I thought it would be a good idea to discuss the current situation in France as I have my own opinions.
We have always been a nation of many origins. I recall how one person in Europe told me after WW II, how amazing it was that Americans can all live together and even win a war.
A decade later, a person from a nation that now had to tend with foreign workers, again wondered how we could all live together. I answered that there had been many problems, but the Federal government was quite strong in dealing with them.
What I'm trying to say is that France, and all the European nations are exactly that. Nations composed of people with a similar language and culture. They have one national identity. Because of that there is a great deal of what we can refer to as 'racism' or more accurately as 'philitism'. Basically a love of one's own kind.
Up until now, the Europeans when hearing our media etc., bringing up the plight of the blacks, or hispanics, etc., could only relate it to their own sense of 'racism'. For that reason they assumed that we were 'barbaric' and not quite as civilized. In other words, they were seeing us through their eyes.
I believe Chirac was quite critical of the race riots in Los Angelos years ago.
Zenovia
