Lots of things are hidden and/or ignored by the media

http://www.angelfire.com/ky/kentuckydan/CommitteesofCorrespondence/index.blog?from=20051102
One Year Today, Lest We Forget
Theo van Gogh (July 23, 1957 – November 2, 2004)

Dafydd,

I get Fox News RSS feeds. They are reporting this story somewhat. Have you looked at Agence France Presse reports on Yahoo! News?

Dafydd,

This is the most recent post from Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,174371,00.html.

i'm waiting for the French to bring out 'Da Guillotine , if they ain't too late already. Head-Lopping might be an interesting sport to watch...

Tell you the truth...i'm betting on Muslims with knives, 300 to 1, against the French and their Guillotines.

Well, that bet is without American help...

I always thought "the French" hated everyone equally. I guess the rioters don't think that's exactly true.

From:
Paris Riots Hit One Week
November 02, 2005
AP
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,174371,00.html

excerpt:

Eric, a 22-year-old in Clichy-sous-Bois who was born in France to Moroccan parents, said police target those with dark skin. He said he has been unable to find full-time work for two years and that the riots were a demonstration of suburban solidarity. "People are joining together to say we've had enough," he said. [...] Many immigrant families are trapped in housing projects that were built to accommodate foreign laborers welcomed by post-World War II France but have since succumbed to despair, chronic unemployment and lawlessness. In some neighborhoods, drug dealers and racketeers hold sway and experts say Islamic radicals seek to recruit disenchanted youths by telling them that France has abandoned them. "French society is in a bad state ... increasingly unequal, increasingly segregated, and increasingly divided along ethnic and racial lines," said sociologist Manuel Boucher.

Daffyd--

blogger neo-neocon has posted what appears to be a detailed analysis of the historical trends that lie behind these events. She depends heavily on the astute Theodore Dalrymple, a British physician who spent some time in the Muslim-dominated areas of Paris in 2001.

blog post here

So, where are the French blogs? There are a couple I've run across over the last few years.

Why not KISS this off (Keep It Simple, Sweetheart), merging factoids with speculation in context of PCBS as our oh-so-professional lumpen-journos do every single day?

The rioters are ethnic North African, certainly Muslim, racially a mix of Semitic and Negro stock. They may be second or even third-generation residents, but this demographic takes them back only to the late 1940s. To call them "French" is to confuse nationality with genuine identity: In no sense are they culturally, ethnically, religiously, possibly not even linguistically, any such thing.

These "youths" and their families were imported by French Socialist regimes under Mitterand et.al. and stuffed in virtual ghettoes for generations, with the idea that when garbage needed pickup, or streets sweeping, they would be available for "golden peanuts" (in North Africa, compensation is by non-golden ones).

In classic sociological style, a combination of numbers, isolation, poverty, and spurious stabs at "integration" have suddenly mobilized a cohort that was invisible before. On this anniversary of the murder of Theo van Gogh in Amsterdam, it ought to be evident where this is heading. The fact that a cowardly and corrupt news-media dares not so much as mention critical aspects of this situation is not surprising, but should these disruptions persist and spread, France is in for serious political repercussions-- as is Western Europe as a whole.

Easy enough to dismiss and suppress these "youth" this time. But every day that passes fuels potential for a major upheaval. France last experienced street-riots in 1968, anent the Boomers' sufferin' succotash jihad vs. free market capitalism ("students forever, workforce never!").
The very last political jambalaya one would choose to deal with this is Jacques Chirac. By the time he's through, Montmartre will have an entirely different persona and van Gogh's fate will seem an easy one.

I found a slideshow: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/103105parisyouthriot/im:/051102/481/bri10511021657;_ylt=Aspt0eaoaUCH7GvlGG3rKlwZO7gF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGcyMWMzBHNlYwNzc25hdg-- It appears there may be some Muslims amongst those rioters, but then again, they could be infiltrators just trying to watch the action? I mean we would not want to jump to conclusions or anything. ;)

Hi, did anyone check this link out: many good thoughts on what is happening in Europe.
Eddy

http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/429

There are also riots taking place in Denmark. That ball has been dropped even worse by the MSM.

While the rioting may be relatively new, the underlying problem is not. Clichy-sous-Bois is not what we would normally think of as a suburb. It is an 'habitation à loyer modéré' (HLM) - think 'housing project' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HLM

The HLMs were in the news back in 2003 - in regards to 'tourantes' - the nice word they are giving to gang-rape these days in france apparantly.

http://www.hvk.org/articles/1003/168.html

Kathianne:

Looking at the slideshow, I saw a few pictures that showed older Moslems walking on the streets in daytime after cars had been burnt the night before. That doesn't tell me what I want to know.

I think everybody understands that a lot of Moslems live there; and nobody likely doubts that many of the rioters are in fact Moslems. But my question is more specific: is this a Moslem uprising, an intifada, or is it just a riot by people, some of them Moslems, over economics and the way they're treated?

In other words, is the purpose of this riot to establish a Moslem state under sharia, however unlikely that may be to succeed -- or is the purpose to demand more welfare, better housing, and even (in some cases) jobs, which is not an atypical thing for French students to do, regardless of ethnicity or religion?

Are they waving Hezbollah or Hamas flags? Shouting Allahu akbar, as a suicide bomber would? Do they demand that the neighborhoods be declared part of the ummah and subject only to Moslem law? Are they burning synogogues, attacking Jews and Christians for being heretics, organizing faith-squads to attack women who don't cover their faces, or setting terrorist bombs in a purposeful fashion to kill lots of innocent people -- as opposed to just setting opportunistic arson fires and looting stores?

They may well be; or they might not be; or more likely some are and some are not... and it is this crucial question that the news media who are physically present refuse to answer.

Dafydd

I think this article from three years ago may fill in a lot of the details for you.

France...good luck dudes, and y'all are going to need all the luck (good) you can get. Scheesh, y'all are in big trouble, huh. 500 to 1, and rising...

I think part of the problem is that it's happening in France. There are bloggers all over the world who can report on stuff. And most importantly, report in English.

English is sort of the second language of the world. Everywhere but France.

I imagine there are numerous bloggers in France commenting on this, possibly with first hand information, but in French, which makes it tricky for the American-UK blogosphere to read.

Same with french newspapers. How many have English editions? Not many...

It is interesting how often the MSM is cagey about the details of its stories. One wonders sometimes whether they are in the business of writing news, or clues for a treasure hunt. This story has been especially difficult to tease out, as you say.

The 2002 Dalrymple article linked by Steven Den Beste in his comment is the one I based my post on. It does indeed fill in the blanks on this story, and more.

from Le Monde--

...goals of the meeting of topical questions to the French National Assembly, the Prime Minister declared that the government "entire" was mobilized to fight against the blaze of violences in the suburbs, and announced the carrying forward of his visit in Canada, initially envisaged Wednesday evening at Saturday.

"There is only one own territory to which the laws of the Republic apply, there is only of the equal French in rights which aspire all to safety and justice. Violences in the districts are a challenge for us all ", declared Domenica de Villepin. It affirmed to want to act in "the respect of the republican principles" , with "will and humanity, determination and understanding" . But, it underlined, after six nights of riots or of incidents violent one as a Seine-Saint-Denis, the priority of the government "is to restore the law and order and to restore it without delay" . It added to be able "to count" on the Minister of Interior Department, Nicolas Sarkozy, of which the method in the sensitive districts and the remarks which it held these last days were disputed with the centre even of the government.

Mr. de Villepin reconsidered the emergency meeting which it had convened at the end of the morning with ten ministers "concerned with the implementation of the actions in the significant urban zones" , of which Nicolas Sarkozy, Michele Alliot-Marie, Jean-Louis Borloo, Pascal Clément and Azouz Begag. He indicated that " the emergency measures had been studied, in particular for the employment of the young people as a Seine-Saint-Denis and for education".

"the government will adopt an action plan before the end of November" , announced the head of the government, specifying that "firmness, justice, it is the line of the government" . "Let us avoid stigmatizing with the districts to which the inhabitants are attached, differently let us judge the minor delinquency and the serious crime" , E T "let us prevent any amalgam between a minority which carries out the disorder and the large majority of the young people who wish to be integrated in the company" , it still declared.

With AFP and Reuters
according to: Jacques Chirac calls for calm and the respect of the law

i read the french version and this is pretty accurate (sometimes it is not the same). However, the french version includes de Villepin "calling for action" as part of the headline.

the french version says, "Chirac calls for calm and de Villepin calls for action"
i wonder why reuters/AFP made the change?

Matoko Kusanagi:

Can you get anything out of that other than variations on "strong action should be taken through the proper channels?" Is there anything concrete or just platitudes?

I think French politicians are even more politicianish than American politicians.

Dafydd

I've got no love for the French, I've been to Paris enough to know how badly they treat americans. I hate Paris. However, this same riot could be in muslim Detroit right now. We need to get our own backyard in shape before we so joyfully deride the French. Just sayin'

The violence appears to be spreading -- not just Clichy now. There's not much directly on whether the rioters are muslim or not, but they do seem to dislike Sarkozy.

http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3226,36-705695@51-704172,0.html

And here's an article that seems to point more towards the Muslim element:

http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3226,36-705696@51-704172,0.html

This opaqueness of the news reminds me of my initial confusion about the pre 9-11 "race" riots in Britan. I couldn't figure out why those "Asian" youths were rioting.

Dafydd:

"strong action should be taken through the proper channels?"

From le monde, Chirac translates strong action as education and employment programs for the "youths". Sarkozy translates strong action as, we're at war, bring in the army to deal with this "scum" (what he called them), and de Villepin would like to call in the army, but hates Sarkozy, so he vacillates.

IMHO, the french had better quickly recall their stirring national anthem--

Le Marseillaise
The disenfranchised muslim "youths" have "vienne jus'qu dans nos bras" (come into our arms), and they plan on "egorger nos fils, nos compagnes" (cutting the throats of of our sons and comrades). The french better realise they are at war, and react accordingly. "Quand sang impure, abbreve nos sillons!" (until the impure blood runs in our furrows.)
Time to get serious.

Oh, and I was going to use that "Is Paris Burning?" title, as an intro to the following:

Haands: Vie haff goot news, mein Infuriator!
Adolt: Vat iss it, Haands?
Haands: Our Islamofasicst surrogates (1) haff finally succeeded in igniting Paris. It is beginning to burn, at last. Isn't that fundervull?
Adolt: About D@&# time, Haands. Keep me posted on developments. ZEIG HEINZ!
Haands: Certainly, mein Infuriator. ZEIG HEINZ!

(1)http://www.tellthechildrenthetruth.com/index.htm

Oh, yes, and it should be noted that all these Muslim "youth" are voicing is their "outrage at being oppressed in their ancient homeland by brutal occupiers..." (or some variation on that theme)

The reason they seek refuge in the West seems less to be about making a better life for themselves here, and more like "we ran out of things to burn and destroy in our homeland."

It's taken me a long time to come to terms with that because although it isn't hard to conceive of one psychopathic anti-social personality, it is nearly impossible to accept that an entire group of people could harbor a majority of individuals with such a profound disorder.

They've treated their Algerian citizens as second-class for decades. This is more like the riots that followed the murder of MLK than a new avenue of terrorism. The French like to lecture us about our treatment of terrorist prisoners, but their cops aren't exactly gentle.

I've seen several comments along this line, "This is more like the riots that followed the murder of MLK than a new avenue of terrorism." both here and on other sites.

WRONG! That may be a contributing factor, but it is NOT the "root cause."

""All we demand is to be left alone," said Mouloud Dahmani, one of the local "emirs" engaged in negotiations to persuade the French to withdraw the police and allow a committee of sheiks, mostly from the Muslim Brotherhood, to negotiate an end to the hostilities."
http://www.nypost.com/commentary/53917.htm

i.e., "no foreign occupiers on our land!" (as I said above) See rest of NYPost article for more details not found elsewhere - requires free registration.

NOTE: Whenever you see "Muslim Brotherhood" (Google: Al Banna) think "Islamofascist" (see: http://www.tellthechildrenthetruth.com/index.htm)

"Once the police arrived on the scene, the youths — who had been reigning over Clichy pretty unmolested for years — got really angry. A brief chase took place in the street, and two of the youths, who were not actually chased by the police, sought refuge in a cordoned-off area housing a power pylon. Both were electrocuted.

Once news of their deaths was out, Clichy was all up in arms.

With cries of "God is great," bands of youths armed with whatever they could get hold of went on a rampage and forced the police to flee."
(NYPost article cited above)

Not a seperatist Jihad? Don't count on it!

another good article at:
http://www.nysun.com/article/22526

In an update to what I said on Friday in a post apparently indigestable by the big green one (not posted yet), in response to comments like this "This is more like the riots that followed the murder of MLK than a new avenue of terrorism."

Powerline has some even stronger words than I did....

"Yeah, right. It's the most natural thing in the world for an unemployed person to burn cars, destroy schools, and set helpless women on fire. The authorities need to get a grip on the situation, soon. And wringing their hands about "poor housing" and "racial discrimination" isn't going to help. Napoleon's remedy--a "whiff of grapeshot"--still works, but I doubt whether France has the courage to use it."

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/012161.php

C''mon Lizzy, get your stones out of hock. (You aren't French, are you?)

Hmmm, now I'm puzzled.

Though you've held up my previous post, you've allowed my latest through. So, it can't be that you were too P.C. to post the comment you are "digesting?".

Perhaps it's a time management issue?

f so, II can (unfortunately) relate to that.

(Oh, yes, and sorry about the "stones" comment, old chap, since that doesn't seem to be the problem.)

Jewish Sages: "When someone says they want to kill you, believe them." paraphrased by Clifford D. May, here:
http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/cliffordmay/2005/11/03/174278.html

Haands: Mein Infuriator!
Adolt: Vat iss it, Haands?
Haands: It is spreading!
Adolt: More of Paris?
Haands: Noch Besser, all over France and parts of Europe!
Adolt: Really,Haands?!!
Haands: Ja, Jetzt noch Demark!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1513137/posts
http://www.israpundit.com/archives/2005/11/today_the_subur.php
Adolt: (Smiles, evilly) Ahhh, those uppity Danes were so foolish to defy me then. HAH! Vot else?
Haands: Here are some of the reports, mein Infuriator...
http://francisurquhart.redstate.org/story/2005/11/4/3523/82724
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/06/wfran06.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/11/06/ixnewstop.html
http://commonsensewonder.com/mtarchives/008589.shtml
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1857938,00.html

Adolt: You haff done vell, Haands. Keep up zee goot verk. ZEIG HEINZ!
Haands: Sank you, mein Infuriator! ZEIG HEINZ!

"Your comment hath been scented."

There you go again!

Wo, ho long does it take to "digest" the info to find it no "malicious?"

Yonason:

It's the number of links. When you put a bunch of links in a comment, it's automatically shunted to the pile of stuff pending approval... which only happens when I go online, get my mail, notice there are comments that need approving, decide that I actually have enough time to do so at that moment... and then I have to check out each link to make sure it's not a spam redirect or somesuch.

Once I've done that, and if there is nothing else wrong with the comment, then I click a button and it's approved. At some point, they will show up here, and they should even show up in their correct sequence in the comment chain.

I hope.

Dafydd

Yonason:

Would you stop it, please? Can't you put these up on your own blog?

Big Lizards is not a link aggregation center. I'm not approving your most recent post, which consists of nothing but nine links. It's too much.

Just post your personal opinion, all right? That's what comments are for. If you want to post a bunch of links, please do it in a post on some quasi bulletin board like Free Republic.

One or two links is fine, but not a whole passle of them.

Thanks,

Dafydd

Dafydd

1. Yes, 9 links with quotes from two, so it wasn't just the links.

2. It took me several hours of sifting through a lot of garbage to come up with those links. When I work that hard to find worthwhile material (let me know if you think I'm wrong) that pertains to the topic, I like to share it. If people like what I write, they can follow up with the extra material, and if not, they can pass. But, if you prefer not to benefit from other's searches, and rather do the legwork yourself, that's certainly your call.

3. I can't devote the time to a blog, otherwise I would. And even if I could do it as well as, say yourself, that would seem a bit redundant, especially when there are many people like yourself who do a much better job than I could in the main. I think it would be less a task to educate oneself about a topic if as much of the material were concentrated in one place, rather than have it scattered all over the internet, but then that's just my opinion.

4. I don't like giving just opinions, any more than I like reading them. They are usually worthless without supporting material, even when they are accurate. I try to make it a point to justify my opinions with facts, and/or the opinions of more authoritative fact-based sources.

5. Anyway, if I post anything else, from now on I'll keep it down to at or under 2, or at most 3, links, and they will only be to material I quote from.

6. And, yes, you are a good primary source of material. Nice work on that. I'll go back and take another look at what your posters say, to see if I can benefit from it, even though it doesn't seem likely that they will provide much useful additional info. Perhaps some will be insightful, though.

Thanks again, and...

Regards.
yonason

Yonason:

5. Anyway, if I post anything else, from now on I'll keep it down to at or under 2, or at most 3, links, and they will only be to material I quote from.

Yes! That's perfect: too many links and people totally lose track of what you're trying to say.

And don't be reticent about sharing your personal opinions; that's what blogging is all about, whether you're a blogger or a commenter. We really do want to hear what you think about things ("we" meaning the blog proprietors as well as the readers).

That is one of the major advantages blogs have over MSM articles: other people can comment, add information, and so forth. I get post ideas all the time from something a commenter writes (I always try to hat-tip them). But 1-2 links, 3 in a pinch, is about all I can dig into at any one time; that's the perfect number.

Dafydd

Thanks for hissing in, . Now you can slither in with a comment, o wise. (sign out)

(If you haven't hissed a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Hang loose; don't shed your skin!)

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