Fire Set by Racism The French integration policy is very different from that of Germany. According to the French Constitution, France is one nation and different communities do not exist.

Their duty is to adapt themselves to the common values. Even though the freedom to express one’s own culture is recognized, France cannot be regarded a multi-cultural society. This is the state perspective and is determined by law. Until the fire that started in the streets, the French people accepted immigrants from the colonies as already integrated, because they knew their language. For this reason, only the Turks constituted the immigrant group that concerned them. In 2000, young North Africans were saying: “Integration changes nothing, we are already French. You Frenchman, you are racist and we have a problem because you do not acknowledge us as part of the French society.” The fire had already started then, but the arrogant French could only realize the state of affairs under the brightness of today’s blaze. There is no assembly for foreigners in France, no North Africans in the municipal parliaments. There is just one institution in France, the High Council for Integration. There is also a social assistance fund for the immigrant communities. France halted legal migration of labor from Turkey in 1975. Until 1981, foreigners did not even have the right to establish associations. In the wake of the abolishment of this ban, associations were formed; they were followed by the opening of popular spots and restaurants. Turkish neighborhoods separated the Turks from the French society. Ghettoization brought isolation: Turks who read their own newspapers and hang out in their own cafés. The second generation of Turks failed at school, particularly the boys. The municipalities did not allow Turks to settle in neighborhoods where the Turkish population exceeded a certain number. Eighty percent of the Turks in France are young. The Portuguese population is almost one million and they are not at all assimilated, just integrated. Many of the servants in France are Portuguese. France could not prevent the immigration flow after the Algerian War of Independence, despite the restrictions it imposed. In the meantime, racist clashes had begun in Marseille. The French National Immigration Office condoned, winked at illegal workers. Turkish workers crossed from Germany and Austria to France which provided more benefits for illegal workers. The governments did not take heed of this situation because they considered the illegal workers as pariahs against whom they had no obligation. Because of the assimilation policy, the French state has never considered reaching out to immigrants. The gap between the rigid ideological perspective and the reality about immigrants prepared the ground for the recent developments. France which also implemented a selective immigration policy did not succeed. French workers hate Central European workers as well. The main factors that negatively affected Francois Mitterrand’s more tolerant policy on immigrants were economic crisis, unemployment and xenophobia. These factors remained in force without any change, and helped [Jean-Marie] Le Pen’s ascent. The most positive development in those days was the facilitation of the family union. France, which had bestowed the motto “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity” on continental Europe, nowadays is like a ship silhouette fading into the distance. However, the process has 25 years background. Europe with its undying racist and colonialist mindset is today being shaken by the EU crisis, and the idea of established superiority originating from the core mind fuels the fire. Furthermore, the US presenting the developments through the filter of the same mindset as “religious clashes,” confirms that Western ideology is a democracy apostle that cannot stand any other than itself. The racism in France is of “anti-Islamic” character as elsewhere. The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Belgium cannot integrate with the outside world with their laws and attitudes that allow racist organizations. Europe should immediately open its gates for a cultural mindset change. Europe should cross-examine itself. November 15, 2005 11.16.2005 Let’s see Kurd İdeology what makes people asocial! Hello there…. In your article date November 15, 2005 “Europe should immediately open its gates for a cultural mindset change. Europe should cross-examine itself”. Are you Kidding me , In your country my dear a WHOLE NATION being Prosecuted and Imprisoned and tortured for Saying they are Kurds , Your article made and my friends laugh. Do not talk about something you do not give . France is a great nation .AT least it does not have a bloody ugly present or past like yours. Pier Larose Quebec , Canada