Now that the riots have died down and the French are sorting out causes and solutions, I would like to recap the coverage in the US media. The mainstream news networks were not generally too inflammatory, despite a bit of sensationalizing that is frankly typical of the ratings-conscious major news outlets. Reports focused on the burning of cars (which made for dramatic photo ops) and the reactions of Villepin, Sarkoszy, and a lack of visibility on the part of Chirac. The extreme right expressed their triumphant glee (naturellement), but we won't waste time on the predictably tedious spewings of the Fuckfrance.com knuckledraggers or their icons Limbaugh and O'Reilly. Many conservative newspapers couldn't resist muted displays of smug satisfaction and adaptations of the facts to suit their world view. Some emphasized that it was a Muslim (read: jihadist ) movement, for which they provided no credible supporting evidence. Some made observations to the effect that France got its just deserts for refusing to join the US in the War on Terror in Iraq. (It is amazing that serious journalists are still referring to the Invasion of Iraq as part of a War on Terror, given that the connection to 9/11 has been amply debunked. Even the Bush Administration has stopped using this term.) A journalist for the International Herald Tribune claimed that the HLM housing projects in the suburbs had been built expressly to segregate immigrant populations, which is patently untrue. They were built to ease a housing crisis and to accomodate French people with moderate means from all backgrounds. For more examples of conservative disinformation and Schadenfreude-infused quotations from conservative blogs and newspapers, read Patrick Gavin's blog post on the topic. Patrick closes his post with the reflection that In the end it was hard for me to figure out which was worse: What the riots said about France? Or what our reaction said about us.
What type of coverage would I have preferred to see? First, it would have been nice for media outlets to cover expressions of solidarity in France's moment of crisis, given our close economic and historical ties with that country. Not that I would have expected President Bush himself to declare "Now we are all French." during such domestic upheaval, mirroring what Chirac said on September 11th. But the media didn't seem to have much to cover in terms of American expressions of solidarity. There seemed to be a tacit underlying assumption that France had this coming. As far I as I was able to observe, any official expression of solidarity, concern or sympathy for our long-time ally was notably absent. The French have some social problems to solve and I am confident in their willingness and in their ability to do so. The right-wing and even moderate press coverage in the US generally reflected a pervasive intellectual laziness and certainly did not provide a serious critique of the societal challenges faced by France.
Words cannot describe how disappointed I am in our government's reaction (or lack thereof) to the riots in France. I had some great discussions with my high school classes, but had a really hard time finding articles that were talking about what was really going on.
Thanks for a magnificent post, as usual.
Posted by: Michele | November 21, 2005 at 11:05 PM
Jean - thanks for a very lucid analysis of the U.S. media coverage of the French riots, which I followed very closely as well. It is also interesting to read about how the French reacted to the U.S. coverage of the riots.
Posted by: Elisabeth | November 23, 2005 at 11:21 AM
Actually, it was not Jacques Chirac who said "Nous sommes tous américains" (we all are americans) after 9/11 but Jean-Marie Colombani, Le Monde's chief editorialist.
Thnak you for the post !
Posted by: tcheni | November 24, 2005 at 06:40 AM
Thanks for the fact-check, tcheni. I remember that the statement of solidarity came out very soon after the attacks on NYC. I had a student who had just gone to study in Toulon in the fall of 2001 and was still struggling hugely with the French language when the terrorists struck. He was amazed at how he was embraced the minute people there became aware that he was American. Shopkeepers even hugged him and gave him free stuff. We shouldn't forget that despite the ugly political rhetoric that has flowed since, there is a franco-american bond that is deep and lasting. The bond will survive the attacks of manipulative politicians, just as it always has.
Posted by: Francofile | November 28, 2005 at 09:14 AM
Hi Jean !
/*/The right-wing and even moderate press coverage in the US generally reflected a pervasive intellectual laziness and certainly did not provide a serious critique of the societal challenges faced by France./*/
Spot on. A big part of the problem, in Amerloque's view, is the sheer inability - or unwillingness ? - of the press to realize that things are just not the same in France as they are in the USA. To put is simply, (smile) the country is organized in a different fashion, for people who don't expect the same things from society as Americans do and who - for want of a better expression of the concept - don't believe in the same dreams ...
Best,
L'Amerloque
Posted by: L'Amerloque | November 28, 2005 at 01:08 PM
For the first time in my blogging life, I deleted a comment that referred to this posting and the comments following as "drivel." Francofile has nothing against divergent opinions, but does not suffer incivility to commenters on this blog, whose insighfulness, astuteness, articulateness continually amaze me.
Posted by: Francofile | November 29, 2005 at 11:58 AM
The American media is pathetic...making the news say what they want. The problems in France aren't nearly as bad as the media would like us to think. Even I, who is a strong Republican and also a Bush-supporter, have got to say the US was so very wrong about this one. Great entry.
Posted by: frenchclassfreak | May 12, 2006 at 05:14 PM
Hi Jean!
I've just discovered your amazing blog, and i think i'll pass my evening going throught it!
I just wish i was able to write a blog like that on America, when i was in the USA! :) (i'm the exact opposite: a French girl going to the USA).
For the riots coverage: i was surprise by the dramatization of the facts. If it wasn't for my mother explaining me the situation on the phone, i would have believed whole France was burning and dangerous.
Of course Us co-workers were asking me a lot about it, and were surprised that all the streets weren't exactly in civil war.. For the record I even received a letter asking me if I wasn't dead! :)))
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