Top News Article | Reuters.com This has been going on for a week and is hardly mentioned in the US Media out of political correctness. Riots that last this long are problematic.
PARIS (Reuters) – Hundreds of youths clashed with police overnight and shots were reportedly fired at police as unrest in poor Paris suburbs entered a second week, piling pressure on France’s conservative government.
Youths rampaged in nine poor suburbs north and east of Paris, home to North African and black African minorities frustrated at their failure to get jobs or recognition in French society, leaving a trail of destruction behind them.
Police said some 40 cars and two buses were set alight, police and fire crews were pelted with projectiles. A school and a shopping center were also damaged in violence that police unions said was escalating.
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The situation is common — not important apparently
via Mad Dog Mike
I’ve heard from german news that one of the problems (among unemployment) is that there’s a law that states that 30% of all houses to be build should be social housing, which cheap rents. But the counsels prefer not to do that and pay a € 150,- penalty (talk about a ridiculous fine!) and buy expensive houses.
Hi
When we trumpet around shouting about right to information, it is the nations that collude under a common theory of “Do not comment on each other’s internal matters”. Read NATO here, for if such an incident happens in any other NATO ally country, the result would be the same.
It is sad that the world would never come to know the reasons behind a riot, for it is an ultimate form of display of dismay over certain issues. Many a times, it might not have a cause, but we are talking of France, where rioting might not be just for sheer political power (Somalia, Nigeria, etc.) or communal clashes (India). All we get to hear is words like “extreme right” or an “extreme left” reaction or movement.
Until some obscure site points out the real root to such an activity, we should not expect any more information over this. Some pictures of rioters, arsonists, thats all. The reason behind just got burnt away in the fire.
Regards
Yes, keep this off the air – who knows – the civil unrest might spread!! How the heck are people supposed to make informed decisions if the media keeps the information from the people?
There is a very common sentiment in the Muslim world that the main discontent among Muslims is the US’s support of Israel and, now, the invastion of Iraq. In other words, if the US would just change its foreign policy, Muslims everywhere would be much happier.
But France has, for the most part, been on the Muslim side of these issues, right?
I wonder if these riots will force the Muslim pundits to develop a more complex world view.
This isn’t a Muslim issue – this is one of extreme poverty – within sight of the Eifel Tower. Frances immigration policy is showing signs of cracking – people are in despair about lack of jobs, decent shelter, crime and extreme poverty. What started this in the early days of the rioting- extreme frustration over the deaths of 2 African teenagers who were electrocuted while hiding in a electrical substation from police has grown with each passing day.
Didn’t they have a rather famous event something like this, involving guillotines, already? At what point do we start reading our own history books and stop repeating our mistakes?
How sad, if the media considers supression of newsworthy information to be politically correct- or is it that our own “royalty” (who control the media) would rather remain in denial and say, “Let them eat grass.” ?
And how long will these growing numbers of youth without hope continue to turn the anger back on themselves?
If you really want to keep the ‘masses of poor’ in line, try feeding them and allowing them their dignity.
You sure get a lot of useful facts from listening to Rush. Eh, Chris?
Not all of the US media is mum on this story. Fox news has been covering it.
Eideard,
Paul Krugman, hardly a Bush cheerleader, has often talked about the worker’s paradise in France. He’s clearly wrong, but his NY times column gets a lot of readers.
Shane — overall living standards as a function of federal responsibility for workingclass familes are higher than the US throughout most of Europe. Especially so in the Scandanavian nations. The point has been adequately made that the so-called rioters are mostly from the unemployed.
Chris’ “point” begs the question. Krugman probably misses the point. But, ignoring it is as valueless.
Eideard,
“so-called” rioters? What else would you call them? And my point was, don’t just write someone as a dittohead with such a haughty tone.
Eideard, the government has no legitimate functions beyond protecting individual rights and freedoms and providing a court system to settle disputes and grievances. Providing a certain standard of living to a segment of the population through the use of “legalized” theft is certainly not one of them.
Among other points I don’t think ditto-heads consider is that “them” ain’t just a “them”. I have lived and marched in the middle of what you call a “them”. I have looked at lots of American newsprint describing a civil rights march I was in as a riot — because a small band of onlookers decided to riot. And the cops around us decided to riot.
If you read beyond the parochial and political boundaries of our tame media, you may discover a range of widely-varying analyses, experiences and potential solutions offered by those covered with the apocryphal blanket of “rioters”.
Stretch your perceptions a little. It won’t do you harm.
Oh yeah, “tone”. I think it was E-natural.
Interesting view of government, Mike. Almost up to the 19th Century.
So, no vaccinations, no public health standards, no public schools, no environmental standards, no minimum wage, no child-labor laws, no standrdas for wages and hours, the list is well-populated. You could make the average neo-con look kind-hearted.
You do understand, despite your flaming, that this is proof positive that we need to be agressive in handling Muslims (or, “The War on Terror”, if you prefer code)?
Knock off the rhetoric, Eideard. It’s annoying, and not adding to the discussion.
Ah, James. So, your two latest contributions are [1] turn loose the dogs of war and [2] shut up!
Delightful contribution.
Mike,
Governments have the power that is either given them by the people, or taken by force by a group of people with more firepower than the rest.
I hope you were talking about Gov in theory.
That’s why (even though most neocons on this blog would call me liberal) the second amendment is so important in my opinion. It provides the right for the citizens of the nation to counter an out of control gov and police.
The problem with having [a rare] 2 extra cups of coffee in the morning is that you can dash through the task of moderating. I must apologize to someone who was noting [their opinion] that John was overlooking a lot of coverage on Paris.
[1] Yes, I pushed the wrong button and your comment disappeared into limbo.
[2] Although, he’s trying to contribute as much as usual, John’s actually closer to Paris than the Bay Area, right now. Access to broadband is inconsistent. Access to US television is nonexistent.
Google news has been covering it nicely, especially if you go to the UK or Canadian versions of it.
It didn’t help that after the two boys were electrocuted….that French Police tossed a tear gas canister into a Mosque on Sunday night during prayers for Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. About 700 coughing and panicked worshipers ran for the doors. The week before the riots began one of the government guys said something to the effect that “it’s all riff-raff, drug pushers and thieves” in those areas. Evidently, being darker skinned is reason to be turned down for jobs, and insulted. France has a big attitude adjustment on their hands. This is their WATTS riots?
There are thousands of articles picked up on Google News
http://www.google.com/news?ncl=http://www.aina.org/news/20051104113441.htm&hl=en
…Are you guys actually depending on TELEVISION NEWS for your information? Geez! That explains a lot.
Eidard,
If your civil rights march involved the torching of kingergartens, auto dealerships, and god knows what else, I’d call it a riot as well.
Lets’ not try to be so morally relativistic that we avoid calling violence voilence.
Shane — you’re so easy to set up, dude. I presumed in advance you’d try to switch the discussion into one or another straw man. I neither advocated burning anything nor did I say anyone participating in a civil rights march was acting in a hostile manner. The violence generally resulted from bigots, official or unofficial. Even if you don’t personally accept non-violence as a philosophy [and I don’t], you can be objective and ethical about accepting it as a tactic [which I often have].
That doesn’t mean I didn’t have a shotgun handy for any Klan member who might assault my home and family. Especially when living within the context of cops who were as often Klan members as not.
You don’t think you can differentiate between one kind of violence and another. Are there are wars and unjust wars? Are you a pacifist rejecting all violence as unjust? Are you a war lover who considers anything your government sanctions as just? Those are two widely separated extremes; yet, you make noises like you can only be on one side — and it’s the one you get to pick out for everyone else.
Move on!
I would say its more principle than theory. In principle, no government created by the people can be granted powers that the people themselves did not first possess. If the people themselves do not possess the power of compelled charity, then how can the government they create legitimately possess that power? How can the government possess and bear arms while denying the people themselves the right to do so?
For some reason people love to mistake race or religion arguments for poverty arguments. The cause of this riot is poverty.
What the French people should be asking how these people got this way? How is it that they have no jobs and perhaps no skills with which to make a living? Let’s not forget that we in the US have engaged in voluntary urban renewal on more than one occassion (e.g. LA 1994).
And my lone comment adds more than anything you’ve spewed, Eideard.
Once again, end the rhetoric. It’s not a request.
Fortunately, James, it’s great living in a land where free speech and thought are encouraged. You may be accustomed to some poor economic serf tugging his forelock in response to your declarations. In your own mind.
Otherwise, your dedication to 19th Century analyses and 14th Century conclusions are laughable.
The media is not broacasting this because the ones rioting are french and not white.
There are currently 24 armed conflicts in the world today. 22 of these are Muslims unable to co-exist peacefully with non-Muslims. Islam itself is the root cause of all of what is happening. It is a religion whose central tenet is that all of humanity must bow before Islam, & those who do not convert must be killed or forced into Dhimmitude which is a state of grovelling subservience so horrific it makes any other historical oppression pale by comparison.
Islam is not in any way similar to any other world religion.
Do you notice that Hindu’s & Christians can co-exist peacefully? Buddists & Jews? Wiccans & Taoists? Athiests & Catholics?
Why is it ONLY Muslims that become violent & oppressive as soon as they think their numbers are sufficiently large?
Remember, when Muslims say theirs is a religion of peace, they do not understand peace in the same way as others. To them peace is DEFINED as total submission to Islam.
PS I do realize their are modern Muslims that have put this 9th century way of thinking behind them, but they are a small & powerless minority within Islam, & know perfectly well what other Muslims will do to them if they speak out.
PS the Media here in America is totally ignoring the signifigance of these riots, & even Fox news is grossly underreporting on this issue. This is why ANY censorship of the Internet must be vigorously opposed. Without it we would have no means of finding out the truth.
PPS Do you think maybe the French might take a short break in critisizing America & its policies NOW?
Sooooo… Your saying bring on WWIII??? We got it wrong with the Jews, it’s the Muslims this time we need to wiped-out?? This is the way the world is heading. The anti Muslim sentiment is spreading. Take a good look at the REAL history of the holocaust……. In reality most of the world was silently cheering due to the smear campaign against the Jews. Is this the future we want? Take Australia for example…… The new “terror” laws were passed ALMOST CARBON COPY fashion to similar laws in Nazi Germany. Very similar “events” surrounded the passing of the bill……….
Why is the world blaming the religion such as Islam? just because there are a number muslims in the world who happened to misintepret the truth of the religion and use that as a weapon to destroy peace in the world and it is the religion’s fault. People must be smart enough to define and understand why such groups resulting to violence and abusing the religion, it is not the fault or teachings of the religion for people to resort to terrorism, it is the people who are crazy and misinterpret the truth. No religion in this world teaches people to engage in crimes and destroy humanity. Only American and Israeli government believes that for the sake of wealth and power and pretend that they’re innocent and are the police of peace inthis world. Not about religion eh..it is about mentality of greed!