SSC Film Studies

First, no one know how many immigrants live in France. In fact, no one really knows who is or isn’t an immigrant. There are now third generation immigrants who are French citizens born to French parents and for whom “the French” are the white people from neighboring cities.

Secondly, it has been nearly impossible to criticize the immigration policy without being called a racist, even though the immigration issue has never been about race.

Third, as the demographics of France are being transformed, the political elite adapts accordingly. In the eye of a politician, immigrants are neither a problem nor an opportunity for France, but essentially new voters. So the political debate about immigration mutates at the same time as the French population does.

The Socialists are clearly attempting to attract the “minorities”, and it remains to be see whether the conservatives will try to do the same or if they will take a chance with an anti-immigration message.

Thus, many people who wonder why the politicians are not defending the cultural integrity of the nation are mistaken. The nation itself is being transformed, at least from the politicians’ point of view. As the nation’s leaders, they have to follow her.

The catholic church has been treated harshly when the separation between the church and the state took place in 1905, so this state of things may be an implicit historical compensation. In any case, nobody had a problem with this until Islam became a big religion in France, hence the debate about places of worship.

Muslims who pray in the street argue that they would happily use buildings if the French state made them available, or at least did something to that effect. French legislation officially keeps the government from subsidizing any religious activity, but the central and local governments, which are anxious to oblige this new constituency, seek ways to overturn the law.

http://www.frumforum.com/frances-assimilation-failure/