so france systematically fails to properly address the issues within its immigrant/lower-class populations, literally ignoring the banlieus for decades and preferring not to see them or account for them in its proud vision of itself.
the president admits as much, as have many other french politicians throughout the decades, normally whenever some pop-cultural aspect goes vogue, such as a trendy film that 'with it' politicos can't ignore (la haine) or some french rapper blows up. yes, yes, we have ignored it for long enough ... all the right expiatory noises.
but at the same time they insist that the problem is islam, and not only is it islam, it's a religion in crisis 'globally'. and, to stress how much responsibility the french state takes for the ghetto conditions of its poor ex-colonial subjects, city mayors delight in ridiculing and mocking the central figure of said subjects' religion. it's because they're so secular and enlightened, you see! france is above religion! not that you'll ever see jesus or the catholic faith mocked with barely contained glee by parochial city mayors or populist demagogues. no, france is merely demonstrating its proud tradition of freedom ... to be selectively insulting to the religion of its poorest and most deprived demographic.
but wait! look! terror attacks! proof surely that tens, if not hundreds, of millions of muslims are in fact the problem. an enemy in our midst!
at least they pretend to take some national responsibility in their mess when making political speeches or writing long newspaper thinkpieces, i guess. french metropolitan liberals are a confused and barely coherent bunch, though. it's the same people who will tell you seriously that you can't insult their wife or be misogynist, that you must police your language around women, sex workers, and so on; but they're all for freedom of expression when it's making a mockery of one of the central tenets of someone else's faith. how odd.
Last edited by uziq (2020-10-29 06:33:08)
