The Collapse of the Republican Ideal in France

Injustice tends to breed injustice, and racism and violence tend to conjure up their snarling mirror images... Jewish youths are attacked in France ... and the father of one of the youths, commenting on the police's ineffectiveness, says: "Clearly they won't do anything because they can't. There are almost 10 million Arabs and blacks in France, many of them residing in Paris." This rightfully aggrieved father wants to blame all the Arabs and blacks in France for the brutish criminality of a few thugs! And isn't the clearly articulated lack of faith in the police an invitation to vigilantism?

If there is anything that approaches the horror and tragedy of anti-semitic violence committed by children against other children, it is an adult resorting to racism to vent his frustrations. French republicanism, once the glory of the enlightened world, is utterly in shambles.