Happy Holidays

Happy holidays to all. (Blogging was sidetracked today while I dealt with a nasty computer virus.)

Party Names

A historical note on the names of parties of la gauche de la gauche. Could this be because Trotsky is once again d'actualité, at least according to Luc Rosenzweig, who sees lingering Trotskyist influences in Cambadélis's attack on Besson followed by Dray's on Cambadélis?

Finger in the Dike vs. Finger in the Wind

The "debate" on national identity is going so swimmingly that Sarkozy has asked Besson for "more pedagogy" and less debate. I'm sure that all of France is awaiting the official instruction to be offered on la fierté d'être Français. But the president has evidently concluded that it is time to put a finger in the dike to stem the outpouring of prejudice that the debate has occasioned.

Meanwhile, the ever-ambitious Jean-François Copé, as always finger in the wind rather than in the dike, has attempted to steal a march on his president by scheduling a vote on the burqa ban before the parliamentary commission "investigating" the matter has completed its report. This has upset the Elysée, which would prefer that the debate "remain serene, tranquil, and non-stigmatizing for Muslims," as reported by no less than the head of CFCM himself after a meeting with the president. Evidently Copé's haste in interpreting the president's earlier "pedagogy"--"there is no place for the burqa on French soil"--is considered unseemly. And Henri Guaino, who prefers the "democracy of debate" to the "democracy of polls," is also for patience, pedagogy, due process, etc. etc. But then, when all that folderol is out of the way, it will be high time to get on with the foregone conclusion:

Le groupe UMP va déposer mercredi une proposition de loi pour l'interdiction totale de la Burqa. Y êtes-vous favorable ?
Il ne faut rien accepter qui viole nos valeurs les plus fondamentales. Mais il ne faut blesser personne. Attendons les conclusions de la mission parlementaire pour voir jusqu'où doit aller l'interdiction.

Guaino Aims High

Henri Guaino wants to "elevate and enlarge" the identity debate, and apparently his gaze is elevated indeed, fixing on bell towers and minarets. When asked if Sarkozy's advice to Muslims that they practice their religion with discretion applied to Catholics as well, he replied, "Of course." When asked whether that meant that Catholics should no longer ring church bells, he replied that that was "not a religious problem but a problem of civilization, a problem of society, a problem of tradition."

He also said that to define French identity as « la liberté, l'égalité, la fraternité et la laïcité, c'est un peu court ». Indeed. One would have to add l'hypocrisie to the list.

Polls

PS, FN up; UMP, EE down. Modem, Gauche, NPA out.

Mitterrand's Book in English

Frédéric Mitterrand's book is to be published in English. Here is a statement from his publisher, Soft Skull Press (which I had never heard of until today):

As the soon-to-be publisher of Frédéric Mitterrand's memoir in the United States we have been following closely the current discussion concerning Mr. Mitterrand in the press. We'd just like to say that what is most surprising to us regarding the situation is that Mr. Mitterrand's story has for quite some time been public knowledge to the French people, and in the most high-profile fashion. The Bad Life was published four years ago and became a bestseller in France. The controversial passages have been known to us all along and, among other things, it was the frankness and thoughtfulness with which Mr. Mitterand discussed his life that drew us to the project. Whether you agree with Mr. Mitterrand’s story or habits, he approaches them with a compelling and thought-provoking honesty and we continue to stand behind this elegant and brave book in the same way we have since undertaking to publish it here. As a publisher, Soft Skull has always embraced controversial conversations. That which makes us uncomfortable certainly warrants further rather than less scrutiny.


We look forward to releasing The Bad Life quite soon.

Post Turns Populists Into Patriots

The Washington Post mistook the P in UMP for "patriotique" rather than "populaire," yielding this:

Some legislators from Sarkozy's coalition, the Union for a Patriotic Movement, have proposed a law to forbid foreign flags during immigrant weddings in city halls. And a small-town mayor from the Sarkozy coalition, André Valentin, warned during a government-sponsored national identity debate last week that "we are going to be gobbled up" unless something is done to halt the influx of immigrants, who he said "are paid to do nothing."

Le Point noticed the error, but the Post has not yet seen fit to correct it.

Can't Leave It Alone

The minarets thing: looks like the UMP can't leave it alone. Nora Berra stormed out of a meeting of UMP deputies today after Pascal Clément said that France would no longer be France when there were more minarets than cathedrals. An interesting idea: it doesn't of course matter that the cathedrals are empty, except for tourists, and have been for decades. As everyone knows, the French by and large don't practice their religion. But nonexistent minarets are apparently still a threat to a French identity based on nonexistent practice. You can hardly blame Muslims for drawing the conclusion that perhaps the attack on the burqa, which J.-F. Copé intends to bring to a vote next month, isn't really about protecting women after all.

The Swiss--in a panic over their four, count them, FOUR minarets--have apparently ignited a fire in France as well, and Marine Le Pen must be rubbing her hands in glee.

Debate on University Reform

Between J.-F. Mela and Gilbert Bereziat.

Regularizations

Now here's a figure the government doesn't publicize: 20,000 foreigners saw their status regularized in 2009. Expulsions receive great publicity, and the numbers are promoted as a great achievement. The quiet normalization of the status of so many foreigners is a greater one. It's too bad that the government isn't prouder of what it has done.