Supposedly the riots in France are beginning to "wind down." As they do, many people are starting to ask what started all this? Why are all these Arab Muslims so angry? It seems pretty clear to me that France has some of the same discrimination problems the United States had years ago (and probably still has in places).
Specifically, I'm reminded of an AP article I saved from Dec. 17, 2003. "Chirac to Seek Law Banning Head Scarves." I saved this article because at the time I remember being absolutely appalled. This was just two years after Sept.11th, 2001, but at the same time I could never imagine banning a certain form of religious dress in the U.S.A. It would be like making Hasidic Jews take off those hats!
In the article Chirac went on to say, "Secularism is one of the great successes of the Republic...It is a crucial element of social peace and national cohesion. We cannot let it weaken." This seems tremendously sad to me. I don't consider myself religious, but I do have faith. Totalitarian states based on a theocracy are one horrible extreme, but a total secular state seems to be the other.
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