Sons and daugthers of immigrants will not accept to be defranchised ever? Frace must re-think its policies again.

Original Post: 17 Nov 2005

Riots and more riots continue to take place in France notwithstanding efforts by the Sarkozy, the French minister of interior who also is now expelling thousands of kids away from France.
The fact that I am of an immigrant origin in the US, I can be more critical of France and the policy of France of not integration and down right racism.
The sad thing that we all need to remember is that France was, is and has always been a colonist country with racists streaks that runs deep in its politics and its cities. Let us all remember Jean Marie Lapin who are the leader of the French right always talked in very racist and plain language and who always accused immigrants, Arabs, and Muslims, winning at times more than 20% of the votes in the French National Assembly and in towns and cities. The French Right like its counter part in Republican Rights and German Rights always blame foreigners and immigrants for the problems and ills of France, US and Germany.
Fortunately for us in the US, we are a nation of immigrants and as such the hate for immigrants does come to and end, sooner than later, because even those xenophobic politicians in the end are from immigrant roots.
In France like all across Europe no efforts what so ever is made to integrate immigrants and give them a stake in the country of their choice. No efforts whatsoever to give these immigrants and their children an opportunity.
In the US, Congress recognizing that racism runs deep in our society, past many laws that made it illegal to discriminate based in race, color, religion, sex and national origin, even went further and past “affirmative action” to make sure that it gives Blacks and other minorities the playing lever field when it comes to education and employment.
Unlike American where those of Italians, Jewish, Irish, Slovak, Arabs, German, Russians are all considered Americans without ever giving up their “own” culture and heritage and where Muslims, Jews and Sikhs can be what they are in France, such rights are denied to people of other cultures. I can and do appreciate what it takes to “be an American” I could never understand nor ever understood what it takes to be French. In the US it does not take a whole lot to be an American, it takes only an oath and a pledge of allegiance and one can continue to eat Kosher, Halal, eat pasta, each Couscous, tabule, homos, chicken gulag, meat balls, wear the yarmulke, the hijab and be an American. In France, it seems it take more than that; it takes one to denounce one’s own culture and way of life to become French. Does it take to drinking wine, eat cheese, eat baguete and pork to become French? I don’t know and I don’t think that the “blue blooded” French know who is a French and what it takes to become French. Perhaps the French should go back to the world most famous French slogan “ L’egalite-Fraternite-Liberte” and forget about Hijab, forget about drinking red wine with meals and recognize that France is for all French; White, Black, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and not only for “blue blooded, blue eyes, fair skin” French. France should give freedom and equality to all French irrespective of race, color, religion and national origin.
France must give true meaning to the words “L’egalite-Fraternite-Liberte”. These words when carried out to the true meaning will make France a true and free country and take its rightful place as the birth of freedom and liberty. We are all saddened by the events taking place in France, however nothing short of drastic and fundamental changes are need to make a difference and give those immigrants a stake in France and its future.