Re: French Secularism, suburbia and Burning Beds

First, I'm not Tina.
Secondly, yes of course, some French are narrow-minded. We are just humans
(although some people do deny us this characteristic...).
Actually, what stroke me the most was not the article, which was correctly
drafted, but the comments below it. I just cannot grant any respect to a
comment ending with 'God bless America', or ' Chirac, Mister Irak".
Also, I think that Chirac's speech takes place in a special french context
which justifies that Chirac focuses so much on secularism. It's not just
about scarves, but about other events often linked to the recent election
that occured in the Muslim Congress of France ( extremist groups did took
control of it). It also refers to problems arising in a French Island called
La Corse, that is to say a very very domestic question...

But thanks for the link to Alain Badiou's article. I'll read it when calmed
down....
Valérie

----- Original Message -----
From: "James Rovira" <jrovira@drew.edu>
To: <bananafish@roughdraft.org>
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 9:02 PM
Subject: Re: French Secularism, suburbia and Burning Beds

> Yes, Tina, I do. In this case sadism and totalitarianism is expressed
> by the imposition of a bland secularism upon an entire populace whether
> they believe in it or not. I really don't see how we can walk in
> another person's shoes when we don't allow them to wear their own shoes
> to begin with. Why can't Muslim girls wear their head scarves? Why is
> that so threatening? Who do they hurt?
>
> Honestly, a lot of the French are sounding just as narrow and intolerant
> as a lot of good old redneck boys do over here in 'merika.
>
> I did mediate my opinion in my next post, though -- I'd really like to
> read the full text of Chirac's speech.
>
> I'll further qualify what I said right now: I don't think that Chirac as
> a person is sadistic and totalitarian, but that Enlightenment Liberalism
> is inherently sadistic and totalitarian, especially when it comes to
> religious faith or anything else that doesn't fit in with straight
> capitalism, free market, money is all we need to have in common ideals...
>
> Check out this interview with another guy with a French sounding name,
> Alain Boudiou, who I think has some interesting insights:
>
> http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/5/alainbadiou.php
>
> Jim
>
> PS So what, Chirac gets beat up a bit :). Bush gets it all the time.
>
>
> Valérie Aron wrote:
> > I thought I was going to have a nice evening, and all, when I opened my
mail
> > box and had the stupid curiosity to take a look at the article about
Chirac,
> > and , the best!, at the comments coming from subscribers. My feelings
were
> > shared between sadness, rage, and consternation. And pity.
> > Hmm, I'm gonna try to save the next hours from total despair ....
> > Oh, Jim, are you sure you know what 'sadistic" and 'totalitarian" mean?
> > Valérie
>
> -
> * Unsubscribing? Mail majordomo@roughdraft.org with the message
> * UNSUBSCRIBE BANANAFISH

-
* Unsubscribing? Mail majordomo@roughdraft.org with the message
* UNSUBSCRIBE BANANAFISH
Received on Mon Jul 7 15:36:34 2003