Is Paris burning?

As many of you have noticed France is embroiled in nights of violence and rioting, burning cars, gas bombs and vandalism. All this stems from the tragic death of two youths running away from the police, and being accidentally electricuted. This tragic sparked off 14 days of rioting. Some would have you believe that "Paris is burning," that there is an intifada in France. A few points.

First, this is once again a facsinating study of the press and media. Being French and more importantly Parisian I am deeply concerned about the activities in Paris and France. However depending on what source I read or watch or listen to, I hear everything from open revolution in France to everything is safe. Now the truth lies somewhere in between and I would argue more towards the peace than the outright warfare. The media always latches on to the latest "hot" story, running with it for days until the next one emerges. The press loves a good fire or bombing, rioting crowds, and armored riot police. Sometimes the stories mix up dates and events to make the story more attractive. I read something today that still talked about a fire bombing of a Toulouse bus as if it just happened, althought it happend two days ago. I saw some reporters from CNN talking to youths with covered faces making the scene appear to be coming from Bagdhad or Beirut. I have read that parts of Paris are "war zones." Yet whenever I see live shots I see people still living their lives, getting their baguets and trying to keep some sanity while the misguided youths leverage this situation to vandalise. I have also seen live shots of down town Paris, and all I can say is it looks lovely as ever. This is once again a good example of understanding the press and their methods. I also enjoy seeing some right wing press (NY Post) using this tragedy as a manner of sticking it to France, shows the Post's true value as a source for Murdoch's right wing agenda.

Second, this is a tragedy, but let us hope this finally gives the government the motivation for real reform. The crux of this issue is the horrible living conditions for many of these rioters. While the rioting is occuring in "Paris" it is happening in the suburbs of Paris, a Paris that few of us know a Paris that you do not find in Rick Steve's latest guide to Paris. These areas in Paris have been long neglected. The government hoping that it will just keep to itself. But it will not, these are French men and women, born in France raised as French. The government has been to slow in reform when it comes to employment and jobs. With unemployment over 10% and stagnant, something needs to be done. Rather than allowing small unions force the government to back down whenever reform is mentioned, the government needs to take what is happening as an indication that the country needs reform, and real leadership to get itself back on the right track. A few reforms:

• Focus on job creation at the education level: create an education system for those not pursuing "traditional" education paths, something the gov't claimed it is doing. Allow those that are not great at the traditional education method but need to go to vocational schools. Start opening up school systems with other nations, having exchange programs, allowing students to learn from other cultures in Europe and bringing in new thinking into the french system.
  
• Allow companies to fire and hire people without the red tape that exists. The ability to fire people that are not working out will allow companies to cycle through labor, allowing those that are qualified to thrive, giving unproven works chances, and forcing those stuck in a rut or who have become too comfortable to become motivated to be the best they can be.
• Continue the integration with the banlieus. One point I think that Sarkozy is wrong, horribly wrong, is to view the police as the hammer of the state. That the police should not be organizing rugby matches in the nieghborhoods but rather policing. The problem in the areas affected is a distrust if not hatred of the police. The way to change this is to have the police become a member of the neighborhoods. Have them walk the beat, organize after school events, know the people, become part of it. Something that has worked well in cities like New York and Boston. This does not mean that the police do not arrest or investigate crimes, but it is a lot easier when the majority of the neighborhood sees you as a part of the system and not the hammer that comes down when the government orders it to.
  

Unfortunately I do not think that Chirac has the back bone to take real action.

Finally, next to reform, or potential reform, what I take away from these tragedies is the desire of regular people in the neighborhoods rising up and taking back their neighborhoods, organizing teams to patrol their streets at night. The saddest part is that the distruction and vandalism is being dispensed by those in the neighborhoods, those living amongst the peaceful citizens. They are destroying their own homes, schools, gyms etc. Now their neighbors are saying "no more." The French gov't needs to work with these teams to allow this to continue and to take root in people's thinking.

As we watch the happenings in France, we must all ask what is our government doing to integrate and empower all of its citizens? If you cannot come up with a clear answer or strategy, don't feel as if this could not happen in your neighborhood.