Paris Burning: How Empires End

[igloo]

Paris Burning: How Empires End

by Patrick J. Buchanan

Posted Nov 7, 2005

The Romans conquered the barbarians—and the barbarians conquered Rome.

So it goes with empires. And comes now the penultimate chapter in the history of the empires of the West.

This is the larger meaning of the ritual murder of Theo Van Gogh in Holland, the subway bombings in London, the train bombings in Madrid, the Paris riots spreading across France. The perpetrators of these crimes in the capitals of Europe are the children of immigrants who were once the colonial subjects of the European empires.

At this writing, the riots are entering their 12th night and have spread to Rouen, Lille, Marseille, Toulouse, Dijon, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Cannes, Nice. Thousands of cars and buses have been torched and several nursery schools fire-bombed. One fleeing and terrified woman was doused with gasoline and set ablaze.

The rioters are of Arab and African descent, and Muslim. While almost all are French citizens, they are not part of the French people. For never have they been assimilated into French culture or society. And some wish to remain who and what they are. They live in France but are not French.

The rampage began October 27 when two Arab youths, fleeing what they mistakenly thought was a police pursuit, leapt onto power lines and were electrocuted. The two deaths ignited the riots.

Interior Minister Nicholas Sarkozy, a candidate to succeed President Chirac, is said to have infuriated and inflamed the rioters. Before the rampage began, he promised “war without mercy†on crime in the teeming suburbs where unemployment runs at 20% and income is 40% below the national average. He has denounced the rioters as “scum†and “rabble.â€

Like the urban riots in America in the 1960s, which the Kerner Commission blamed on “white racism,†Paris’s riots are being blamed on France’s failure to bring Islamic immigrants into the social and economic mainstream of the nation. Solutions being offered range from voting rights for non-citizens to affirmative action in hiring for the children of Third World immigrants.

To understand why this is unlikely to solve France’s crisis, consider how America succeeded, and often failed, in solving her own racial crisis.

While, as late as the 1950s, black Americans were not integrated fully into our economy or society, they had been assimilated into American culture.

They worshipped the same God, spoke the same language, had endured the same Depression and war, listened to the same music and radio, watched the same TV shows, laughed at the same comedians, went to the same movies, ate the same foods, read the same books, magazines and newspapers, and went to schools where, even when they were segregated, they learned the same history.

We were divided, but we were also one nation and one people. Black folks were as American as apple pie, having lived in our common land longer than almost every other ethnic group save Native Americans. And America had a history of having assimilated immigrants in the tens of millions from Europe.

But no European nation has ever assimilated a large body of immigrant peoples, let alone people of color. Moreover, the African and Islamic peoples pouring into Europe—there are 20 million there now—are, unlike black Americans, strangers in a new land, and millions wish to remain proud Algerians, Muslims, Moroccans.

These newcomers worship a different God and practice a faith historically hostile to Christianity, a traditionalist faith that is rising again and recoils violently from a secular culture saturated in sex.

Severed from the civilization and cultures of their parents, these Arab and Muslim youth may hold French citizenship and carry French passports, but they are no more French than Americans who live in Paris are French. Searching for a community to which they can truly belong, they gravitate to mosques where the imams, many themselves immigrants, teach and preach that the West is not their true home, but a civilization alien to their values and historically hostile to their nations and Islam.

The soaring Muslim population is a Fifth Column inside Europe.

Nevertheless, their numbers must grow. For not only do they have a higher birth rate than the native-born Europeans, no European nation, save Moslem Albania, has a birth rate (2.1 births per woman) that will enable it to endure for many more generations. The West is aging, shrinking, and dying.

Yet, to keep Europe’s economy growing and taxes coming in to fund the health and pension programs of Europe’s rising numbers of retired and elderly, Europe needs scores of millions of new workers. And Europe can only find them in the Third World.

Nor should Americans take comfort in France’s distress. By 2050, there will be 100 million Hispanics in the United States, half of them of Mexican ancestry, heavily concentrated in a Southwest most Mexicans still believe by right belongs to them.

Colonization of the mother countries by subject peoples is the last chapter in the history of empires—and the next chapter in the history of the West—that is now coming to a close.

[barraquilla]

i kinda preferred the more libertarian leaning pat buchanan.

interesting article. though from my p.o.v. he seems a little off.

And America had a history of having assimilated immigrants in the tens of millions from Europe.

is that true? he should read about the work of henry goddard for a better perspective on european, not simply northern european immigrants. european quotas were instituted for a reason, american acceptance wasn't one of them.

Moreover, the African and Islamic peoples pouring into Europe—there are 20 million there now—are, unlike black Americans, strangers in a new land, and millions wish to remain proud Algerians, Muslims, Moroccans.

idiotic comparison, due to various policies "black americans" were not allowed to retain their cultural knowledge. there is nothing wrong with islamic cultural pride, american's tend to call it patriotism.

These newcomers worship a different God and practice a faith historically hostile to Christianity

christianity is historically hostile to other faiths as well.

even within christianity there are issues. protestant and catholic, both christians... try to get married and all of a sudden it is an "interfaith marriage".

The soaring Muslim population is a Fifth Column inside Europe.

omg, they are taking over! runnnnnnn!!!1!

of course this means nothing to people who have never held power.

although it scares the shit out of people who realize that they will be the minority and subject to the whims of a different race.

Europe needs scores of millions of new workers. And Europe can only find them in the Third World.

not true, europe could find new workers from its own people, if they decided to pay something more than slave wages. guess europe is not the same without serfs.

By 2050, there will be 100 million Hispanics in the United States, half of them of Mexican ancestry, heavily concentrated in a Southwest most Mexicans still believe by right belongs to them.

lame. such bullshit. simply a ploy to panic the white people, lol. guess this means more militia's patrolling the mexican border. seriously, most central american people enter the united states in search of a better life, not liberating stolen land. also, some of your most patriotic and conservative american's are people of "hispanic" decent.

[igloo]

i kinda preferred the more libertarian leaning pat buchanan.

interesting article. though from my p.o.v. he seems a little off.

is that true? he should read about the work of henry goddard for a better perspective on european, not simply northern european immigrants. european quotas were instituted for a reason, american acceptance wasn't one of them..

The U.S. has a better history of assimilating immigrants....period. To deny that is beng ignorant, or pushing a different agenda.

idiotic comparison, due to various policies "black americans" were not allowed to retain their cultural knowledge. there is nothing wrong with islamic cultural pride, american's tend to call it patriotism..

[drlogic]

[barraquilla]

The U.S. has a better history of assimilating immigrants....period. To deny that is beng ignorant, or pushing a different agenda.

I disagree. the united states has done well assimilating some immigrants.

the divisions that exist in the u.s., are likely on a similar level as france.

You are severly missing his point. While not denying that African Americans were denied their "cultural heritage", the immigrants today of France are not. Yes, there is nothing wrong with retaining Islamic cultural pride, and that is not what he is saying, at all. Retaining cultural pride and respecting the nation's laws and traditions is what should be the goal, yes?

I got what he was saying. I feel a nation's traditions should evolve to reflect those of all people, not just the dominant culture. America is bit better in this, french elitism stresses the importance of being a true frenchman and not retaining separate cultural identity. although this is historically the case and not something new. again, nothing wrong with remaining "proud" of your history.

You are really not going down that path are you? Come join us in today's century. However, I would say Buchanan should have made also made the point that France's real religion is secularism, and that is what Muslim immigrants have their hostility towards, from a religious perspective

true. france and much of europe take pride in the fact that religion is not a central part of their lives. however, i see it more as the french being hostile towards immigrants and their outward displays of religious devotion, particularly non catholics. and yes, i proudly go down this path.

Did you realize what you are saying? Subject to the whims of another race? Wow.

I remember reading something about simone veil, who a decade ago addressed how some french were beginning to distinguish themselves from immigrant and next gen. french in terms of religion and race. further, if i recall correctly, the national front was known as a party of extremists 20 years ago, it has now gained popularity because they are making the distinction between "real french" and the growing population of "other french" whose culture, race, religion, etc., are different.

I can't remember exactly how veil put it, but she explained there was a deep fear among some french that they would soon lose their political power to the "other (immigrant descended) french". chirac, when he was mayor of paris complained of arabs everywhere (french people, not new immigrants) and d'estaing also complained that africans were "invading" france. also, in line with these feelings, random identity checks of those who appeared to be "foreign" became commonplace in france 10-15 years ago. so yeah, race and ethnic identity are issues in france, perhaps everywhere.

Absolutely retarded statement. If I was you, I would read the U.N. population reports re: Europe. Not a pretty picture. Historic Europe is dying. However, I am also not denying their is an overall employment problem as well. Hail to the welfare state.

I didn't mean "historic europe". I meant people as in 2nd, 3rd,... etc., generation french, german, dutch, etc., who are chronically unemployed.

Projections indictate that Buchanan's population fact is indeed----FACT. Not bullshit, and not some ploy to scare people.

I'm not disputing his numbers. I simply don't understand his point or rather, I do, but feel it is alarmist at best. 10 million, 100 million, or 300 million "hispanic" citizens in the u.s. makes what difference? They will still be americans, right?

And again, thanks for stating the obvious that some of America's most patriotic and conservative people are people of "hispanic" decent.....just imagine if the U.S. was good at assimilitaing immigrants............

eh, in many cases immigrant patriotism and conservatism have little to do with assimilation. often it is more in reaction to the political state of their land of origin.

BTW--Buchanan's statement is extreme about Mexicans liberating "stolen land"?......perhaps........but you may want to check out the statements of the President of the League of Urban Latin Americans, and also other similar groups.....

I am aware of those statements regarding lost Mexican land and Indigenous land for that matter. However, buchanan worded his statement to alarm people and it's a cheap ploy. closing with it and not analyzing further was particularly lame.

[ghhhhhost]

The U.S. has a better history of assimilating immigrants....period. To deny that is beng ignorant, or pushing a different agenda.

yup..ur right...evidenced by Katrina...nothing spoke more about the assimilation of african americans than tens of thousands of them sitting in sweltering stadiums..with no food or water..all because they didnt have enough $ to purchase a vehicle or arrange an alternative form of transportation...while the "haves" got out safely and quickly..

spare me

[igloo]

yup..ur right...evidenced by Katrina...nothing spoke more about the assimilation of african americans than tens of thousands of them sitting in sweltering stadiums..with no food or water..all because they didnt have enough $ to purchase a vehicle or arrange an alternative form of transportation...while the "haves" got out safely and quickly..

spare me

I think the "spare me" should be thrown at you with Katrina......please shut the fuck up with that tired shit

[ghhhhhost]

good answer

[drlogic]

"they didnt have enough $ to purchase a vehicle or arrange an alternate form of transportation"

???????

You can't possibly believe that? I hope you're kidding?

They didn't have enough $ to evacuate? No car?

But they did find a way to get to superdome, loot, break into other houses, etc.. Right?

Were not the public buses running almost to the last minute? That claim about not having enough means/resources to evacuate is horse shit. There may have been some in those circumstances, but that's the exception and not the norm.

Believe it or not, there will always be knuckleheads who don't prepare. One things for sure, let another storm head that way next season and let's see how many "miraculously" find a way to evacuate.

Those people failed themselves!

Their local gov't failed as well! It boggles the mind to learn how the local city and state gov't leaders failed to prepare their evacuation centers.

As for the haves and have nots,

First things first:

Our poor would be considered rich in most parts of the world. From South America to Africa, Europe and Asia. Those poor people are poor! Poor in America means you don't have cable and you drive an old beater. REAL poor people from around the world would give their right arm to be poor (American style).

Next, one shouldn't carry any guilt for having achieved ones goals or coming from a household where the bread winner/s are successful. There's no shame in making money! There's no shame in living comfortably! The vast majority of the poor in this country remain poor because gov't pays them to STAY poor! The poor continue to live off the sweat and blood sacrificed by the producers in our society. The very people you wish to label as the "haves" which you imply somehow only inherited their wealth are the producers in our soceity who have their money extorted from them to help pay the non-producers in our society to stay poor.

Why is it that liberals always seem to be so generous w/ other people's money? It's obvious today's democratic party is almost completely dependent on their constituency remaining as dependent as possible.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.

Teach him how to fish and you feed him for life.

Let me guess, that last sentence was so cruel and mean spirited. I'm just a racist hate monger, etc..etc......My advice, you want to help the poor more? DO IT! Just take your hands out of my wallet!

[ghhhhhost]

fact of the matter is those people walked/were bussed to the superdome...i cant believe u even bring up the superdome...they were herded like cattle in there..subhumans...u think that shit woulda happened to kennebunkport maine?

[igloo]

fact of the matter is those people walked/were bussed to the superdome...i cant believe u even bring up the superdome...they were herded like cattle in there..subhumans...u think that shit woulda happened to kennebunkport maine?

[ghhhhhost]

once again...good answer

[igloo]

once again...good answer

KILL WHITEY

[drdoom]

"they didnt have enough $ to purchase a vehicle or arrange an alternate form of transportation"

???????

You can't possibly believe that? I hope you're kidding?

They didn't have enough $ to evacuate? No car?

I think the question is not if they had the ability to leave, but if they had a place, or the resources to find a place to go.

[headpusher]

yup..ur right...evidenced by Katrina...nothing spoke more about the assimilation of african americans than tens of thousands of them sitting in sweltering stadiums..with no food or water..all because they didnt have enough $ to purchase a vehicle or arrange an alternative form of transportation...while the "haves" got out safely and quickly..

spare me

you can thank the african american mayor of NO for that..

[DETROIT]

you can thank the african american mayor of NO for that..

Why not the white governor or white president or white head of FEMA?

[headpusher]

fact of the matter is those people walked/were bussed to the superdome...i cant believe u even bring up the superdome...they were herded like cattle in there..subhumans...u think that shit woulda happened to kennebunkport maine?

why dont you compare the population density ratios of NO to Kennebunkport Maine? herded like cattle? how else could you move that many people under the circumstances?

enough with this lame argument..

[headpusher]

Why not the white governor or white president or white head of FEMA?

you can thank all of them too..

except the president..

the mayor of New Orleans is most at fault at this..you can search our thread where i explained it to you a couple of months ago.. im not gonna repeat myself about it anymore

[DETROIT]

you can thank all of them too..

except the president..

the mayor of New Orleans is most at fault at this..you can search our thread where i explained it to you a couple of months ago.. im not gonna repeat myself about it anymore

hrrrm, governor controls national guard, president controls the army, fema controls relief......

mayor controls.....nothing!

still cant see how its his fault.............but i'll digress, it's just beating a dead horse

[headpusher]

mayor controls.....nothing!

drugs do this to you

do a search.. im done with you

[DETROIT]

drugs do this to you

do a search.. im done with you

god you are strange

[ghhhhhost]

why dont you compare the population density ratios of NO to Kennebunkport Maine? herded like cattle? how else could you move that many people under the circumstances?

enough with this lame argument..

my point is that while the US stood all high and mighty and passes judgement on other nations and their "racial(ist)" practices...they neglected what went on in their own country. saying that there race had nothing to do with the the treatment and response of Katrina is absurd...

FEMA head Brown said he didnt know what was going on down in Louisiana until a day or 2 after Katrina hit..which led a CNN correspondent to ask him "Do you watch television?"...

the US has a history of ignoring global catastrophes/ills (rwanda being one)....so for them to try to avoid what was going on in its own south is understandable..after all..theyre mostly black down there...

[ghhhhhost]

you can thank the african american mayor of NO for that..

its new orleans...not NYC skippy...NYC is one of the most important cities in the world with access to unlimited resources....NO has access to plastic beads and open containers..

[nomembername]

god you are strange

didn't read the rest of the thread but I agree with this comment

[ghhhhhost]

"they didnt have enough $ to purchase a vehicle or arrange an alternate form of transportation"

???????

You can't possibly believe that? I hope you're kidding?

They didn't have enough $ to evacuate? No car?

I think the question is not if they had the ability to leave, but if they had a place, or the resources to find a place to go.

im not questioning their ability to leave...im questioning exactly what u highlighted...if they had the resources ...they didnt have the $ ...or the means of transportation to evacuate.

i duno how many of u guys have been to NO...and i dont mean Margi Gras French Quarter NO. i was there last Easter...and i seriously dont know if ive seen anything poorer than some of the neighborhoods down there..and mind u ive been to the back woods of Mississippi and West Va.