French Comic to Stand Trial for Alleged Anti-Semitic Remarks

The Associated Press ^ | Jan 23, 2004 | AP Stringer

[Pharmboy]

Dieudonne once called white
Catholics 'racist slavers'

PARIS (AP) - A well-known French comic will be prosecuted for on-air antics that included dressing up as an Orthodox Jew and decrying an "American-Zionist" axis, the Paris prosecutor's office said Friday. Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala's performance, which drew criticism from the French prime minister, came during a prime-time TV show, "On Ne Peut Pas Plaire a Tout le Monde," ("You Can't Please Everybody") on Dec. 1.

As part of the skit, the comic raised an arm and shouted "Isra-Heil!" - a reference to the Nazi slogan, "Heil Hitler."

Prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation Dec. 24 into whether the comic's skit and "incriminating comments" constituted racial defamation.

Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has said he was "shocked" by the performance, and the show's host, Marc-Olivier Fogiel, apologized for the episode. Several Jewish groups complained.

On Thursday, Justice Minister Dominique Perben said that "justice would be inflexible" if racism is proven.

"Racism is an evil that I don't want to see develop in this country," Perben said.

France has been battling a wave of anti-Semitic violence for more than two years, often involving attacks against Jewish schools, synagogues and community centers.

AP-ES-01-23-04 2100EST

Copyright 2003 Associated Press

[Pharmboy]

No good will come of this...whattan idjyot.

[GasparSantiago]

They`re prosecuting him? Is prosecute the French word for "award"? It must be, being that the French make cop killers like Mumia Abu Jamal "an honorary citizen of Paris". Either that or maybe killing a cop by shooting him 4 times in the back and once in the face in front of 5 witnesses is less of a crime to the French?

[BenLurkin]

Small wonder so many of the French either collaborated with the Germans or joined the Communists. They are clueless on how to have a free society.

No wonder the British were so appalled by everything French after the French revolution.

[AmishDude]

Ping, monsieur. Commentez-vous, SVP.

[flying Elvis]

"Racism is an evil that I don't want to see develop in this country," Perben said.

As if it hasn't festered in France for hundresd of years, remember Alfred Dreyfus.

[Destro]

The British have the same anti free speech laws. Taki cofounder (along with Pat Buchanan) of the American Conservative magazine is under investigation for racisim by Blair's regime (he is a political enemy of Blair) because he declared certain ethnic areas of British cities as no go zones for White people. Don't praise the British of today. They deserve no praise.

[Pharmboy]

I am a bit confused. Judaism is a religion, not a race. Wouldn't he be guilty of religicism?

[Cicero]

He's a comic? Doesn't look very funny to me. But it might do more good to throw a few Synagogue bombers in jail instead.

[Frank_2001]

Christian-bashing is evidently as cool in Frogland as it is in America/extreme sarcasm off

[Pelayo]

No wonder the British were so appalled by everything French after the French revolution.

As a direct descendant of several families of the exiled noblesse, I maintain that everything French(in France) went down hill from the revolution.

[Pelayo]

I am a bit confused. Judaism is a religion, not a race. Wouldn't he be guilty of religicism?

By tradition “Judaism” the faith is usually considered synonymous with the Hebrew Nation. Since historically the Jews never tried to evangelize gentiles, and were supposed the marry only amongst themselves.

[Neophyte]

Judaism is a religion... but to be a Jew means to belong to a certain ethnic group. Race is somewhat wider notion... in this sense Jews are not different from other whites.

So a secular, or even leftie atheist Jew is still Jewish, especially from the point of view of a homicide bomber, or "just a peaceful" anti-Semite like that Frenchie buffoon.

[Neophyte]

When jews say that jesus wasn't the savior, thats ok? Isn't that defamation of christian beliefs?

No, it is not a defamation of Christian beliefs. It is stating of their very own beliefs though... and please don't forget that Jesus was also their very own.

There is no unfathomable trench between Judaism and Christianity. Till about 300 AD Christianity was perceived by everyone as a mere sect of Judaism.

Both religions live in the expectation of a Messiah. When comes, He could say: "Hi there, long time no see!" Then the mankind immediately would know that Christians were all the way right. And Jews would have to apologise.

But if He comes as a total stranger, the other side would have to admit it was on the wrong track all that long years...

I mean, we have just to wait and see, no need for confrontation.

[Benjo]

In the past, we've been so used to free speech in this country we found it hard to believe that even in democracies like France, Germany, England and Canada you could be arrested for offering an opinion out loud. Of course, these days it's hard to be so smug. The time is coming (and may already be here) when it's illegal to say anything that hurts someone else's feelings (which is what happens when you don't teach the first amendment in school and half the residents of this country grew up in places where there was no free speech anyway).

[Oztrich Boy]

This story is obviously a spoof.

A well-known French comic

What will be claimed next? there's an Easter Bunny? Bigfoot?

[Atlantic Friend]

Well, let's state first that Dieudonné was in the late 80s part of a younger generation of comics that tried to step in the shoes of their gifted elders such as "The Nobodies" (Les Inconnus).

He began his career with a guy named Elie (I don't know if the dude was Jewish) and enjoyed a reasonable success until the mid-90s, when the duo split up. In his solo career, Dieudonné has clearly shown he was the weak link of the duo. He tried to mix comedy and politics - but utterly lacked the talent.

During the 90s, politics have begun to play a major role in his life. He made a few songs against the French National Front, and tried his hand in a local election, which, if I recall correctly, he lost. Wanting to be the new Coluche, he announced he would participate in the presidential election, another idea that backfired.

Dieudonne is from a Parisian suburb where Muslim immigrants are in large numbers - I don't know whether he is a Muslim himself. But, given this background (where attacking Israel is not only tolerable but required) and his declining career, his despicable stunt does not surprise me.

I truly don't think he should be prosecuted for it, though. The idea of laws punishing people for what they think or believe in does not fly with me. Since I firmly believe in personal accountability, though, I hope Dieudonne will face the consequences of his publicity stunt. The best punishment will probably come from the total wrecking of his career. After this episode, who will invite to another show (except maybe Al-Jazeera) ?

[AmishDude]

AF,

Thanks for your comments. You've said much of it before, but it's always nice to have your first-hand perspective. I should say that Cameroon (from where his parent or parents emigrated) is majority Christian with a large Muslim and animist population.

I don't know about France, but I would think that it would be easy for an African of Christian roots -- particularly one who is looking for an indentity -- to identify with the Muslim population.

[dfwgator]

n the past, we've been so used to free speech in this country we found it hard to believe that even in democracies like France, Germany, England and Canada you could be arrested for offering an opinion out loud.

And yet these same Euro-peons criticize Bush for being too authoritarian, beam me up!!!

[Atlantic Friend]

Precisely, many of our young nationals from Arab background, in the suburbs, are turning to Islam because it gives them a sense of identity.

Many of them have difficult backgrounds, have dropped out from school or have wasted every opportunity they were offered. Many of them also feel, sometimes rightly and sometimes wrongly, that they are not allowed to succeed because they are Arabs or Africans. They see in Islam a way of turning the tables on the French society. Militant Islam IS a driving force today, and to these youngsters, being they in crime or in honest jobs, it gives them a chance to be in the winning team.

I'm happy in that way, because where I live, in western France, immigration and color is not much of an issue. But I'm deeply worried about the growing restlessness of the cities suburbs.