Solidarité

I would like to express Solidarité with the idea of France. Unfortunately like Britain it has a colonial past. France is for the romantic what Black is for a Goth. The Left Bank, Jean Paul Sartre, The French Resistance, The Maquis, Edith Piaf, Josephine Baker, Nina Simone and James Baldwin. As I write this I can taste the strong tabac of Gitanes and Gauloises of my pretentious youth. In my defence I never wore a beret but at some points I have fancied myself as a Hemingway or an Orwell. I see myself as the Down and Out in Paris and London. The plongeur unable to make his way up the slippery career ladder.

It appears that Belgium and France have a number of residents who have nothing left to lose. I can only offer a layman's viewpoint perhaps why this might be the case. Laïcité, is being touted as to why individuals might be enraged with the French State. Third or fourth generation people of Algerian and Tunisian descent have probably learnt of their history, mixed it with their religion/ideology and after a heavy dose of domestic tribulation and alienation and some strong drugs decided on their course of action. An ideology can offer an escape route. Islamic State have adopted him as a Soldier of Islam. Did this individual try everything at his disposal to integrate into French Society?  Did French Society care whether he did or not? When did alienation begin? Is it too simplistic to say that he was very angry with people, with women and children especially after his divorce became finalised. Whatever the case he will be considered a martyr in some quarters and a mass murderer in others. That sentence in itself should make alarm bells ring ever louder. The irony of a Bastille Day Celebration marking the overthrow of one oppression attacked by an individual who saw the Republic as the Oppression. Perhaps he had endured one too many stares from little men with milk bottle bottom glasses carrying a baguette under one arm. I offer Solidarité to the romantic idea of France and hope that she can overcome what is hell bent on destroying her, namely her history.