Reasons to Hate the French: #976574575
Aussie Dave | Mar 01, 2006 | 11 comments
More French anti-Semitic ugliness:
On Sunday, tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of the city of lights in a huge protest against anti-Semitism. It seems, however, that one demonstration, regardless of how big it was, is not enough to eradicate the ugly phenomenon.The Le Parisien newspaper revealed Tuesday that a schoolteacher seeking to punish a Jewish student proposed that the boy “go to a furnace,” Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday.The incident took place about a month ago at one of Paris’ prestigious catholic school. During a physics class, a 10th grade student was busy chatting with his classmate.The teacher, named Pierre, asked the Jewish youth to leave the classroom and wait in the yard, which the students and teachers refer to as “the fridge” because of the intense cold that prevails there during the winter.But the punishment apparently did not suffice, and just before the student left the classroom the teacher told him that “if you don‚Äôt like it in the fridge, there is always room for you in the furnace.”A number of days later, the student’s parents filed a criminal complaint to the police, as well as a complaint to the supervisor of Paris’ education establishment.
Let me guess..the police will be reluctant to find any anti-Semitism involved.
Two supervisors were sent to the school and began questioning the students and teachers.The French word for “furnace” (four) bears a highly emotionally charged connotation in France. Therefore, many of the Jewish community members refuse to view the teacher’s remark toward a Jewish student as an innocent slip of the tongue.
It seems like the French have severe problems with their tongues. Perhaps its time they shut their mouths. After all, most of what they say is either anti-Semitic, or could be expressed simply by holding up a white flag.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: General
Your blog is quite informative. I do not base my opinions on one side of the story – but it’s quite an insight to see your side.
I have never heard about acts of violence against Jews (well except for an article in a teen magazine 10 years ago)
Screw the french.
-Jack
Yediot talking about antisemitism haha funny!
I am French and am not surprised at the anti-Semitism in France, but I think that you are getting the wrong idea if you believe it is a widespread phenomenon. I say that I am not surprised, because, for instance, the other day, my history teacher ‚Äî who never misses an opportunity to spout his leftist drivel ‚Äî spoke of Israel as if the Jews (or should that be “Jooos”?) had progressively stolen, nay, infected the land. The French are generally left-wingers (and that is not a stereotype ‚Äî that statement can be backed up by many recent polls). I could not explain why France has such a horrific anti-Semitic record, though.
GT,
Thanks for showing that not all the French are deserving of scorn. It does seem to me to be widespread, so I am glad to know it isn’t.
If I may ask, are you Jewish?
I am not Jewish but an atheist (I am baptised as a Catholic, but am not a believer, so my views aren’t related to my religion).
I have found that a growing number of people here(Washington State,USA) are supporters of Israel,regardless of religion(or lack of religion)….after all when you read things about penis-melting Zionist Robot combs,French anti-semitism,etc.,how can you not support Israel??
I am part French and part German (somehow qualifying to comment, isn’t it), and my parents live in France. As GT wrote, what you described, how outrageous this teacher’s comment may be, it is not as widespread as it may seem. There is however a common anti foreign tendency in France, it can hit you as a German, a British, an Arab, even as an Italian, and all of a sudden. I believe this stems from the still unreflected feeling of loss of “la grande nation”. Lets fight against it but acknowledge that the majority of the French society does not consist of the type of scumbag teacher described by Le Parisien. Hans
PS: What happened in the Halimi case, the reactions by the police etc., show indeed that the French have quite a problem with coping with this extreme side of their character, and this is troubling.
Through all this time, I’ve concocted an of Chirac standing in front of a burning Synagogue, blocking his ears with his hands, while repeating the sentence “There’s no anti-Semitism in France!”.
I think Europe as a whole has a problem with looking in the mirror. Europe isn’t what it was a long time ago… and a long time ago, Europe was a pretty dark place, too. We focus too much on how good we are some things and thereby manage to overlook and, unfortunately, neglect the fact that we have problems just as big. Growing Anti-Semitism — and general racism in some cases — for one.
Given the latest new assaults in France it is an undeniable fact that there is a growing number of anti-semitic incidences in France. However, look who are the people behind it, they are French citizens but of Muslim origin from Africa. These people are disliked by the majority of the French, so the real issue is France’s problem with its Muslim community, not the French’s anti-semitic tendency itself.