Today, I would like to share a quote which I learned early on in my French life and that I have never forgotten. It is by Léopold Sédar Senghor, 1906-2001 (poet, politician and first president of Senegal):
Les racistes sont des gens qui se trompent de colère.
My personal attempts at translation:
Racists are people who are mistaken in the source of their anger.
Or:
Racists are people who aim their anger in the wrong direction.
A little French lesson is required here to fully appreciate the spirit of this quote as there is a play on words in the original version. As a matter of fact, it is surely because of this witticism that this quote has stayed with me for so long.
The last word of the quote is colère which translates as anger.
The word colère is similar in sound to the French word for color : couleur. Hence, the play on words with the words colère and couleur.
If you’re like me, when you think of racists, the idea of those who have anger towards people of a skin color different than their own comes to mind. Like, Senghor, I also believe that the frustration felt by racists is misdirected.
For example, a classic problematic presented by the American media, as well as the French, is that immigrants take jobs away from natives. The source of this problem, however, is governmental decisions, not a father of three trying to make a better life for his family.
Instead of directing one’s frustration towards a vulnerable population that just wants to live a decent life like any human being, one should do research on how their government is organizing its economy and why jobs are not being created. Or, as in the case of America and France, find out why jobs are being sent over-seas.
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In France, in particular, the media talks at length about the great national health care debt. We are warned that if something isn’t done then soon France won’t be able to offer the same quality of medical coverage. As the years progress less and less is covered by this insurance. Creating a source of financial stress for all living here, because not only must we fork out more money for medical care, but the cost of living is skyrocketing in general.
Of course, the finger is pointed at immigrants and their French born children. We are told that there are too many of them. And that they are « bleeding » the health care system.
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I must stop here for a moment and just shake my head.
I mean: wow! Letting oneself be manipulated into thinking that it’s okay to scorn someone for seeking healthcare. That somehow people want to spend their time waiting in a doctor’s waiting room more than is necessary. Just, wow! Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron, France’s current president, spending 500,000 € worth of tax money on a new China set for the Elysée – no biggie? Talk about misdirection!)
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Now, back to the baby bashing:
It is true that it is very common to find White people of my generation who are Only Children. The modern parents of the 1970s did a good job – never have I met so many sibling-less individuals! But the non-White of my generation here almost always come from a big family with at least one or two siblings. Often more.
Currently France encourages having children as it finds itself with a massive ageing population. Good thing the immigrants were here to reproduce all of these sibling filled families. Whew! We’d be even worse off without all of these big tan and brown families – the taxes they pay, the spending they do and all these glamorous jobs they hoard cleaning and caring for the ageing French population in the nursing homes, most of whom happen to be White.
P.S. This is completely unrelated. I haven’t been as reliable lately with the frequency of my posts. I apologize and I will try to do better.
Pardon My France 