Years of Poems and Spirits

I have been following the reports on Paris riots for several days now.

WashingtonPost.com first had a very in-depth report on the front Web page.

It first told how the riot started (two teens get electrocuted, tear gas into mosque). Seems very compelling. Sympathetic to the Arab youth. Moving portrait of desperation and destitution.

NPR story told why the teens ran away from the police: because in their neigbhorhood, there are road blocks like in Palestine. Police can stop people and arrest them if they don’t have papers with them. One of the kid didn’t that day after playing soccer. When they saw the cops coming, they decided to run.

An article 2 days later asked the question on everyone’s mind:
“The violence also has cast doubt on the success of France’s model of seeking to integrate its immigrant community”
—Does this have anything to do with France’s Jacobin past?
—The French thumped their noses at Americans during the Iraq debate. They totted their soft power and they were able to secure the release of their hostages while others died.
—France has to come to terms, and to debate among themselves, that they are no models for the world. The anti-semite compaign and now this. Where happened to the European way?

Sarkozy first called the riot an “organized” crime. In the 2nd article, de Villepin said the same. I don’t believe it a bit. This riot is just as organized, in my opinion, as the sack of Bastille.

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