Here is a superb column by the always superb Nidra Poller in the Washington Times:
...While security officials warn that a domestic or international incident could enflame tinderbox banlieues at any moment, Miss Royal and Mr. Bayrou tiptoe through the immigrant suburbs singing the praises of diversity and blaming the ills on discrimination. Miss Royal went one step further. She participated in a ceremony of allegiance organized by ACLEFEU ("assez le feu," literally "enough with the fire"), an association formed in Clichy sous Bois in the aftermath of the November 2005 uprising. Whether or not members of the association personally indulged in the mayhem, they draw their legitimacy from the inherent threat of violence.To put out the fires, ACLEFEU compiled a "Notebook of Grievances," gathered from all corners of the realm, and drafted a 12-page "Social Contract," an extravagant wish list that would destroy whatever is left standing after the fires of rage and revolt. The contract imposes a radical revamping of political institutions — 6th Republic, Zimbabwe-style economic reforms expropriate the rich to indulge the poor, abolish the value-added tax, free public transportation for the underprivileged. Delinquents will be judged as victims of society; foreign professional degrees will be accepted without qualification exams; the media, schools and government will transform public attitudes toward banlieue "youths"; no one will look askance at women in the hijab — or miniskirts. Mayors who don't build the obligatory amounts of public housing will be ousted. And, of course, all illegals will be given residence permits.
ACLEFEU convoked all presidential candidates to sign the contract before March 5. Miss Royal was the first to comply. The ceremony was featured on primetime news and proudly displayed on her official Web site. Dressed with exceptional modesty, she paid honors to the two teenagers whose accidental death, while fleeing from the police, was the pretext for three weeks of savage violence. Messrs. Bayrou and Sarkozy stayed away, but all the little far-left candidates dutifully signed the contract.
The whole affair was swallowed like honey. There was no analysis of the Socialist candidate's simple-minded act of dhimmitude, no outrage, no indignation. No one chastised Miss Royal for courting the punk jihad vote. No one said it was a reminder of the darkest hours of the jihad conquest. No one seemed to understand the deal: the fire this time, then the ballot box, and if our demands are not met — heads will roll.
Opinion-makers missed the point, but voters were watching and they will decide whether they prefer Mr. Sarkozy's "chosen not imposed" immigration or Miss Royal's dhimmitude pact.
As it turns out, Ms Royal may not even make the second round of balloting. Who'd have thunk it? The French may actually have some horse sense.
I saw Nicolas Sarkozy on the Charlie Rose show for a hour long segment. I liked gentleman and he came up with some humorous points with very sharp political points to them.
One thing was very clear that came from this discussion is that Sarkozy is very pro American -- or so he claims, after all he is a politician. But I do think he was sincere in his comments regarding the USA and its can do attitude.
If Socialist candidate Segoline Royal's star is waning and the rightist Sarkozy and centerist candidate whose name escapes me at the moment are rising in popularity, it may be because the French are finally waking up and smelling the cafe au lait. The riots in the banlieues were no less orchestrated than the "intifadas" against Israel.
Like many other European countries there is an awakening.
As for Sarkozy, he is a rare beast, a man who says what he thinks and is not afraid to say the right thing.
I do disagree with his positive discrimination, but then again I do see it also as a test and the last chance for these people. Sarkozy has stood up and said that if they do not accept Le France then do not live here.
Royal was funny on TF1, last night she was asked a question on one of her ex-colleagues who said that he could not support her, her reaction was icy and arrogant, and that sickening smile disappeared for the rest of the interview, she came across as what she was, a typical French (European) Elite, arrogance and image.
Her manifesto actually reads very similar to that document.
Bayrou, this man must be the most confused man on the planet, he is aiming for the centre vote, Ms Royal is deemd to be too far left, Sarkozy too much to the right, so he is playing the centre line, which means as he is trying to act like some sort of unifying force, he comes unstuck when he gets into policy so he says as little as possible apart from that he is happy to have challanged the big two, the small man against the elites.
Sarkozy did a smart thing distancing himself from Chirac but in a nice way.
But I really do fear that at the next election, while Sarkozy may become President, we will end up with a Socialist government.
As for the banlieues, I really do think that the Islamics took advantage of them and also raised the level or violence, this is evident over the year that followed as they carried out organised ambushes and the like, but note one thing, there is a large secular populaton which I would describe as ex-Muslims in France and they are a lot more numerous then people think. The UK is in a much worse state then France at this point, as the government has actually surrended to the Islamics, France has not...
Assez le fou!
Just saw Sarkozy on TF1, best speach I have seen from him, started off on immigration focussed on acceptance of French culture, he knows what he is doing I am sure of it. I would bet my life on it, in fact I guess I am already doing that...
I have been watching French politics for some time now with interest. French politics should be important here to everyone, because they have the highest amount of Muslims in Europe, 10%. What happens in France will probably happen elsewhere. I am somewhat encouraged by what is now happening, that Sarkozy is being favoured in the polls over the socialist tramp. Only time will tell though.
I can`t wait till the world starts waking up to this Muslim bullshiite. I cannot wait.
And people, do not worry about Britain. They will wake up when the time comes. Remember, the blood of Sir Winston Churchill flows through their veins.
"Remember, the blood of Sir Winston Churchill flows through their veins."
Was Churchill Welsh?
The only guy with enough balls in the UK to actually stand up and fight for his country is the Welshman Nick Griffin, what a courageous man. I'd say he is on the same level as Churchill, a great man to lead us in this time of war and to beat the european islamic infitada.
He gets my vote at the next elections, regardless of his past (inacurate/misquoted) statements and the marxist propaganda twisted hate speech formulated against his great party.
Please don't compare Nick Griffin to Winston Churchill. I've just had my dinner.
While the BNP may needed to put the boot into the snoozing mainstream parties, they are clearly not mature enough for anything else at the moment. I've read a lot of Mr Griffin's commentary and he comes across like a smooth-talking carnival shyster.
Let the great Brit, Lord Acton say it: "At all times sincere friends of freedom have been rare, and its triumphs have been due to minorities, that have prevailed by associating themselves with auxiliaries whose objects often differed from their own; and this association, which is always dangerous, has been sometimes disastrous".
Mr Griffin is a "dangerous auxilliary".
Brett:
Will a "political" movement that is fundamentally xenophobic ever "mature" enough to be entrusted with the powers of state?
can the lib/lab/con "political" parties be trusted with safe guarding britsh democracy against marxist and islamic totalitarianism?