Fear and Loathing in France?
Drinking: A very average Merlot
Listening to: 'Minefields' from Prodigy
Location: Hotel Osaka
I just received an email from a cousin of mine that she forwarded while expressing her outrage about its content. This email focuses upon Antisemitism in France. Here is my answer to the originator...
Reading this email saddened me, not because of the acts described within it or the mere concept behind those acts, this I am unfortunately accustomed to thanks to my past life and the daily news, but because of the following reasons:
- Firstly, the level of misinformation and pseudo-journalistic myopia expressed in the email is alarming. The author emphasizes the need to remain informed, which I thoroughly agree with. I suggest we all start by turning off Fox News as a preemptive strike against brain-draining propaganda. However, the author's plea for information flies in the face of outdated events and somewhat spotty incidents. Nevertheless, the degraded nature of the reports should not in any way take away from the gravity of the actions. May I suggest we place them back in perspective though? Almost all the presented incidents occurred in suburban or urban areas considered unsafe, and plagued with a high delinquency rate. I used to live near Bondy and I can tell you that the Bronx has nothing on it! Thus, given the high crime rate affecting these areas, it is logical to consider that the amount of hate crime is also going to be considerably higher than anywhere else in the country. Also, poor urban areas are often inhabited by immigrants, many of them being Muslims. There is a well known effort by radical Muslim factions to mobilize confused youth in a fight against perceived enemies. These individuals use the same tactics that are used anywhere else in the world to inspire terror and spread hate and violence. As Sara mentioned it, France's imperialistic past came back to haunt Her and the country now has to deal with a large Muslim population that contains fringe extremist elements. So if we consider that the hate crimes are the product of fringe extremists who live in urban ghettos, how is it possible to deduct that France is a haven of anti-Antisemitism? To put it in perspective, should African nations boycott the US for all the hate crimes involving African Americans? Should Israel boycott the US because of the 1500+ anti Semitic crimes committed on our ground every year? Yes, indeed, some US citizens are also displaying anti Antisemitism! Maybe we should boycott ourselves; or maybe we should put reported information in perspective and think a while before jumping to conclusion.
- Secondly, I do not really understand how suggesting a boycott of French products is going to solve the specific problem we are facing. Given, as we mentioned it earlier, these attacks originate from an extremist, violent fringe of minorities living in France and some originate from an extremist violent fringe of the native French population influenced by the excretive theories of the neo Nazis, how can we impact the situation by applying economic sanctions to non-prejudiced, law abiding and mostly peace loving citizens. I feel that this statement implies that the French government condones these anti-Semitic activities, which is beyond insulting. Not only has France proven to be a safe haven for faiths, ethnicities and philosophies of all types, but laws are in place that severely punish any hate crime. The government is very active in solving and punishing such crimes and hinting at its condonation of hate-based acts is as misinformed as it ridiculous.
- Thirdly, I resent the suggestion that France is akin to a spider Web in the wind under external pressure. Coming from a family that has fought many wars, since the middle ages, defended innocents and lost their freedom or lives in the name of these causes, I take as a personal insult the commonly agreed, mediatic pun that stamps the French with a cowardly attitude. I would expect better from the originator of such a document than to brandish such idiotic imagery pushed by the misinformed and the ill-intentioned.
- Last but certainly not least, I would like to make an appeal to you, the readers. Please consider the fact that our world is never going to be perfect and that prejudice, hate and violence are always going to be a significant part of humans’ daily activities and thought patterns. Be ready to put your life at risk to protect the innocents, the victimized, the oppressed, not in a foreign land but right here in your streets, wherever you are. And, even if perfection is out of reach, change is possible and it starts with you. Change does not imply boycotting this group or that group, it does not involve indignant yet safe Internet diatribes against a perceived enemy, nor does it require violence of the mind or the body. Change is brought about by all of us, every day, when we open our heart to difference and welcome others as they are, without prejudice and labeling. This attitude will transcend tribes, religions, armies, factions and elevate us to what we truly are: human.
I will leave you with John Lennon's lyrics. May you bear them in your heart wherever you go
"Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace"
Now go and make the world a better place...
Pierre out...
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