The French are at it again
Chaos in France . . . deja vu.
As an American, the reason why the French are currently protesting is completely foreign to me. Until these riots, I had no idea that in France it's nearly impossible to get fired from a job, especially from the first one you get right out of college.
Even though the reason for the protests baffles me, I still respect the fact that they are fighting to maintain a right that they have been entitled to since the last part of the 20th century. I also respect that when their government stops listening to them they don't think "let's file complaints, go to hearings, etc,." they automatically say "let's take to the streets."
This has made me consider what it would take for over a million American citizens to rise up in protest. If Oprah Winfrey were arrested for treason? If it were made a felony to watch "American Idol"? Even the protests and walkouts taking place in California have motivated fewer than 40,000 people, and I would venture to say most of them aren't American citizens.
I'm not saying I support anarchy, or that we should take our cues from the French, the same great country that gave us the "Reign of Terror." But we are fighting a war millions of people in our country don't support that is being run by an administration with lower approval ratings than even Nixon saw before resigning from office. And I know we've had protests, but protests that shut down entire cities?
I'm not saying I would support riots in our streets if they were to happen, but it's just fascinating to me that all it takes is the possibility to get fired from a job, and millions of Frenchies flood the streets.
Thank you, France, for keeping the world interesting.
As an American, the reason why the French are currently protesting is completely foreign to me. Until these riots, I had no idea that in France it's nearly impossible to get fired from a job, especially from the first one you get right out of college.
Even though the reason for the protests baffles me, I still respect the fact that they are fighting to maintain a right that they have been entitled to since the last part of the 20th century. I also respect that when their government stops listening to them they don't think "let's file complaints, go to hearings, etc,." they automatically say "let's take to the streets."
This has made me consider what it would take for over a million American citizens to rise up in protest. If Oprah Winfrey were arrested for treason? If it were made a felony to watch "American Idol"? Even the protests and walkouts taking place in California have motivated fewer than 40,000 people, and I would venture to say most of them aren't American citizens.
I'm not saying I support anarchy, or that we should take our cues from the French, the same great country that gave us the "Reign of Terror." But we are fighting a war millions of people in our country don't support that is being run by an administration with lower approval ratings than even Nixon saw before resigning from office. And I know we've had protests, but protests that shut down entire cities?
I'm not saying I would support riots in our streets if they were to happen, but it's just fascinating to me that all it takes is the possibility to get fired from a job, and millions of Frenchies flood the streets.
Thank you, France, for keeping the world interesting.
SHARE THIS: Facebook | Stumble It! | Del.icio.us | DiggIt! | Technorati
6 Comments:
This is France's way. Italy's too. I don't think it's evidence of a wiser, more informed electorate.
We're apathetic; they're violent. We have talking heads; they shut down commerce. We vote; they protest.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
I've quit more jobs than they can fathom starting.
What would it take to bring me out to a protest? Not the possibility of losing my job, that's for sure. I do that on my own.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Yeah, but we bathe.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
I am unwilling to stipulate that the French are more civilized. They are more pointedly snooty about it, true enough. But if what civilization requires is a civil society, they lose. Their politics make us look relatively sane and their society in general has more problems than they can count, much less solve. And if we think WE have immigrant problems....Jesus wept.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Ahh, the last time I was in Paris,Wait, the ONLY time I was in Paris, I got into the Louvre for free (and then prompltly bought post cards that made me faint later when I did the math on the exchange rate.) Why was the Louvre free you might ask? Striking workers...the whole of France had their baguettes in a twist over the reduction of their work week to 37 hours a week, without a reduction of pay mind you, just less hours. C'est incomprehensable (Sp?) N'est Pas?
Monday, April 03, 2006
Oui, oui!
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Post a Comment
<< Home