.... there is a huge difference between targeting grand bishops in Rome and a beleaguered, economically fragile Muslim community that has received a great many knocks at the hands of the French state and its colonial past. Rabelaisian derision aimed at the House of Saud or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is one thing.
But aimed at the disaffected banlieues it is bullying and goading. You have to be suspicious that French secularism is not the neutral thing it purports to be when racists such as Le Pen start defending it so enthusiastically. And yet there is nothing the leaders of al-Qaida want more than the French state to be seen to declare war on its religious citizens once again. [Giles Fraser, 1600 comments]
[TOP RATED COMMENT 807 votes] "You have to be suspicious that French secularism is not the neutral thing it purports to be."
You have to be suspicious about Giles Fraser's belief in liberty when he writes apologias like this. Charlie Hebdo was crass. The Islamists were murderers.
[SECOND 705] "There is a huge difference between targeting grand bishops in Rome and a beleaguered, economically fragile Muslim community"
No there isn't, they are both fair game for the harsh light of wider societies scrutiny.
[THIRD 665] Giles, I'm sure you're a nice guy, but a mere few days after the murders and with other plots foiled yesterday (every day) that sounds too much like " the aggressors are the victim here" talk.
[FOURTH 661] "You have to be suspicious that French secularism is not the neutral thing it purports to be when racists such as Le Pen start defending it so enthusiastically."
At the same time, there are lots of left-wing anti-racists who also defend it enthusiastically and last week, four million people from all walks of life staged the largest demonstration in France's history to defend secularism.
Your nasty attempts to smear secularism as some kind of evil, right-wing conspiracy won't wash.
[FIFTH 598] So what are you saying then Giles. The French state "had it coming?"
As did the French Gendarme protecting inside the offices of Charlie Hebdot? He was from our town, and was buried yesterday, with the service at 11am. I can send you a few photos of his wife and kids if it would help.
Personally, I think folk hearing directly, or indirectly, from God that they MUST murder others are completely bonkerooni, and require some corrective therapy. Preferably secularist in nature.
[SIXTH 551] .... Economically fragile Muslim community: why are other religious communities not economically fragile? Maybe because the educate themselves in schools instead of madrasses? Speaking of which, these get financed by economically very robust oil sheiks; why do the wealthy ME oil countries get or take so few poor Muslim immigrants? A match made in Heaven/Jannah any rational person would think.
[SEVENTH 375] So you're comparing Charlie Hebdo with Le Pen and the FN - and implying they're part of a whole under your usual boogeyman of 'secularism'?
Nice try, Giles - anyone even remotely familiar with CH's output will know they mock the FN alongside Islam as a whole.
And that's the critical difference - the religion as a whole has power, which is what makes the religion a target for scrutiny, critique and ridicule. They are not targeting kids in the banlieues.
[EIGHTH 339] Those who perpetuate the victim narrative are really not helping, even though they might have good intentions.
Like the invasion of Iraq it is a failed tactic - we need some fresh ideas here. [Guardian Cif] Read more
