Well, sort of...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/17/AR2006101701652_pf.html
The French are indeed doing better than most of the European countries.
Allons enfant de la Patria...But the Total Fertilty Rate is still below replacement value.
Most Frenchpersons --- no ethnic slurs here --- yet --- hate the idea of immigration from Norht Africa.
They hate Gypsies.
The Corsicans and Basques hate them.
Nice huh?
Ben
posted by Ben Wattenberg at 6:18 PM
2 Comments:
Most Frenchpersons --- no ethnic slurs here --- yet --- hate the idea of immigration from Norht (sic) Africa.
Is it really "hate"? Might there be reason(s) for the "hate"? And if the "most" part is true, why has there been, and why is there, so much of it? Why hasn't French democracy enabled this majority to enforce its political will about this very important topic -- what topic is more important than the future makeup of a nation?
Let me suggest something to you, Mr Wattenberg: that segment of the French population that is either opposed to, or deeply skeptical about, (further) immigration from North Africa is so for perfectly logical reasons.
If you would take a moment to loosen yourself from the straightjacket of politically correct thinking, perhaps you will be able to see this. It is this same doctrine of political correctness that demands we not notice certain differences between identifiable demographic groups, even obvious differences, and ascribes any such notice to discrimination, racism, xenophobia, "hate", etc.
Regarding the French, high among the reasons for this opposition or skepticism is the ordinary, everyday observation that a very large percentage of North African immigrants just have not integrated well into French society. They have formed a distinct 'other', and this 'other' is disproportionately poor and disproporionately criminal. This is true whether the media -- also susceptible to political correctness, particulary in France, where there are laws about it -- reports honestly on this or not. Because, again, this is something the French see, everyday, with their own eyes. The recent trouble in France, the violence and rioting, was just the tip of the iceberg -- just the tip of what is a mammoth societal problem in France.
It is perfectly logical of the French not to want to make this problem worse.
A question using an American analogy: If I am moving to a new city, and as a white person decide I don't want to live in the predominantly black section of that city because I know -- I have verified via available statistics -- that it is a high crime area (as, sadly, most majority black locales in America are), does that decision make me a racist? Or am I just using logic and common sense?
If your answer to the first question is is 'No' (and to the second 'Yes'), then it is worth considering: How many other of such basic decisions and actions which might be described in the media as motivated by bias, discrimination, racism, "hate", etc, are actually also rational?
BTW, Mr Wattenberg, what part of Washington DC do you live in?
Nice huh?
Of course true "hate" -- irrational, unyielding -- is to be condemned (it is 'not nice'). But even worse is this pervasive lack of clear and honest thinking about group differences, and the public demonization of any such clear and honest thinking, particularly any political manifestation of it, that has allowed these tragic social circumstances to develop in so many (western) countries.
Think about it...
Nice huh?
Another article about France, of a different sort.
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