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November 07, 2005

Why torch your neighbor's car?, part II

fire BBC News has published yet another article on French youngsters burning cars and endangering the police officers sent in to stop them. They don't seem to mention what some guy from Le Monde was saying on the radio, which is that all the violence came to a halt last night during a televised soccer match.

Journalists don't seem to be able to approach the kids Sarkozy has called racaille. But they have been able to get this from the authorities:

Some countries, including the UK, urged their citizens to use "extreme care" if travelling in the affected areas.

That's right. If you're a retiree from the south of England planning a holiday this week in the ghettos of Paris or Toulouse, you can still go, but use "extreme care."

Other people are talking about "civil war." The same guy from Le Monde joined in with other journalists who've heard kids are breaking all the stuff to get their neighborhoods into the "Top 10."

Since the moral standards of those who bring us our newspapers, TV shows, and radio programs could never be called into question, they must simply be too busy to notice what they're actually saying. Thus journalists are battling each other to bring you exclusive, up-to-the-minute coverage of kids with questionable judgement competing violently for a spot on the Top 10 list of Gangstas in the News.

Posted by Mark at November 7, 2005 08:26 PM

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Comments

The portraits of Chiraq and Villepin on the BBC articles make me think of French aristocrats in the court of Louis XIV. When I realize how much Sarko and Chiraq are playing power games with their pawns, it could be a less romantic (?) version of "Les Liasons Dangeureuses."

I've been following some discussion of the riots on rogerlsimon.com, after a link from my Dad. His articles and comments they generate are about 50% French bashing and 50% insightful commentary on the situation, which is about as good as it gets in the blogosphere.

After hearing the arguments in either direction (islam vs economy) as the cause, I still believe it's the economy, with the racism highlighted by the BBC being the key exacerbating factor. As for the solution, I can use my distance as an excuse for not having a clue.

Posted by: Andy at November 8, 2005 03:25 AM