Whether or not France’s allies are scared, Macron is not. In an interview with Al Jazeera at the end of last month, he pointed out that the people he says are ‘distorting’ the religion of Islam ‘teach that women are not equal to men. They teach that girls should not have the same rights as boys.’ Well, Macron went on: ‘Not on our soil. We believe in the Enlightenment.’
Very interesting. I'm presently reading "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner who is searching the world for cultures idea of happiness. Last night I read he was in Qatar and finally found some Quartaries. The just happened to work for Al Jazeera so he interviewed them if they were happy.
"That question - are you happy - the question we Americans chew on every day, every hour, is not entirely appropriate in a Muslim country like Qatar. I've noticed that people cringe slightly when I ask and politely try to change the subject. That's because happiness, bliss , is in the hands of Allah, not man. If we are happy it is god's will and, likewise, if we are miserable it is also god's will. Are you happy? I might as well have asked these guys if they shaved their legs. I want to slink away.
Okay, if you insist, yes, I am happy one man finally says.
"There's no such thing as complete happiness, says a third man, puffing on a cigarette.
"If you want to know true happiness, you should become a Muslim," says a fourth. "You should believe and know that everything is in the hands of God. You will get what Allah has written for you. Yes you should become a Muslim, if you want to know happiness."
The conversation starts to wind down and the men, one by one, start to fiddle with their Mont Blanc pens and glance at their diamond studded watches."
I have heard the comment about becoming a Muslim before but the plain fact some of the worst fighting in the world is between Sunni and Shia Muslims and even sub sects within the religion. Same is true for all religions.
When a country brings in immigrants one thing that seem completely ignored is the hatred of one group against another and that hatred becomes something with which the host country has to grapple. We talk about 'diversity' and people doing the work their own citizens won't do but almost never look at the cost. This is known as an externality and businesses, countries and people seem to forget this area is often more critical than the the supposed benefits.
All right thinking, democratic and equality professing nations should stand shoulder to shoulder with France.
What gets me is that the Fuzzy-Wuzzies (i.e. a derogatory term for extremist Muslims) are trying to impose their own mental defectiveness on everybody else.