Immigration, Religion, and "National Identity"

Being in France, I've found that a lot of the current issues involving immigrants here mirror those in the U.S., the main difference being the immigrants' countries of origin and religion. A lot of the immigrants in France, particularly in southern France, come from Africa and the Middle East, and a large percentage of them are Muslim. Like those in the U.S., immigrants in France tend to live in poorer neighborhoods and often lack access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. Perhaps even moreso than in the U.S., though, immigrants, especially Muslim immigrants, are widely accused of failing to adequately integrate themselves into French culture and society.

Further, it's no secret that Muslims are discriminated against in France, even by the government. The wearing of headscarves is banned in French schools (technically, all religious symbols are banned, but the ban most profoundly affects Muslims), Sarkozy's party is presently seeking a complete ban on burqas, and a majority of the French population support a ban on the construction of minarets, such as that recently enacted through a controversial national referedum in Switzerland.

With discrimination against immigrants, and even French-born Muslims, already a problem, President Sarkozy has decided that France needs to officially debate its "national identity." Led by Sarkozy and his controversial Minister of Immigration, Eric Besson, the debates on "what it means to be French" began in November and are scheduled to continue for two more months. It seems to me that this is fuel on the fire of discrimination in France, not to mention a complete waste of time and resources, and, well, sort of an odd thing to do.

The debates have even garnered media attention in the U.S. "France, a nation endlessly fascinated with itself since at least as far back as the Gauls, is again engaged in a bizarre and deeply political debate over its national identity," begins a New York Times article from late last month. Similarly, a recent L.A. Times article chronicles the circus that was last week's debate.

La Banque Alimtentaire

Along with a handful of other social and humanitarian organizations, Rotary Clubs across France recently participated in a food drive. Food collected in each town was distributed locally, through branches of a well-known French charity called Restos du Coeur ("Restaurants of the Heart"). Apparently, about 8,000 people in Tours rely on food from organizations like Restos du Coeur to meet their everyday needs.

Along with Rotary and Rotaract members from the area, I participated in the events here in Tours. The first day of the drive, I helped collect donations at a supermarket in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Tours. The majority of people who came into the store were immigrants or minorities or had handicaps. They went against every American stereotype of France, and it was very eye-opening to see such a different side of Tours. Honestly, I was surprised by how many of them made donations, and it was really wonderful to see them giving. Equally wonderful was the amount of food I saw collected on the second day, when I was helping at a supermarket in a much nicer neighborhood. I was [pleasantly] shocked by the number of people who bought more food to donate than they did for themselves.