So the rioting in Paris has escalated to include many suburbs and cities. Denmark has had it's own problems. Germany and Belgium are reporting arsons they are not yet sure are related to the riotous activity.
Apparently, this sort of activity is not overly unusual in these predominantly immigrant, poor Paris suburbs, what is unusual is the length of time and the pandemic spread of the rioting. This blog of an American in Paris has some insightful details on the horrific events.
A fatwa has been issued by the Union of Islamic Organizations in France:
"It is formally forbidden to all Muslims seeking satisfaction and divine grace to participate in any action that blindly strikes private or public goods or that could threaten anyone's life."
It seems to have had little effect. And I am not surprised. Is this battle really a religious one? Are these Muslims fighting for their religious way of life, or are they fighting against the poverty, joblessness, and bereft lifestyles they are living?
One of the Greek news channels did a story about Greece's concerns for the spread of rioting here. They interviewed several Muslims and other immigrants, and their main complaints were lack of work, too much work for little reward, cost of living too expensive, hard to make ends meet. Well, slap my ass and call me Judy! Welcome to capitalism my immigrant friends! Don't tell me you immigrated to Point X (which could be anywhere in Western Europe or America) and expected life to be easy, full of money and promise and opportunity. This is what life is like for most of us just about everywhere in the Western world. Sure, there are people who get very rich. Most of us don't. But guess what, we are basically happy with our lot. We struggle, we save, we make ends meet, barely sometimes. But this is life. Noone ever made any promises otherwise.
I don't have a problem with immigration. I don't have a problem with Islam, except for the fundamentalists, and I feel pretty much the same way about the fundamentalists of any religion.
I do have a problem with immigrants expecting a golden cup and silver spoons when they arrive in a new country. Life just isn't like that. Getting work isn't easy for the educated these days, let alone the working class.
Obviously, the problems in France are deeper than just a couple of kids who got electrocuted climbing over a fence. But the actions of these few (a good many few, but few nonetheless) are not only ruining the lives of their so-called "oppressors" but also the lives of the people who are just like them. The actions of these few are ruining the chances for Muslim acceptance in Europe and America. The actions of these few are ruining whatever tolerance people had left for immigration and multiculturalism in Europe. Good job guys. The nationalistic right may just end up with their white Europe after all this is finished.
8 comments:
Nice post and well written. I have been trying to understand this rioting in France. I just don't get it! And at what point will the military step (or did they already and I just missed that part)?
On a lighter note, I laughed out loud when I read "Slap my ass and call me Judy" because I always say "Slap my ass and call me Frank"! I don't know why Frank, so don't ask.
Makes me think of a title to a movie that was called "Paris is Burning".
Cyn
Those who say they don't have a problem with immigration should not complain and shed crocodile tears at what is happening in France. This is only the tip of the iceberg. France was used to have these sporadic outbreaks of disaffection by its marginalized fringes. It was an accepted fact that 20.000 vehicles would be torched every year, after these latest outbursts expect a revised tally for the year.
The suburbs that are going up in flames are no longer considered French territory, they are muslim strongholds and the disturbances in progress is nothing but the racial vindication of a community that has taken over a territory , declared its own and expressing its political clout. Similar deplorable situations were experienced in Arhaus ( Denmark) where the cry of the Muslims was "Get out ,this is our land".
The next logical stage by the Govt. in France( they can not do otherwise since acknowledging the problem for what it is will shake the foundation of the state and its survival would be seriously compromised) is the granting of autonomy to these areas of muslim/african "liberated territories".
Some frenchmen will feel chagrined at having to look for new areas of settlement in newer suburbs, by the time they have settled down in their new neighbourhoods ,and forgotten 2005 , the next chapter of the muslim insurrection would be upon them again.
Yes, let's not look too deeply as to the cause of these riots. The answer stares us directly in our faces and yet, we call on the ever ready for action, "poverty" exculpation as the "logical" answer. There are many poor around the world, including many European countries, YET not much rioting and burning going on there.
As for Jean D'arc, I pray that France does not balkanize itself because that will be the beginning of end of Europe. Le Pen is your answer, use him. Send ALL of them home. ALL OF THEM.
As to the Fatwa, pure lipservice. From a commenter on Fjordman...
Meanwhile Muslims in France are openly stating their aims
Plans for further attacks have made their appearances in different blogs -- like that from "Brahim." "Nice work people," he writes. "The cops are petrified of us, everything must burn, starting Monday, the operation 'Midnight Sun' starts, tell everyone else, rendezvous for Momo and Abdul in Zone 4 ... jihad Islamia Allah Akhbar."
User "Samir's" message is just as threatening. "You don't really think that we're going to stop now? Are you stupid? It will continue, non-stop. We aren't going to let up. The French won't do anything and soon, we will be in the majority here."
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,383682,00.html
And
As I have noted and written several times before - the jihadis, rioters and the moderates act in concert.
The riots "are a blessing for them because it gives them the role of intermediary," says Gilles Kepel, a scholar who has studied and written extensively about the rise of Islam in France. That, in turn, puts them in a stronger position "to force concessions from the state," such as demanding a repeal of the law France passed last year banning headscarves from public schools, he says.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113133597175189820.html?mod=most_viewed_day
Also, it is more than "a few".
There is weakness and indecision on the government benches. The way I see it, the spineless exhortation by Chirac for a "spirit of dialogue and respect" with the mayhem makers sends a strong signal of incitement to more violence and bedlam. The way a french youth, Abdula,Philipe,Antoine, will interpret it is that for every act of violence the govt. rewards with with words of love, dialogue,spirit, respect and other romantic statements. They are not made to feel that they are breaking the law, but they are made to feel that they have grievances and the way to express them is with more violence, since as violence escalates the rewards and respect would be higher from the Govt.
Also the public, the French public remains uninformed and ignorant.
I think this rebellioon is political, like Jan D'arc remarks, these burning suburbs areas are liberated areas and the govt. has run out of ideas and options to implement. A good idea would be to impose a repatriation tax, of 20%-25%, and make a gift to all the disafected and agrieved victims of say 15.000-20.000-30.000 Euros and encourage them to return to their lands in a spirit of dialogue and respect, where their grievances may vanish in seconds, and with an amount of E20.000 they can make a grand start to rebuild their truncated lives in peace and harmony amongst their own kind.
France is undergoing a civil war, and no one seems to be aware of it.
The potential of it spreading to other countries hosting "liberated areas" is very grave indeed.
France is undergoing a civil war, and no one seems to be aware of it. - Lucy
Absolutely 100% correct. The notion that these are "disenfranchised youths" is total leftist drivel grasping at whatever remaining straws they have left in order to maintain the house of cards that they have exerted so much of their time and energy into building. Rightfully, this is beginning to fall and no amount of bleeding heart liberalism or MSM lies will prevent it. The reason is that these immigrants do not want to play along with the liberals. They want their own autonomy, country. Which boggles the mind because they already have one yet want another one.
I also agree with Lucy regarding incentive repatriation. I would like to further add that whatever percentage do not agree with the incentive, should then be deported with nothing. If one is too stupid to see the writing on the wall, then they deserve their lot. Same goes for Europe. The writing IS on the wall. READ IT!
How come the only person I ever trust to comment on poverty (and what it may or may not inspire, or permit someone else to inspire within you)
is someone who´s lived it?
And I know too little about what may be going on to pretend. I will say that in my short 2 years in Europe I have run across a blind, reflex-driven racism, particularly toward Arabs and North Africans, most virulent among the seemingly well educated French I've met, and a fair number of Spaniards, too, that has shocked me. And I don't see integration or an understanding of what that would mean. The hopeless outsiders in my home town, Chicago, are the poor who have been in the US, as families, a lot longer than my family, which is Irish and now wholeheartedly mainstream with just a little too much green on St Pat's. The NEW immigrants have gone into business, politics, and better neighborhoods where you can't tell where you are by the every family's last name.
Just wondering if there might be more here than meets the preprogrammed eye. And admitting I don't really know.
sorry, it's 3 am.
End of first line of 2nd para (And I..) should read to pretend I understand the cause or have the answer.
oops
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