On the Paris Subway You Could Cut the Tension with a Knife

 

One of my students just got back from a study abroad semester in Paris. She said the Parisians were rude to her and her classmates and worse on the subway there was a palpable tension between the French and the Muslims, huddled separately in the crowded compartments, that was so bad "you could cut it with a knife."

Hostility between the French and Muslims is evident in part by French law that forbids the traditional head covering for Muslim women. 

It appears that in Europe the Muslim population tends to be  insular, resulting in greater tensions between the two groups whereas in the United States Muslims tend to be more integrated, abating such a rank state of affairs. I say this even in light of the current controversy regarding the Muslim center that is unwelcome by many as being at the site of Ground Zero. 

 

 

Comments

[Tim]

The proposed mosque is not "close" to Ground Zero; it's at the very site of a building destroyed by one of the planes' propellers.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Tim, I edited for accuracy. Thanks.

[Ed S.]

Jets have propellers?

[KE7CYT]

Hmmmm... My Wife, Son and I spent a memorable Christmas 2006 in Paris and the Locals, from shopkeepers, Gendarmes, and a wonderful stranger who helped us find our hotel (hotel Castix) were uniformly considerate and kind. I'd be in Paris right now if I had paying Sys Admin work there.

Were there any threats? Yup. In order:

1) Somali grifters outside Sacré-Coeur. Tried to stop us to tie bogus "Friendship Bracelets" on us while groping for our wallets. We gave them the "Parisian glare" and said "No!". We kept our money and moved on.

2) Kurdish beggars on the perimeter of the Eiffel Tower. Showed us pictures of a brother that was in hospital and needed their money. We left behind a couple Euro for the quality of their performance.

3) French dark rum. Sweet, musky and unforgettable. The worst threat of all, it caused the three of us to lose several hours we'll never get back. Still have a duty-free bottle of it awaiting our son's college graduation or other occasion of equal magnitude.

Sadly, all of Europe - and Scandinavia - is dealing with a new Muslim Conquest that will forever define the regions' history and culture. It's already happened across the Pacific Rim; us Americans were occupied with the Soviet Threat while that happened so we're only now appreciating it's extent.

Unfortunately, wherever you have angry, poorly educated people ready to be exploited by a mullah/pastor/rabbi with ambitions there'll be bloodshed. This situation hasn't changed in millenia.

One can only hope that a rational, civilized minority will prevail.

[Tim]

Pardon me. Not propeller, but landing gear.