Berkley Center

French conservatives, specifically supporters of the major right-wing political party Union for a Popular Movement (UMP in French), are motivated by a desire to guard the French republic in its purest form. They are in favor of protecting families, individualism, economic freedom, and preservation of the French identity. Unfortunately for them, Socialist thought is becoming more and more prevalent throughout Western Europe; and as this shift to liberalism is on the rise, the power of the established aristocratic and bourgeois classes is on the decline.

But even more concerning for conservatives are the large numbers of North African, Middle Eastern, and Sub-Saharan African migrants settling in France. A common denominator between these regions is the strong influence of Islam. In this secular society, outward expression of religious beliefs is a major taboo; so the everyday garments and practices of Muslims are inherently rejected. There’s a palpable tension in the air when someone easily identifiable as a Muslim enters a mainly white space. I have even witnessed certain people physically recoil when someone of Muslim faith gets close to them on already-crowded public transit.

I recently attended a public debate hosted by a local conservative government representative (more reminiscent of the “town halls” Americans are used to, with more scholarly background) on how to address terrorism in France. The prevailing demographic of attendees was older, white French men and women, and I counted about four to five people of color (including myself) in a room of over one hundred. The first speaker was a professor who gave geopolitical background on the Muslim world and the Middle East, and the second speaker was a public servant who discussed both current strategies and obstacles to fighting terrorism in France. It was quite an informative lecture, and afterwards the floor was opened up to questions. Several people gave sentiments of feeling helpless and/or scared about the changing demographics of France and asked for potential solutions to protecting the country from dangerous foreigners.

I was not surprised by the bluntness of these questions or their slightly discriminatory undertone, because I have learned that the French value directness and honesty. But there was one shockingly offensive man who denounced Islam as “a religion of merde” (look up at your own discretion) and proposed that the French “take care of the problem permanently.” Thankfully, no one agreed with him. But in that moment I realized that ideas like his are probably not as uncommon as one would think. I could have encountered that man in a different situation and found him to be absolutely lovely. In my opinion, his radical beliefs do not make him a bad human being; rather they illustrate the environment he chooses and his limited perspective of the world. I’ve come to the conclusion that ideas are immensely powerful--they can be weapons of mass destruction or agents of positive change.

With that epiphany in mind, I am trying to reconcile my observations on religion, politics, and race relations here in France. Each of these cones of thought are interconnected, but not in a linear or obvious manner. It would be a swift and dangerous generalization to say that French Catholics are inherently conservative and racist or that atheists and agnostics are inherently liberal and colorblind. However, I have also gathered that people here come from a more limited, homogeneous set of backgrounds than in the United States. I cannot say this definitely, but it seems like two French people who share one of these three traits are much more likely to be complementary in the other areas than two Americans.

One’s upbringing has a tremendous influence on their perspective of the world. In the context of this nation, anxiety about the increasing heterogenization of France is a natural reaction for citizens raised in this secular society that values the diminution of “otherness.” As an American raised on the concept of “a nation built by immigrants,” I have been conditioned to recognize the value and beauty in difference in a society. But, around the world, this “trail mix” ideal is only held by a handful of other nations. I am learning that I can believe in the idea of multiculturalism and inclusion, but I do not have the right to determine that this is the “correct” way for everyone to live. As a global citizen, it is my responsibility to respect perspectives different from my own and then use what I learn to promote ideas that will incite positive change.