Riot
At the end of last month we had riots in Birmingham involving pitched battle between the Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities culminating in death.
Now some suburbs of Paris are burning as Immigrant communities there take to the streets in riot.
The questions are :
1) Is there a connection between the two events?
2) Is this a taste of the future?
Looking towards the explanations given by the authorities we do see some common threads. The Birmingham disturbances seemed to be about people in each community fostering resentment toward the other based on a perception of a more favourable existence, definitely a fantasy but quite likely thinly veiled racism. In Paris poverty is the excuse given, again probably a simplistic explanation but weren’t the people involved (I’m assuming that they are 1st generation immigrants) from poorer countries than France. So surely life is now better for them than it was? Unemployment was mooted as a reason but the high French unemployment is across the board and the indigenous French people are not out ripping Paris to shreds.
Looks to me like the old classic. The have-nots verses the haves. (I want what you have and if I can’t have it I’ll take it from you or destroy it)
Referenced your article in a blog entry regarding “Paris Riots.” Excerpt follows: “You’ve been hearing a lot on the news about the “Paris Riots.” Now here’s what you haven’t heard…Meantime, a “Christian” blogger posted Paris Riots: Coming to an American Street Near You. She’s not the only one wondering if this is a glimpse of the future…”
An interesting collection of links and opinions. I lived in Belgium myself a while back and often travel to France and I agree that the French police are racist and heavy-handed but believe me, they hate everyone (who isn’t French) so these youths needn’t feel special. Mind you, carrying a base-ball bat in your car is pretty suspicious and if you do you are asking for trouble with the police whatever your colour. Can’t agree with Ms. Barber though, who’s Christian credentials have somewhat lapsed. The fact that these people are Muslim is rather a side issue, I’m not dismissing Islamo-fascism but its not the root, these people are being a bit economical with the truth when they claim to be the victims. Racists are not just blonde blue-eyed Nazi boys, they come in all colours and remember that most of North Africa is tearing itself apart at the moment due to ethnic cleansing and tribal racism. Has it occurred to anyone that some of these people are bringing their problems with them from these troubled places? If put on the spot their arguments sound like Ali G when he protests; “Its because me is Black, Innit?” The police have not been perfect, but these people are very much in the wrong too.