Sixteen Candles

One for each day of rioting in France. How many of those days received serious scrutiny by the US media? Three? Four? Yet, the rioting continues unabated despite the media lack of interest.

How would civil rights groups in the US respond to a ban on all public meetings in a major metropolitan area. They'd be up in arms. Yet, that is exactly what the French have done in Paris.

A few media types are starting to call Chirac on the carpet. The Houston Chronicle notes that Chirac was quick to point out failings of other countries, to shift attention away from the serious problems in France. Well, we're now seeing just how bad things are in France that 500 cars torched in a single night is not considered major news. It's just background noise.

Was a mosque attacked in a bid to reignite the rioting? That's somewhat misleading considering that the rioting hasn't exactly gone away, but it is troubling that religious institutions are getting attacked. The attack on the mosque may have been part of a backlash against rioters who are largely Muslim (though the origin of the riots themselves didn't necessarily have religious overtones to start). The rioting has morphed as various interests in the communities have asserted their own agendas into the rioting and it is increasingly clear that Islamists who are highly organized are participating in the riots - and are using tactics honed in the Intifada with Israel.

Belmont Club's Wretchard makes some insightful comments on the riots and the media coverage.

Iowahawk breaks out the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical in les risibles. Scrappleface reports that the French are letting the rioters govern themselves (that's not that far from the truth). Point Five notes that the Paris, Las Vegas casino is considering adding riots to improve business.

UPDATE:
Captain Ed notes that the French media has no problem lying about the riot situation that has gripped France for 16 consecutive nights. In fact, the French media has colluded to spin the riot situation as something other than it really is. In other words, the situation is far more dire than the snippets we've garnered thus far.

UPDATE:
Atlas Shrugged has updates and includes a link to a timeline for the rioting, which continues unabated into the 17th night.

UPDATE:
Captain Ed has yet more information relating to the French media 'coverage' of the riots. There's a genuine belief among the French media types that restricting the coverage will help the lefties in France stay in power. That's stating the obvious since anyone other than Chirac and his cronies would capitalize on the nightly orgy of violence, especially right wingers like Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Cross linked (and updated as necessary) to:
One Big Dog, Stop the ACLU, Wizbang!, Bright and Early, The Political Teen, Jo’s Cafe, Stuck on Stupid, MVRWC, Samantha Burns, Conservative Cat, MacStansbury, Something and Half of Stomething, Iowa Voice, Random Yak, Oblogatory Anecdotes, Don Surber and many others (added as necessary).