 years in France has remained static, basically unchanged. Only the most committed racialists in this country would say the same about the status of African Americans here.

Watching as French officials wring their hands while threatening dire consequences if the rioting continues only emboldens the rioters. I suspect that eventually, the army will have to be called in to deal with the unrest. And France will be fortunate indeed if the rioting isn’t nationwide in 72 hours. Will all of Europe explode if the riots continue and cause Muslim minorities to emulate their cousins in France? At the very least, it will cause all of Europe to pause and take stock which will probably not lead to substantive change but may start a dialog of sorts with Muslim communities.

I’m not ashamed to say that in a perverse sort of way, I am getting enormous satisfaction watching the rioters make the French out to be the hypocritical bastards they always accuse America of being. During the riots in Los Angeles following the Rodney King verdict, French pundits boasted that it could never happen in a country as tolerant and enlightened as France. I wonder what they’re saying now? After all, this is the country where in 1961, police murdered from 70-200 Algerian protesters and unceremoniously dumped their bodies in the Seine. And for all their talk of being freedom lovers, the French government suppressed that story for almost 30 years, censoring media that published anything about it.

I do sincerely hope that the authorities can get a grip and start to break the back of the intifada. For all the damage being done, the fact that they only arrested 80 people last night is a surprise. With thousands taking part in the disturbances, perhaps a firmer hand would be in order. Taking people off the streets and throwing them wholesale in jail may seem draconian but it might just break the momentum of the riots and allow the situation to sputter out.

I doubt France will wake up when this is over and place the blame where it belongs - on their own overarching hubris. They’ve been so busy looking down their Gallic noses at the rest of us that they’ve failed to see the wolf standing right in front of them. And now that wolf is through the door and is running wild in the house.

Time for the French to take a reality check before it’s too late.