Right Wing Nut House

11/4/2005

AH! TO BE YOUNG, IN LOVE, AND IN PARIS IN THE FALL…

Filed under: WORLD POLITICS — Rick Moran @ 3:46 pm

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.

8 Comments

  1. Do the French know what the word “reality” means? They are sitting behind a cultural Maginot Line.

    Comment by stackja — 11/4/2005 @ 8:14 pm

  2. I’m trying to maintain a detached observer status in this dustup. In particular, I’m wondering just how long the French government is going to wring their hands and hope it all ends. Chirac needs to draw a line and stand by it. I just don’t think he’s capable.

    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.

    Nicely written.

    Comment by Giacomo — 11/4/2005 @ 9:20 pm

  3. Is it possible that the French (assholes) thought that the wolves would eat them last?

    Now they know, (no they don’t because they never learn) that appeasment never works with hungry animals.

    Why are they hungry animals? Because the French (assholes) never included and aided them to become part of the whole. Being shuffled off to the slum will grow howling wolves. They are now in their streets, deal with it!

    Comment by diamond — 11/5/2005 @ 5:53 pm

  4. When I was in Paris (20 yrs ago) I stayed in a Hostel south of town in an Asian suburb. If the problems here are purely economic as the MSM wants us to believe, then the Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotion and Hmong populaces must be up in arms as well. Something tells me only the islamic radicals are behind this. Until everyone admits this fact, then Paris (and Berlin?) will continue to burn.

    The French have ignored this for so long the only solution may be Napolean’s “whiff of grapeshot.”

    Comment by Eno — 11/6/2005 @ 10:35 am

  5. Carnival of the Vicious, Invading Paleface Bastards #5

    Welcome once again to the biggest (and only) carnival dedicated to the great state of Illinois, home to the World-Series-winning White Sox and the Karl-Rove-losing Patrick Fitzgerald, where children sort of get sort of guaranteed health care and the on…

    Trackback by Conservative Cat — 11/7/2005 @ 3:06 am

  6. WWIV Comes to France

    When we look back after 9/11, we realized that the Islamist war against the West had been going on for years. But some nations thought they could sit on the sidelines and remain safe. France has bent over forward so many times to appease those that …

    Trackback by geosciblog — 11/8/2005 @ 9:24 am

  7. It’s really sad to read all these comments. You’re all dreaming about an islamic war in france because of the french disagree with iraq war? We’re living a social problem that’s wright, no more. This kind of comments are justs readable in US blogs, every european country understand what the riots problems are about, can’t you see farest your paranoiac fantasms?
    No one in france have any regrets not to be in Iraq today, that’s a reality. Another is that we’re all deeply against terrorism and our police is working on it. At this time, french police make a very good job close and coordinated with US, german and UK police.
    There is no islamic army today that can invade or win against US or european army, their only objective today is to brind fear and hate in occidental minds. You’re showing they’re begining to succeed.

    Comment by tristan — 11/11/2005 @ 6:41 am

  8. I think it is a sad affair with the current riots in France. I realize that they brought it on themselves in many ways, but many have said the same thing about 9/11. While I have no love for the French, in fact I hold a lot of contempt for the stoopid frogs, I think it is a disturbing sight.

    I just wonder how long untill the frenchies surrender?

    Comment by Burt — 3/22/2006 @ 11:49 pm

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