Posted on 11/15/2005 4:34:45 PM PST by NixonsAngryGhost
French minister says polygamy to blame for riots By Martin Arnold in Paris Published: November 15 2005 20:30 | Last updated: November 15 2005 20:30
France’s employment minister on Tuesday fingered polygamy as one reason for the rioting in the country.
Gérard Larcher said multiple marriages among immigrants was one reason for the racial discrimination which ethnic minorities faced in the job market. Overly large polygamous families sometimes led to anti-social behaviour among youths who lacked a father figure, making employers wary of hiring ethnic minorities, he explained.
The minister, speaking to a group of foreign journalists as the government stepped up efforts to improve its image with the foreign media, said: “Since part of society displays this anti-social behaviour, it is not surprising that some of them have difficulties finding work ... Efforts must be made by both sides. If people are not employable, they will not be employed.”
The riots, and the government’s slow reaction to the violence, has led to widespread criticism that France’s ruling class is out of touch with the rest of the country. Mr Larcher’s comments could further fuel the debate and are likely to outrage Muslim and anti-racism groups in France.
They also come as the government considers tightening visa-granting rules and a possible clampdown on polygamous families already living in France.
Although polygamy is illegal in France, visas were granted freely to family members of immigrants until 1993, when visas were banned for more than one spouse. Many wives continued to enter illegally, however and a clampdown, if enforced, could affect families that entered the country before 1993.
Politicians estimate there are 10,000-20,000 polygamous families in France, most from North and sub-Saharan African countries such as Algeria, Mali and Senegal, where the practice is legal.
Polygamy is a taboo subject for most mainstream French politicians. Far-right groups, however, have seized on it to argue that immigrants abuse the French social security system by collecting state benefits for several wives.
The government has also been criticised for refusing to closely analyse demographic patterns in France in order to better integrate minorities. But Mr Larcher said France was so traumatised by the Vichy government’s expulsion of French Jews to German concentration camps during the second world war that it still found it unpalatable to allow information to be collected on people’s ethnic origins.
He acknowledged that the unemployment rate among young people in France was twice the national average, but said other European countries faced similar problems. He also pointed the finger at the US, where he said the unemployment rate among blacks aged 16-19 was twice that of their white counterparts.
His comments came as Dominique de Villepin, prime minister, made his first visit to the poor Paris suburbs since rioting erupted almost three weeks ago.
Although the unrest has abated substantially in recent days, the French parliament on Tuesday approved a law prolonging by three months the life of a controversial 1955 curfew law.
Probably members of the welfare class. Immigrants from the Middle East with anything at all going for them learned French, got adequate educations, good jobs and moved out of the ghettos at the first opportunity, just like successful immigrants in any country.
And yet, I do have some sympathy for kids born into these ghettos and farcical families, who may never have been out of their hood nor heard a word of French. You can bet the ranch they listen to nothing but neighborhood Imams and alJazeera radio and tv stations. Of course, Dad and Mom and mom and mom won't let them learn anything that will help them make it in the post-12th century world.
I saw a movie made in France (probably) by an Arab filmmaker that chronicled the lives of a few boys in the Muslim ghetto and their struggle with their parents and neighbors to break loose and actually play western music and even date girls like normal adolescents. It was a comedy, with Imams and moms presented as illiterate crazy alarmist frightened peasants. In the movie, the kids finally broke free and started their own rock group, which was actually pretty good and earned them enough money to escape from home and lives of petty crime. At the start of the movie, the kids were stealing stuff from everyone-- motorcycles, clothing, food, everything, and laughing at how afraid of them the gendarmes were.
Mon Dieu! Eet ees not as eef we mar-Y zem!
Zom lines are not meant to be crossed! Kweek; zom Limberger; I feel faint at even zee thought of zuch a theeng!
Time to get some good ole' fashioned silk screening done and head down to the local mosque!
Polygamy. That's the ticket...
If these three men have no domestic home life, what are they going to do?
I hate to break the news to you: That ain't no chick. French or otherwise.
"I hate to break the news to you: That ain't no chick. French or otherwise."
Geez, just think how disappointed those Muslim kids are! [theme from Crying Game]
"He acknowledged that the unemployment rate among young people in France was twice the national average, but said other European countries faced similar problems. He also pointed the finger at the US, where he said the unemployment rate among blacks aged 16-19 was twice that of their white counterparts. "
I am curious in a really-don't-want-to-know way about your certainty on the issue, however. Please do NOT tell me how you checked the oil on that Peugeot, okay?
"If one man has four wives, then three men don't have a wife.
If these three men have no domestic home life, what are they going to do?"
Unfortunately, that's part of the problem. There are a lot of idle, frustrated men in the Arab/Muslim world, whose situation is not being addressed by their fellow Muslims.
A number of terrorists, in fact, come from homes where the father is abusive and often living with a second wife. I can imagine the kid growing up with a lot of sexual confusion.
"Probably members of the welfare class. Immigrants from the Middle East with anything at all going for them learned French, got adequate educations, good jobs and moved out of the ghettos at the first opportunity, just like successful immigrants in any country."
That's very true. While in France I actually spoke to some of the (European) French, who complained that many of the immigrants took advantage of France's generous system and contributed nothing in return -- except crime. All they did was hang around, bother women, and steal or beg.
I did meet an Arab who was quite educated & industrious. He told me that his father had sided with the French during the Algerian wars and moved to France, only to be barred from decent jobs. They had to start from scratch. So, in fairness, some immigrants or their children do have valid grievances.
However.
As you said, this guy came from a family with something "going for them." They were well-to-do in their native Algeria and managed to overcome their hardships in France. I did see a few hard-working Arabs/Muslims, many of whom set up small businesses or similar entrepreneurial ventures. They seemed in general to be of better quality. So maybe it's the nature vs. nurture debate.
This slavish devotion to an extreme philosophy of muti-culturalism at all costs is beginning to resemble a suicide pact.
My 3 wives told me not to read this thread
Abuse? The idiots who run France encourage this by not clamping down on immigrant polygamy and by their absurd social welfare system. It's an open invitation for Muslims to have as many wives and children as they can manage. French welfare subsidizes the demographic Jihad. IDIOTS!!!
Blame Donny and Marie next why don't you?
Overly large polygamous families sometimes led to anti-social behaviour among youths who lacked a father figure, making employers wary of hiring ethnic minorities, he explained.Doesn't have anything to do with socialism and a stagnant economy, I guess.
I was listening to a radio show (Mancow's Morning Madhouse) and they played an audio clip of CNN who blamed this on the problems associated with unfairness to “African Americans.”
Now, for people at CNN being so used to Orwellian political correctness that they would refer to immigrants in France as “African Americans,” should tell anyone what the real problem is over there in France. It seems this Frankish goofball just confirmed thay social psychosis...
If the French could only get the Islamics to accept homosexual monogamy, maybe this problem would go away!
"I am curious in a really-don't-want-to-know way about your certainty on the issue, however. Please do NOT tell me how you checked the oil on that Peugeot, okay?"
At first glance - looking at the arm pit hair - one tends to judge this person as female. However, there is just something about this person (no, I'm not going to revisit the portrait before breakfast) that leads me to believe it's a he.
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