Saturday, November 05, 2005
What's Happening?...
...in Paris and Denmark? Is it civil unrest, or is it war? I'm not sure.
For all the news that's fit to read, check Instapundit -- Micelle Malkin -- American Thinker -- Dawn's Early Light. This is a big deal
Malkin quotes Robert Spencer on what I think is the true heart of the matter
In one sense this is no different than the LA riots. A large segment of the population, feeling disenfranchised, feels free to strike back with lawlessness. But it is different in one very strong sense. This population segment comes from a culture that in fact urges precisely the destruction they are wrecking. The LA riots did and would run their course in a relatively short period once the stores were emptied out and there was no material gain left ot the rioters.
This is very different -- the material gain to these rioters in the actual destruction of the surrounding culture.
In LA one could build a perimeter around the trouble and let things run their course. Not so here, these people will not be contained, save by overwhelming force. This will get much uglier before it gets any better.
The French have to make up their minds to act decisively and forcefully, but then they never have in the past, so why should they now.
For all the news that's fit to read, check Instapundit -- Micelle Malkin -- American Thinker -- Dawn's Early Light. This is a big deal
Malkin quotes Robert Spencer on what I think is the true heart of the matter
But of course, all these problems are exacerbated by the non-assimilation policy that both the French government and the Muslim population have for so long pursued: the rioters are part of a population that has never considered itself French.This might not be so chilling to me if I had not just spent some significant time learning that there are such grossly separate sub-cultures right here at home. Of course, that sub-culture rioted here in LA not that long ago.
In one sense this is no different than the LA riots. A large segment of the population, feeling disenfranchised, feels free to strike back with lawlessness. But it is different in one very strong sense. This population segment comes from a culture that in fact urges precisely the destruction they are wrecking. The LA riots did and would run their course in a relatively short period once the stores were emptied out and there was no material gain left ot the rioters.
This is very different -- the material gain to these rioters in the actual destruction of the surrounding culture.
In LA one could build a perimeter around the trouble and let things run their course. Not so here, these people will not be contained, save by overwhelming force. This will get much uglier before it gets any better.
The French have to make up their minds to act decisively and forcefully, but then they never have in the past, so why should they now.
To my mind, there are two important question arising out of this:
- The French, and Europe in general, certainly have not done what they should to assimilate these people, but these people are not too interested in being assimilated either. How is assimilation accomplished under such conditions?
- What are the consequences to US/UK national security if a large Islamic state arises from the French ashes? There were the Vichy, could there be the "Tehrani"? I think it a distinct possibility.
This is not a local European story. The press would do well to cover it more vigorously.
