French Riots Continue 18 Days Later

[Gawain 0]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,175459,00.html

It's an AP article, so don't get your knickers in a twist. The French government is measuring its success (failure) in terms of number of cars being burned.

That's f**k**g retarded.

WTF? How they don't view this as a dire threat to their own national security is beyond me. The entire national police force is preoccupied and for some reason, they are reluctant to start using decisive force against these punks.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[SudsyFist 0]

From the article:

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Officials already are turning their attention to helping riot-hit towns recover: European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso proposed Sunday that the European Union give $58 million to France, and said it could make up to $1.17 billion available in longer-term support for suburban jobs and social cohesion.

I certainly hope they're allocating these funds for recovery from damage related to the riots, not as a reward.

[billvon 3,132]

>The French government is measuring its success (failure) in terms of
>number of cars being burned . . . That's f**k**g retarded.

That's the right wing press for ya, always seeing the bad side of things. Did you know that last week they opened two new schools in France? But you'll never see that in the right wing media, because all they care about is making France look bad to advance their anti-French political agenda . . .

[Gawain 0]

I like this one better, and I hope they don't tuck-tails over it either:

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Within the next few days, France is expected to start deporting foreigners implicated in the violence, a plan by law-and-order Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy that has raised concerns among human rights groups, and questions among other ministers.

As to the monetary part, I hope they use it to pay the expenses of deportation and buy new cars for those that lost them and repair other personal property damage. Of course, that "social cohesion" smacks of real bullsh*t to me and don't expect any real "healing" per se.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[Gawain 0]

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>The French government is measuring its success (failure) in terms of
>number of cars being burned . . . That's f**k**g retarded.

That's the right wing press for ya, always seeing the bad side of things.

Nice try Bill, you apparently didn't read the by-line, it says: Associated Press.

Meanwhile, the AP has another story published on CNN, saying the same thing http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/11/14/france.rioting.ap/index.html:

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Overnight, the number of car-torchings -- a barometer of the unrest -- dropped dramatically, with youths setting fire to 284 vehicles, compared to 374 the previous night, police said Monday.

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Did you know that last week they opened two new schools in France? But you'll never see that in the right wing media, because all they care about is making France look bad to advance their anti-French political agenda . . .

Did you know that kids won't be allowed freedom of speech or expression in those schools? Of course, freedom of expression would allow these students to figure out how to adjust to the realities of their socialistic surroundings and not get crunched into the pressure cooker that sparked these riots in the first place.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[Frenchy68 0]

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Did you know that kids won't be allowed freedom of speech or expression in those schools?

How so?

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[billvon 3,132]

>Did you know that kids won't be allowed freedom of speech or
>expression in those schools?

Did you hear a sort of whooshing noise as you posted that?

[christelsabine 1]

Did you know that kids won't be allowed freedom of speech or expression in those schools? Of course, freedom of expression would allow these students to figure out how to adjust to the realities of their socialistic surroundings and not get crunched into the pressure cooker that sparked these riots in the first place.

[ReBirth 0]

But what about all the good things that have happened in France in the past week? Why hasn't that been reported?

I heard the whoosh

[Gawain 0]

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Did you know that kids won't be allowed freedom of speech or expression in those schools?

How so?

Students in France are no longer allowed to express their religion in school. Muslim women can not wear their head scarf, Jewish people cannot wear their cap (I can't remember what it is called), or a Star of David, Christians cannot wear a cross, etc.

Wonder if this kind of suppression is what helped to contribute to the feelings being improperly expressed by many rioters. Hmmm...

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[Frenchy68 0]

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Students in France are no longer allowed to express their religion in school. Muslim women can not wear their head scarf, Jewish people cannot wear their cap (I can't remember what it is called), or a Star of David, Christians cannot wear a cross, etc.

Very true. There are schools in LA where certain colors (associated with gangs) are banned. There are also schools in the US where a certain dress code is being enforced. I, for one, would not claim that such restrictions make freedom of speech and expression inexistant in US schools. Whether it is a good thing or not that such itens are restricted is another debate.

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Wonder if this kind of suppression is what helped to contribute to the feelings being improperly expressed by many rioters. Hmmm...

I doubt that the huge majority of rioters had any clear religious or political revendications. I think much like the rioting and looting in LA few years ago, it may have started as a spontanious movement (however violent and repressible it was), but degenerated into a free for all mob looting party with no clear agenda other than "doing what the others are doing".

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[rushmc 23]

....but....but.......they choose not to report on the riots until what.............three or four days after they started?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Gawain 0]

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Students in France are no longer allowed to express their religion in school. Muslim women can not wear their head scarf, Jewish people cannot wear their cap (I can't remember what it is called), or a Star of David, Christians cannot wear a cross, etc.

Very true. There are schools in LA where certain colors (associated with gangs) are banned. There are also schools in the US where a certain dress code is being enforced. I, for one, would not claim that such restrictions make freedom of speech and expression inexistant in US schools. Whether it is a good thing or not that such itens are restricted is another debate.

Valid point. However, there is a fundamental difference. Freedom of speech does not allow the open expression advocating violence or disturbance (like yelling "fire") in the US. Not being a gang member, I wouldn't know one gang expression from the next in an LA school. Also, the policies are not a federal law, unlike in France. Additionally, dress codes do not infringe on one's ability to express fundamental freedoms as guaranteed in our Constitution. (Other than that, I think dress codes can be silly)

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Wonder if this kind of suppression is what helped to contribute to the feelings being improperly expressed by many rioters. Hmmm...

I doubt that the huge majority of rioters had any clear religious or political revendications. I think much like the rioting and looting in LA few years ago, it may have started as a spontanious movement (however violent and repressible it was), but degenerated into a free for all mob looting party with no clear agenda other than "doing what the others are doing".

Actually, I think one can make certain comparisons on a social level. The difference is in terms of length of time, the similarities are in terms of the "have-nots" in a manner of speaking. It's no secret that these "minorities" (whatever their race, religion, economic status) get stepped on a lot.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[Frenchy68 0]

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Also, the policies are not a federal law, unlike in France

France is not a federation, but a Republic, much like US individual states.

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Additionally, dress codes do not infringe on one's ability to express fundamental freedoms as guaranteed in our Constitution. (Other than that, I think dress codes can be silly)

Same in France. Not being able to wear a burqa or veil does not prevent one from expressing his/her religious believes. But I agree with the silliness of dress codes.

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Actually, I think one can make certain comparisons on a social level. The difference is in terms of length of time, the similarities are in terms of the "have-nots" in a manner of speaking. It's no secret that these "minorities" (whatever their race, religion, economic status) get stepped on a lot.

I totally agree. It is a sociological issue, not a religious one.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."