After an extended period of near-silence, French President Jacques Chirac has finally come out with a statement addressing the root cause of recent rioting in France. During his first major speech since the youth riots began, Chirac called attention to the “deep malaise” and discrimination within French society, which led to underprivileged community members taking matters into their own hands.
He pledged to create a civil service that would offer jobs and training for 50,000 youths by 2007. With this move, Chirac is providing his country with options and ideas besides deportation and curfews. Perhaps Chirac has realized that the root problems of the rioting stem far beyond youth unrest and the desire to burn things.
Thankfully, Chirac has promised to work toward equal opportunity for French youth. Unfortunately, there is still much work to be done. He must acknowledge and also pledge to deal with the state of impoverished French suburbs, as well as the issue of discrimination faced by many Muslims in France. Chirac’s recent statement that foreign rioters ought to lose their French citizenship is probably not the best way to quell religious, ethnic, or racial tensions.
Chirac is correct in his belief that “[If] one belongs to our national community one must respect the rules.” In order to create a nation of people who respect the rules, those citizens must first be secure in the knowledge that they are an important part of their national community. Now is the time for Chirac to prove his regard for the underprivileged, and encourage a mutuality of respect.