France's Troubles: Learning from US
I know that there are some people who are celebrating France's
recent troubles with delicious glee. I guess I can understand
how they feel, given France's ongoing hypocrisy concerning the
Iraq War [hmmm...whose hand is in that oil-for-food cookie jar?]
and the all too common and world renowned snooty attitude
displayed by many Francophiles toward outsiders. Time for you to
eat some humble pie, France. Your troubles are upon you but they
can be resolved. Guess what? You have to look at America's
example for your solution. I am not smiling...okay, maybe just a
bit.
So, there you have it. France is in a pickle and they aren't
quite sure why. I have three Latin words for the French to
consider:
E Pluribus, Unum
Translated in English it means this: Out of many, one. In
France, immigrants remain outsiders always while in America we
assimilate new folks. One or two generations after moving to
France, many Muslim young people [born in France] feel as if
they are on the outskirts of French society. They dress
differently, talk differently, and they live in enclaves apart
from the native French people. In short, they have no real
future. Yes, their religion is different but that shouldn't
matter given France's and the whole of Europe's embrace of
secularism and the eschewing of all things Christian. Hmmm,
perhaps that is part of the problem too.
Anyway, I am not saying we in America are perfect given our
history of civil rights. Still, fifty years removed from Rosa
Park's defiant and brave act and forty years after many marches
on Washington, DC [as well as on capitols across our fair land]
we here in America have learned our lesson.
I believe it is time for the French to take a chapter from the
pages of our American history books in order for them to get
through this difficult time. If they do not, additional unrest
can be expected. Let not arrogance rule the day; this is a time
for the people of France to stand up and demand that her leaders
respond accordingly.