France Riots

If you've been watching the news about what's been going on in France, I just want to reassure that I am no where near any of the violence. It's been mostly in Paris and area. There's been a bit of trouble in Marseille but I live in a quiet suburb and am home well before dark. A few days ago it started to spread around the country, and now I've seen heard of some stuff happening in Germany and Holland.

It started with the deaths of 2 North African teens in Paris but escalated dramatically when the French Interior Minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, called the rioters "scum" and said that France was going to "clear them out". The English translations I've seen don't really do justice to his harsh words. See the link www.french.about.com/b/a/049351.htm to get a better idea of what he really said and meant and how the rioters would have interpreted it. Many are calling for his apology or for him to step down from his job. I have to agree but now it's a bit late for an apology. And really, what do you say to a people that you've called sub-human and that you've hinted to about ethnic cleansing?

There's a lot of anger on both sides now (the rioters and police). Last night was a bit better, less violence, I think in part because of a curfew law and state of emergency that Chirac called for yesterday. Most of the rioters are 2nd or 3rd generation immigrants (most from North Africa). They live in poor neighbourhoods, get little education and there's a high unemployment rate (due to their low education and racism). There's been a lot of build up to these riots and I hope that the government finally takes action on changing some social policies to help better their lives and get them out of the cycle of unemployment, hopelessness and violence. And to educate the rest of France to break the cycle of racism and judgment. Although I don't agree at all with their actions, I can understand the pent up frustrations and anger, in fact it reminds me a bit of the struggles of Canada's First Nations peoples.

But this isn't the way to deal with it! In fact, instead of getting sympathy and support from the rest of France and the world, the rioters are creating more of a problem. Adding to the fires of hatred, judgment, racism and violence, the rioters are spreading the exact thing they may have (in the beginning) set out to change. Thousands of euros have already been spent in a somewhat vain effort to stop the violence. And now much more money will have to be spent in repairing schools, shops, hospitals, public transportation and police stations. Money that could have gone towards adding to social reforms or educational grants. How is burning down a day care centre and an elementary school a positive step forward? How is throwing a fire bomb onto a bus full of people bringing resolution? What good is this doing for the country? For their cause? Not much in my opinion. It would have been better to continue with talks, reforms, and peaceful demonstrations. The rioters have the world's attention now. But the after effects, I fear, will mostly be negative.

Ironic thing is with all this violence and civil-war like behaviour, France looks a lot like the countries that their grandparents and parents fled from 30+ years ago. I've heard a few Algerian refugees comment that the news in France looks like the Algeria they fled from during the civil war in the 60's.

When will this end? When will peace reign again? Who knows! But this is just a small picture of how unsettled France is right now. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité! The hallmark moto of France since it's revolution in 1789. Freedom, equality, brotherhood. Will France as a nation live up to its over 200 year old slogan?