Unlucky Thirteen

Day 13 of the riots in France. The violence continued, despite the curfews and increased police coverage.

And France has finally figured out how to export something in the world of globalization. Of course, we're talking about spreading the riots to Belgium and Germany, but why quibble. And the rioters are taking tips and learning tactics from the Palestinian intifada despite what the media has been reporting. The reporting on who is leading these riots has been deemphasized in favor of reporting about the economic problems facing the African and Muslim communities in France.

Imani Perry wonders why the media is so reluctant to mention the racial components of the rioting.

I thought to myself, and then wondered why it took almost two weeks for the elephant in the room to be mentioned, at least on U.S. television. (And even that was CNN international.)

You mean besides the fact that it took nearly 2 weeks for the media to even recognize that there was rioting ongoing in France?

There is something terribly wrong with the notion that it is impolite to reference race, an idea that seems to have a great deal of currency in the United States. Recognizing race as a mechanism for inequality helps us understand the shared frustration of residents of Los Angeles, France and New Orleans, (and many more places) that lead to such outbursts. Unemployment, desperation, but most of all a strong sense of injustice and inequality, are causal factors.

I would add a religious component to the mix, since the rioters are increasingly referring to Muslim and Islamic slogans that call for the creation of a new Muslim caliphate in France and Europe in general.

Also following the riots: Captain Ed, Gateway Pundit, and The Jawa Report which notes that two French bloggers were arrested for inciting riots through their blog posts.

UPDATE:
The meme of the day will be that the French authorities have gotten things under control because the number of cars torched went down. Tell that to the increasing number of businesses torched, including car dealerships that provided employment to dozens of French workers or the subway station that was firebombed. Instead of attacking cars, thugs are now attacking businesses and critical infrastructure. I'd say that it's a turning point, but not in a direction that anyone should be happy about.

UPDATE:
The Anchoress has a thorough update on the rioting, including the religious component.

UPDATE:
France faces a moment of truth, and one has to wonder whether Chirac, Villepin, et al., are up to the task. I really don't think they are. Their performance from the last two weeks has been woefully inadequate.

Rioters thumbed their noses at the drastic emergency measures late last night as they looted and burned two superstores in Arras, set fire to the Nice-Matin newspaper office in Grasses, and paralyzed Lyon's subway system with a gasoline bomb, according to the Associated Press.

The wire service also reported that nine buses were set ablaze at a bus depot in Dole, and a bus exploded in Bassens near the southwest city of Bordeaux after a gasoline bomb was thrown into it.

UPDATE:
Donald Sensing takes another crack at the Muslim component to the French rioting, as does Barak at the IRIS blog.

UPDATE:
Cross linked to: Don Surber, Adam's Web, Basil's Blog, Bright and Early, and Mudville Gazette. Added Stop the ACLU. And The Political Teen.

UPDATE:
I've been remiss in checking out some of the Iraqi bloggers and their take on the situation in France. After all, these Iraqi bloggers have suffered under unimaginable conditions and are experiencing freedom and violence from the dead-enders and jihadists who want to spread mayhem. Omar of Iraq the Model has some interesting thoughts on the riots and the state of the European continent that bears repeating:

I’m not sure I can write this and make sense but I believe that European governments and large parts of the natives there failed to distinguish between oppressed people and wanted fascist extremists who fled their native countries; the first group fled their original countries looking for a better place where they can live a real life and grant their children a chance for a better future and they do deserve to be given the opportunity to do this in a place other than their dictators-ruled countries while the latter; well, they want to take over in any place they happen to exist in and they want to impose their vision on others without the least respect for their hosts.
If things continue to move the way they’re doing now, I’m afraid Europe will wake up some day to find itself infested with extremism to a degree that could possibly surpass what we see in many of today’s Muslim countries.

It's that latter group that we've got to be worried about yesterday. They're the ones who are going to be tomorrow's jihadists.

UPDATE:
Newsbusters notes that NBC's Jim Maceda doesn't think that the French are appeasing the thugs and rioters fast enough.

In a segment airing on this morning's Today show, Maceda, reporting from Paris, proclaimed that the French government is "getting the message" of the disaffected "French youths." But appeasement is simply taking too long for Maceda's taste:

"The French government promises a hands-on plan [read: more welfare] for the immigrant areas but that could take years, so even if peace does return to these streets few believe it's going to stick."