France's Rioting Symptomatic of Larger EU Problem
It would appear that the Muslims and North Africans are not truly fighting for cause, so much as fighting for its own sake. In fact, yesterday, one of France’s largest Islamic groups issued a fatwa against rioting, saying, “It is formally forbidden to any Muslim seeking diving grace and satisfaction to participate in any action that blindly hits private or public property or could constitute an attack on someone’s life.” So I guess these youths aren’t too concerned with “seeking divine grace and satisfaction.” The truth could be a little closer to some quotes being published, for instance, in today’s Globe and Mail and National Post. The Globe quotes Hassen Farsadou, head of the Union of Muslim Associations in Rosny-sous-Bois as saying, “They saw it on TV, they got worked up about it and they stirred up other boys, they wanted attention, they were thrilled to have their town shown on TV.” The Post quotes a young man of Malian background as saying that the spreading of unrest actually derives from a competition of sorts. Apparently, he and his friends, “see what the others are up to on TV and we try to match them…like a football game…. If the guys in Clichy torch 15 cars, we gotta do better. But we never leave the ‘hood.’” According to the paper, American rapper 50-cent is a role model in these neighborhoods. Sounds like nothing more than unbridled delinquency to me.
Perhaps history doesn’t always repeat, but it often rhymes. In the past, the issue was that the powers had conquered disparate people on their own continent who sought independence. Today, many of the formerly conquered in what was once far away Africa have settled in Western Europe, in what is essentially a repeat of the old problem. Unfortunately, this time a truly long-term solution must be devised, because these people really aren’t going away and their grievances probably can’t be addressed with a few handouts and more social programs. At some point, the Clash of Civilizations is going to have a powerfully destructive effect on everyone’s lives, even if it can be contained for now.
With France starting to impose curfews and reported unrest developing in Belgium and Germany, it is important to consider the far-reaching effects of this hooliganism from an economic standpoint. Sadly, although France has the largest Islamic population in Western Europe, they are not alone in facing these problems (witness the brutal murder of Theo Van Gogh in Amsterdam last year.) As if the EU didn’t already have enough to worry about with lousy demography and a fragile, uncompetitive economy. Exogenous factors (hurricanes, subway bombings, terrorism, avian flu, rioting, war, etc.) are beginning to cost the Western world a great deal more than is affordable, and seem to be multiplying even before economists have a chance to compute the costs.
With the rioting in France almost two weeks old, one must hope that the government can contain it before in spreads. Certainly, it’ll now be impossible for Turkey, with its population of 70 million Muslims to find its way into the EU.
No comments:
Post a Comment