I'm not even sure I should go here! I've been reading about these riots all day trying to wrap my mind around what is going on. For two weeks! this has been going on and what has the French government done? Sent in more police? Do the French have a national guard? an army? are they anti-force? anti-enforcement?? What is going on over there???
I find all this very disturbing. It would appear that the culprits are Muslim youth that are members of immigrated Northern African families. The incident that started the rioting supposedly involved two of these youth who were chased by police, ran into some kind of electrical substation and were electrocuted. Could they not read warnings? Were warnings not posted?? Were they really being chased? If so, why? We'll probably never know, but now we see posted all over the world wide web stories of burning cars, burning buildings, burning homes, and now - burning helpless, handicapped people??? When will the government step in and help out these apparently helpless police?
Of course, this is the government that has tried to woo Muslims by firmly denouncing the war in Iraq, kind of an oxymoron in light of the current situation. The government who may have benefited financially from the oil-for-food program in Iraq. As I read today, this is a country where people are outspoken about their hatred for Muslim immigrants, most of whom have apparently been relegated to slums, who are now left with nothing to live for and want a little attention. Is this what we are seeing? or not that at all?
Whatever the answers to all these questions, I'm more wondering how would this play out if the same scenario were to take place in America. Let's just say that foreign immigrants in America were treated poorly (and I think I might be mocking us a bit), and they were relegated to the slums of the cities and are now left with nothing to live for and decide they want a little attention? Could it happen here? I'm thinking it could, but I don't want to think it can. How can we keep this from happening here?
There are a lot of things I don't understand about cities, immigration, Islam, the Koran and foreign nations from where these immigrants come. I am ignorant when it comes to such things, but I know I don't want my view of certain people tainted by some youths in France who want some attention. While I want to understand the plight of these people, I want justice for those living in fear right now in these Parisian suburbs. I want to know that another person on crutches won't be doused in inflammable liquid and set ablaze. I think it's deplorable that more hasn't been done to stop this from happening. Sure, they have a point, but it's being poorly made. I'm getting to the point where I don't want to listen to their point anymore!
When these events take place, things like hurricane Katrina and the Paris riots, that cause us to see a blatant injustice, that open our eyes to inequalities in the way we treat human beings we owe it to ourselves, our children and our countries to do something about it. Poverty is a problem in the world, and not just the "third world." I think it's time for everyone to acknowledge this fact, because if we don't, we'll being seeing more nights like Paris.
I find all this very disturbing. It would appear that the culprits are Muslim youth that are members of immigrated Northern African families. The incident that started the rioting supposedly involved two of these youth who were chased by police, ran into some kind of electrical substation and were electrocuted. Could they not read warnings? Were warnings not posted?? Were they really being chased? If so, why? We'll probably never know, but now we see posted all over the world wide web stories of burning cars, burning buildings, burning homes, and now - burning helpless, handicapped people??? When will the government step in and help out these apparently helpless police?
Of course, this is the government that has tried to woo Muslims by firmly denouncing the war in Iraq, kind of an oxymoron in light of the current situation. The government who may have benefited financially from the oil-for-food program in Iraq. As I read today, this is a country where people are outspoken about their hatred for Muslim immigrants, most of whom have apparently been relegated to slums, who are now left with nothing to live for and want a little attention. Is this what we are seeing? or not that at all?
Whatever the answers to all these questions, I'm more wondering how would this play out if the same scenario were to take place in America. Let's just say that foreign immigrants in America were treated poorly (and I think I might be mocking us a bit), and they were relegated to the slums of the cities and are now left with nothing to live for and decide they want a little attention? Could it happen here? I'm thinking it could, but I don't want to think it can. How can we keep this from happening here?
There are a lot of things I don't understand about cities, immigration, Islam, the Koran and foreign nations from where these immigrants come. I am ignorant when it comes to such things, but I know I don't want my view of certain people tainted by some youths in France who want some attention. While I want to understand the plight of these people, I want justice for those living in fear right now in these Parisian suburbs. I want to know that another person on crutches won't be doused in inflammable liquid and set ablaze. I think it's deplorable that more hasn't been done to stop this from happening. Sure, they have a point, but it's being poorly made. I'm getting to the point where I don't want to listen to their point anymore!
When these events take place, things like hurricane Katrina and the Paris riots, that cause us to see a blatant injustice, that open our eyes to inequalities in the way we treat human beings we owe it to ourselves, our children and our countries to do something about it. Poverty is a problem in the world, and not just the "third world." I think it's time for everyone to acknowledge this fact, because if we don't, we'll being seeing more nights like Paris.
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