BRITISH SOLICITOR MARTIN PRATT sends these comments on what is happening in France:
I am living next door to a society in crisis. We have our problems in Britain, but these now seem to be paling into insignificance compared to what is going on over the Channel.
The problem is not political in isolation, it is societal and cultural too. Synagogue burnings are not a European problem, they are a French problem. We in the UK have a large militant Muslim population, but only France seems to be suffering these attacks. While Britain is turning out frothy comedies like “Bridget Jones’ Diary” and “About a Boy” the biggest French films of the moment are the charmingly titled “Fuck Me” and “The Pornographer”. The best selling hardcover book in the UK last week was Last Man Down by New York firefighter Richard Picciotto, in France it was that idiotic Pentagon conspiracy theory. Where is the British Le Pen, the German Le Pen, the Spanish Le Pen? Only France seems hell for leather sprinting towards the right while prostituting its rich cultural life.
Sure racial tensions certainly do exist in Britain and in Germany, there were race riots in the Oldham and Burnley last summer, but such things happen many countries, including the US. But despite our (the UK’s) large Muslim population and well documented radical mosques, Anti-Semitic attacks, if they have increased (and I have heard of no increase either statistically or anecdotally) are nowhere near France’s league. Nor has there been a lurch by Germany to the far right, even in the deprived eastern Lander of Saxony.
In the meantime refugees are queuing up to get out of France and into Britain.
Link.
France is the sick man of Europe, there are no two ways about it. Having created the deeply structurally flawed EU in their image, they have the worst record in the Community for adherence to EU legislation. I agree with you Glenn that Europe does have a problem on its hands, but I don’t think that problem is the EU, it is in fact France.
I hope this is true. One interesting question is whether the rest of Europe will follow France’s lead, as they did with the EU for so long. I’m hoping not, but. . . .