On 27 October 2005, the deaths of two African teenagers sparked off riots in poor northeastern suburbs of Paris. As of today [9 November 2005], the riots have spread to more than 300 French cities and urban unrest is growing in other European countries. While the deaths of the youths were the catalyst to the violence, other factors are involved, including the language used by Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy to describe his plans to fight crime.
Vous en avez assez de cette bande de racaille ? Eh bien, on va vous en débarrasser.
These words were spoken by French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy during a visit to Argenteuil on 25 October. English-language newspapers have translated this as "You've had enough of this band of scum? Well, we're going to get rid of them for you," which doesn't quite do justice to the word racaille. Sub-human, evil, worthless, and dregs of society would be closer to the mark.
In recent months, Sarkozy has also referred to hoodlums as "gangrene," and has talked about the need to nettoyer au Kärcher (or Kärchériser) certain cities. The English translation of this in the news, "to clean," is wholly inadequate. A Kärcher is a brand of power washer, and thus Sarkozy's suggestion of "power washing" to get rid of certain populations smacks of ethnic cleansing. Small wonder that these remarks helped to inflame underprivileged French youths already dealing with racism on a daily basis.
Questions or comments?
More info: Les ainés des quartiers - Discussion between a reporter and two neighborhood elders in Clichy-sous-Bois who are trying to calm down the situation.
«Il faut que Sarkozy s'excuse ou démissionne» - Libération
Traveling in France | Race Relations | Islam
More: French in the news, 2000 to 2009
Vous en avez assez de cette bande de racaille ? Eh bien, on va vous en débarrasser.
These words were spoken by French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy during a visit to Argenteuil on 25 October. English-language newspapers have translated this as "You've had enough of this band of scum? Well, we're going to get rid of them for you," which doesn't quite do justice to the word racaille. Sub-human, evil, worthless, and dregs of society would be closer to the mark.
In recent months, Sarkozy has also referred to hoodlums as "gangrene," and has talked about the need to nettoyer au Kärcher (or Kärchériser) certain cities. The English translation of this in the news, "to clean," is wholly inadequate. A Kärcher is a brand of power washer, and thus Sarkozy's suggestion of "power washing" to get rid of certain populations smacks of ethnic cleansing. Small wonder that these remarks helped to inflame underprivileged French youths already dealing with racism on a daily basis.
Questions or comments?
More info: Les ainés des quartiers - Discussion between a reporter and two neighborhood elders in Clichy-sous-Bois who are trying to calm down the situation.
«Il faut que Sarkozy s'excuse ou démissionne» - Libération
Traveling in France | Race Relations | Islam
More: French in the news, 2000 to 2009
Comments
I found it interesting that the “elders” who were interviewed were in their early thirties. It did not strike me that these “elders” were trying to calm things down. In fact it seemed to me that they were doing the opposite.
There are so many issues of perspective here. Intellectuals tend to see everything through a Marxist lens, perceiving the riots as a class struggle between the privileged and the underprivileged. A different perspective is that the Muslim immigrants are rioting not because they are underprivileged but rather because they despise and have utter contempt for French government and French culture and wish to destroy both.
There are irreconcilable differences between the subculture of the banlieue and traditional French culture particularly with regard to the role of women. Increasing incidents of brutal gang rape in the banlieue illustrate the degradation of women that is intrinsic to this violent subculture.
Tocqueville observed that the French intellectuals of the Revolution were among the most enthusiastic proponents of a regime that would ultimately send intellectuals to the guillotine. With birthrates exploding in the banlieue, it seems that soon today’s intellectuals will be able to personally test the validity of their current theories about racism and “underprivileged French youth”.
La belle France destine
Le plus cher enfant mourant
Mon amour est la douleur
Trop d’années de guerre et de chagrin
Vous ont rendus faibles et mou
Mais il n’y a aucune sympathie à la ouceur
Le lion ne s’allongera jamais avec l’agneau
Vous êtes le plus bel enfant
Mais le lion a faim et la beauté ne remplit pas d’abdomens vides
La beauté n’est pas assez
L’amour n’est pas assez
Dieu n’est pas charitable et donc nous devons être forts