The Washington Times reported yesterday that once again France’s flirtation sordid back-seat affair with multiculturalism has risen up to bite it in the butt:
PARIS — A gang of more than 20 youths — thought to be North African immigrants — terrorized hundreds of train passengers in a rampage of violence, robbery and sexual assault on New Year’s Day, French officials said yesterday.
The five-hour-long criminal frenzy was “totally unacceptable,” French President Jacques Chirac told reporters. “Those guilty will be found and punished, as they deserve.”
The French finding something “totally unacceptable” would be like me in my intemperate youth protesting the amorous advances of Farrah Fawcett. I may have said that I found the situation “totally unacceptable”, but my friends would have known that I wasn’t about to do the first thing about it. In fact, if memory serves, the French finding something “totally unacceptable” is usually the phrase they use right before they put in a hefty order for white flags.
One telling passage from the article reveals the sheep-like instincts of the other passengers:
“It was a real scene of pillage on the train,” said the regional state prosecutor, Dominique Luigi, adding that the passengers were in a state of “panic.”
Train staff alerted police, and the train pulled into a station to wait. The three officers who initially turned up later were joined by reinforcements.
“A scene of pillage” when these kids were outnumbered 30-to-1? I realize that the passengers were distributed among several cars, but I also know that each car carries quite a few people more than 20 people, too. And don’t you just love the French response — 3 police officers, followed by reinforcements? Reinforcing what?
The fact that these barbaric animals would be brazen enough to do this in broad daylight on a train carrying 600 people when they numbered only somewhere over 20 is testament to just how far French society has fallen. Had this happened in America — especially the groping — those jerks would have been lucky to leave the train alive, much less with their gonads intact.
As for Chirac’s finding the situation unacceptable, I’d say that once again Jed Babbin’s statement about the French still rings true: they’re like taking an accordion deer hunting — just a lot of useless, noisy baggage.
UPDATE: Reader Tom Slick sent me the following graphic that will be appearing on all my French-bashing posts from now on. He tells me he has an 8×10 of this in his office. Now that’s an office I’d like to see! Thanks, Tom!
TD
Popularity: 23%
12:01 pm
I am surprised Chirac called this behavior unacceptable. I thought he would blame himself or his countrys policy. Or maybe white wash it totally like when they said “only 400 cars were torched last night”. Which meant things were back to normal.
Chirac grows more irrelevant by the day.
I have something that would go great with this post TD. I will emai it to you.
12:40 pm
Great comment, although personally I didn’t know the French had any relevance left to lose.
TD
12:27 pm
You are a bunch of right wing idiots. You are a shame to your country. BTW, have you ever spent even a day in France? Or Europe for that matter? Funny how you don’t seem to even undestand or try to understand that not everybody in the world ought to thinks like you. Most European countries have different values, when it comes to ethics or work etc. You would be surprised how nice it is to live in Europe. And how open-minded and patient Europeans are.
Just take a step back and look at yourselves.
Thomas Anderson
1:01 pm
I hardly think that two people qualifies as a bunch, Thomas. Plus, I have a genius-level IQ, which is actually at the opposite end of the brain-power spectrum than the end occupied by “idiots”. I don’t know Tom Slick all that well, but I’ve found him to be well-reasoned and articulate, and he has a great sense of humor.
I think that’s best decided by people who are actually citizens of our country, not by some goober from a never-been-anything European country best known for its sexual libertines. And so far, our fellow citizens actually tend to agree with us.
No, thank God, to the first question.
No, but I hope to visit one day to the second question.
And it’s funny how you don’t seem to even understand or try to understand that everybody in the world should think like us. At least in this instance.
Are you saying we should forgive the animals who caused the trouble on those train cars? Just let them do what they want to people, because, after all, they’re just rag-headed camel-jockeys who can never learn to exist in a country that was actually civilized? Is that what you’re saying?
I think you kind of went off the deep end here, dude. I’m talking about one single incident that happened in a country that is losing its place as a prominent beacon of civilization in the Western world. That’s OK though, America will just shine a little brighter. Oh, don’t worry, you don’t have to thank us.
I understand perfectly about those different values. France, in particular, where youths think they should be protected from job loss no matter what kind of crappy job they do. Where you get — what? — a month or two of vacation every year? Their work ethic in particular is evident here in America by the abundant space on our shelves not dedicated to many sub-standard European products.
And while I can’t speak to the open-mindedness and patience of Europeans from personal knowledge, I’d say that at least the French (ah, the French!) demonstrated it by letting themselves be bullied around and allowing their womenfolk to be groped by a bunch of out-of-control thugs.
I have. I like what I see, for the most part. In fact, I like it way better than what I see going on in Europe. Now don’t get me wrong, I recognize Europe as the cradle of western civilization, and I would love to visit one day, in all sincerity I’m sure it would be a most enjoyable experience for me.
However, I don’t see people flocking in droves to get to any European country. They’re coming in droves to America, because, quite simply, we’re the best thing going.
That said, let me get you to do something for me. Take a step back and look at yourself.
All you offered was emotion-laden rhetoric. You put forth not one fact, not one little logical point for me to hold close to my heart for solace. It was a diatribe based not on the content of my post, but on your emotions. Get a grip and get a brain, would you? If you want to discuss the issues on this blog, at least humor me with a little logic, how about it?
Oh, and you’re a bunch of left-wing idiots.
Have a nice day!
TD
2:21 pm
Good afternoon TD. I hope all is well with you and yours. It has been a while.
What a most interesting comment above by Thomas. I guess it is more puzzling than interesting.
Thank you Thomas for your post. I have never been to Europe either, but after reading your post, I have a much better understanding of how “patient” and “open minded” the French are.
My opinion above stated that Chirac is an apologist. He seems to avoid any confrontation and will blame himself or Frances policies to quiet any unrest (especially from Muslims). But I guess that point of view makes me an idiot. I appreciate your open mindedness Thomas, but your emotional tantrum was a transparent facade of your Hypocrisy.
Now, if I said above, all the French are retards or all the French wear womens underwear, or all the French eat dog shit, then I guess I would deserve your comment. However, I only stated that Chirac is irrelevent. There is a difference between broad-stroking an entire population and making a comment about one. So, if you were to call President Bush names, should I make a knee jerk reaction and call you a pussy? OF course I shouldn’t, well, at least not for that reason. Perhaps you can read the post and comments again and calmly voice your opinion and show us what real open-mindedness means.
Ok, Just for kicks, shall we look into the French work ethic or lack thereof.
“Restoring the value of work is being promoted by the governing UMP party as a way of giving a free-market orientation to economic policy. A report submitted to the Prime Minister in December 2003, by a governing party MP, Gilles Carrez, advocates a break with a ‘welfare-oriented’ approach in favour of one based on ‘workfare’ . In his report, Mr Carrez presents restoring the value of work as a core principle of a ‘modern and popular’ centre-right movement, which should have no hesitation in defending an ‘effort-based culture’ and in addressing the ‘exasperation expressed by poorer, hard-working French people, who feel that they are barely better off than those living on welfare’”
Are you following this Thomas? Ok, being an idiot myself, I will explain this to you.
There are people in your country that feel there is a problem with your socialistic policies which have diminished incentive for work itself. In other words Thomas, people are concerned in France that there may not be enough money to distribute to non workers if there are not enough workers to earn this money in the first place. They are also concerned that a 35 hour work week may not be sufficient as well. I don’t believe a 10% unemployment rate is helping either.
Enjoy the Europe as you know it now Thomas. Your tomorrow may not be so bright.
All the best
TS