AmericaBlog et les émeutes françaises
Il n'y a pas que les médias du mainstream (MSM) qui s'intéressent aux émeutes françaises : les blogs aussi ! Et l'exemple de AmericaBlog.org est instructif... Vous pouvez consulter la totalité du post initial et des commentaires en cliquant ici. Mais voici un petit aperçu. Extraits du post de "Chris in Paris".
Paris rioting continues for another night - PM drags his feet
For years Europeans have loved to talk about racism in America and yes, it has been a problem and continues to be a problem. One big difference as I see it is that in the US there have been attempts to address this problem. Americans also talk about the problem whereas in Europe, it's not widely discussed or debated and people just ignore it all.
Much like in the old south, people who are not white can get lousy, low paying jobs to sweep floors but oh no, don't ask for anything more. There have been some fields where these people could rise above this but in general there is such desperation within these poor areas because people do not see their situations improving.
I'm completely against the violence but am not surprised by it. I almost wonder how it has managed to stay calm for so long because these areas just never seem to improve even after two or three generations. Without jobs and without seeing any future, this is what happens.
Whenever the rioting finally stops, France and Europe are going to have to get serious and take a long hard look at their own policies and figure out how to create opportunity for everyone, regardless of name or skin color. The problem over here though is that people really hate change so change is going to take time.
La France ressemble donc au "vieux Sud", par une sorte d'esclavage moderne qu'elle continue de cultiver. Un retard remarquable par rapport aux Etats-Unis qui gèrent leur situation, tant bien que mal, mais qui ont l'avantage d'en parler ouvertement. Sachant que nous, français, détestons tout changement.
Lire cet article (et les commentaires qui suivent) est stimulant. Au delà de l'énervement causé par la comparaison au vieux sud esclavagiste... une analyse de la situation française à travers une grille de lecture si américaine me semble éclairante. D'une part, elle montre encore une fois combien nous nous attirons/détestons réciproquement sans jamais nous comprendre entre Américains et Français. Et d'autre part, bien que toutes les idées émises ne soient pas bonnes à prendre, certaines remarques vont au delà des prejuges.
Justement, jetons un coup d'oeil aux commentaires. Ici, les constructifs (et ensuite un petit florilège des perles que j'ai pu lire...).
>> I still don't understand how you can compare this to racism against African Americans in this country. It is not the same thing at all. These Muslims went to France voluntarily, they weren't brought in as slaves.
>> I'm just wondering what's worse - living in Africa and fitting in with society, or living in Europe but being excluded from the main society?
>> This situation is not even close to the civil rights struggle African-Americans have endured. Though every disenchanted group wants to use it as an excuse, they forget Martin L King was non-violent and follwed the ways of Ghandi - a Hindu.
>> I guess it is hard for Americans to understand why these riots are taking place. The interracial dynamic is so different here in Europe. People have a different view of what it means to be French or German. Their countries weren't built from the start by immigrants and they don't embrace the idea of a melting pot.
>> Believe it or not, Europe cannot take on an unlimited number of immigrants, and illegal immigration is out of control. The huge immigrant ghettos have formed in very little time, not enough to assimilate them. (…) Allow only those that can be effectively integrated in, and not one more. Those that arrive should be treated in a way that gives them the rights and means no less and no more than any native born citizen.
>> I know there are no easy answers, but just saying that rioting happens because those poor kids are being treated with racism fixes NOTHING. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and righteous, but it doesn't address the problem; too many have come in too short a time.
>> The problem here in France is that instead of actually looking at the problem, dealing with it, communicating about it; they will probably come up with a bunch of kooky laws. They love laws here.
>> I guess it goes against the French grain, but what they need is affirmative action for these people.
Beaucoup beaucoup d’idées, bonnes ou non, en peu de lignes… Concernant le dernier commentaire, je ne suis pas sûre que plaquer l’idée de la discrimination positive, née aux Etats-Unis, dans le contexte américain et avec la manière de penser américaine, soit la solution-miracle. Ne serait-ce que parce que la France l’analyse comme une création de nouvelles inégalites. Certes pour pallier des injustices, mais des inégalites tout de même.
De nombreux commentaires insitent sur les différences historiques de nos immigrations respectives. Tout en précisant que la France n’est toujours pas claire sur la vision de son passé colonial.
>> I wholeheartedly feel that in Europe many people cling to the past, to the glory days of Empire and Colonialism. Never mind that millions were subjected to slavery and exploitation. As such this leads to a perhaps subconscious and ingrained belief that immigrants, Muslim, African and otherwise, are not "real" Europeans who deserve a fair shake.
D’accord ou pas, il est toujours intéressant de voir quel regard est porté sur la France depuis l’extérieur. Et maintenant, un petit best-of ? Quelques perles glanées au milieu des commentaires :
>> I agree totally! Being out of work is more than enough justification for dousing a crippled woman with lighter fluid and setting her on fire! (reacting over “sans-culotte” posting “That's enough reason to riot over the first flatulence”.)
>> I agree with this view of Europe. When we compare Europe to the US on race relations and immigration, the US is so far ahead it's amazing. I posit that this is one of the main reasons why the US is economically ahead of Europe.
>> The muslims do not want to integrate. They want to come to another country and keep their 6th century viewpoints about women and gays and expect to be treated equally. I think if you come into another nation, you shouldn't EXPECT things to be given to you, you should work hard for it, like the immigrants from 100 years ago had to.
>> Why do European countires allow African and Asian immigration? They don't want colored people and non-Christians in their countries.
>> The French do have a very snobbish attitude towards America and our problems with racism. And it's so true that they barely acknowledge their own, although I've never heard so many derogatory terms used in casual conversation as I hear here. It is such a huge elephant in the room.
Et mon petit préféré :
>> Them people in France cain't even speak English.
No comment on the comment...
M.S.