Prime Minister François Fillon (left) said an "experts committee" would take over the debate on French national identity, bringing an end to months of public debate on the tricky and divisive issue. Wrapping up months of public debate on the sticky issue of French national identity at a specially convened cabinet meeting Monday, French Prime Minister François Fillon announced a set of initiatives aimed at "deepening" the discussion on what it means to be French. Speaking to reporters at the prime minister's office, the Matignon, in Paris after a two-hour meeting Monday, Fillon said he would recommend the creation of a civic guide for young people and more civics education in schools. Flanked by French Immigration Minister Eric Besson, who initiated the debate, and Education Minister Luc Chatel, Fillon also proposed the formation of an "experts committe" -- made up of politicians and historians -- to continue pondering an issue that has divided public opinion in France.
Wrapping up months of public debate on the sticky issue of French national identity at a specially convened cabinet meeting Monday, French Prime Minister François Fillon announced a set of initiatives aimed at "deepening" the discussion on what it means to be French. Speaking to reporters at the prime minister's office, the Matignon, in Paris after a two-hour meeting Monday, Fillon said he would recommend the creation of a civic guide for young people and more civics education in schools. Flanked by French Immigration Minister Eric Besson, who initiated the debate, and Education Minister Luc Chatel, Fillon also proposed the formation of an "experts committe" -- made up of politicians and historians -- to continue pondering an issue that has divided public opinion in France.
PartenariatEquity Lab est une association travaillant à l'émergence de nouvelles problématiques sur les questions de diversité et d'action positive. www.equity.lab.fr
PartnershipEquity Lab is an organization that deals with the emergence of new issues on questions of diversity and positive action. www.equity.lab.fr
The diversity of ethnic origins and cultures in the French population is for you...?
Une bonne chose / A good thing Une mauvaise chose / A bad thing Sans opinion / No opinion
People of foreign origin who live in France should renounce their culture of origin to adopt French culture... Do you agree or not with this opinion?
D'accord / Agree Pas d'accord / Don't agree Sans opinion / No opinion
In France, everybody has chances to succeed whatever the color of their skin... Do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
And from the Equity Lab press release, a point not mentioned in the Metro article wherein multiculturalisme meets laïcité:
Whilst there is nothing wrong with this kind of attitude - on the contrary, it is highly commendable, some people have voiced their concern that celebrating multiculturalism has been the Government's way of blunting nationalist aspirations, banishing those to the history books and reassuring they will never resurface again. Curiously enough, I was first acquainted with this view while reading an article, posted by an immigrant living in Leicestershire! This is the link: http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2010/02/leon-hadjinikolaou-why-i-as-an-immigrant-hate-the -way-labour-has-used-multiculturalism-to-undermine-.html
The author does make some valid points. For example, when he talks about Culture A and Culture B and how it sounds insane asking people of culture A (if they form 90% of the population of a given country) to stop practising their culture and way of life just so representatives of culture B do not feel alienated, uncomfortable and not fitting into the picture.
Multiculturalists, however, advocate that the culture A must stop practising their culture in order not to make culture B feel uncomfortable.
I do not agree with this description of multiculturalism. What multiculturalists have advocated such a position? Can you provide any specific examples that would illustrate Mr. Hadjinikolaou's premise? The march of civilizations is a series of defenses that man has put up against the dread of pure existence.
Let's have a look on some examples of peaceful immigration. Between 1880 and 1900 there was a significant movement of Jews from Eastern Europe to Ottoman Syria and the United States. Between 1840 and 1900, a large number of Germans emigrated to the United States. Today there are approximately 50,000,000 German-Americans. In 1820 a large number of Irish migrated to the United States for purely economic reasons, well before the Famine. A second wave of Irish immigration happened during the Great Irish Famine in 1845. Today more than 35,000,000 Americans trace their ancestry to Ireland. As far as we can see, there was no big fuss about these waves of immigration.
Between 1880 and 1900 there was a significant movement of Jews from Eastern Europe to Ottoman Syria and the United States.
Between 1840 and 1900, a large number of Germans emigrated to the United States. Today there are approximately 50,000,000 German-Americans.
In 1820 a large number of Irish migrated to the United States for purely economic reasons, well before the Famine. A second wave of Irish immigration happened during the Great Irish Famine in 1845. Today more than 35,000,000 Americans trace their ancestry to Ireland.
As far as we can see, there was no big fuss about these waves of immigration.
I.e., Palestine. No big fuss?
Cough! And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg
The key problem with multi-culturalism is that it classifies people by nebulous ideas of "culture". It's divide and conquer by skin colour and where your ancestors came from.
For example, when he talks about Culture A and Culture B and how it sounds insane asking people of culture A
pondering an issue that has divided public opinion in France
Nuts. The whole "identity debate" was a transparent fake from the start.
It is now being turned over to a commission, in other words, a burial party.
