Lord of the Fires (The French Riots, Day 13)

The mainstream media seemed to have settled on the sobriquet of “youths” to describe the people who are in their 13th night of burning cars, buildings, and in one instance a handicapped woman, in cities across France. Of course, it is hard to get an exact demographic profile of rioters on the run; however, reports on those who have been arrested are that only 30% are under 21.

Typical of the 2,300 stories on this subject currently available on Google News, is this one from ABC International, posted in written form on the Net on 6 November, entitled “Chirac vows order as French riots spread.”

This two-page article refers to the perpetrators alternately as “rioters” or “youths,” using both phrases multiple times. Not until near the end does the article make any reference to the fact that most of these rioters, in Germany and France, are Muslims.

A half page from the end, after paragraphs about unemployment and desperation, the article does say,

“Authorities say drug traffickers and Islamist militants are helping organize the unrest, via the Internet and mobile phones, among the North and sub-Saharan African immigrant communities who make up a significant part of many suburban housing estates.”

“Despite the worst destruction since the riots started, a police spokesman called for a sense of proportion: 'It's 211 districts out of 36,000, so France is not burning.’ ” Perhaps the police spokesman who made this comment has not seen Jack Nicholson in the movie, “Mars Attacks!,” who says after the Martians have destroyed the Congress, “Two out of three branches of the government are still functioning, and that ain’t bad.”

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1286831

None of the reporting on these riots, nor any reporting on riots that have occurred in the US, have dared to mention what is really happening in such events. Each such an event is another proof that in certain circumstances, civilization breaks down into barbarism, as in the novel, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding.

It was a dead, white, French philosopher, Rene Descartes, who wrote, “Cogito ergo sum.” (I think, therefore I am.) These live, non-white, Muslim philosophers have modified that to, “Destruo ergo sum.” (I destroy, therefore I am.)

Sooner or later, the press has to report the truth that what we are observing is a clash of civilizations. Or more accurately, a clash between modern civilization and barbarity. They don’t want to report that. It would undercut their preconceptions. Perhaps they are so untutored in both history and philosophy not to understand that yet. But harsh events when cities burn and people die have ways of educating even the dullest observers.

John_Armor@aya.yale.edu