In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the Montrouge hostage situation, something new seems to be happening, both here and elsewhere. It’s as if, in the wake of a horrific storm, the wind has shifted, away from the stale and toxic recriminations of the past, and a fresh breeze is lifting solidarity and a firm resolve to do things differently. Yesterday’s Le Monde featured a full page ad signed by hundreds of Parisian Muslims denouncing the violence and declaring a resolve to stand with their country in a time of crisis. Their country.
For the first time in my memory, Muslim leaders from around the world, including Iran, Palestine, Hezbollah, and others, have denounced the attacks as anti-Islamic, one leader going so far as to say the murderers have done immeasurably more harm to Islam than the cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo ever could.
In spite of concerns aired early on that these events might bolster the positions of the anti-immigrant right wing in Europe, the response from the non-Muslim population has been equally encouraging.. Statements by a host of spokesmen from various religions and institutions have been unanimous in their insistence on separating the actions of the terrorists from the Islamic population at large. All around Paris, the air of numb shock of yesterday has been replaced by one of firm resolve, not only to not give in to the terrorists, but to reexamine the policies and attitudes on all sides that might have contributed to the atmosphere which gave birth to the tragic events.
What has shocked people most is that the perpetrators spoke perfect, unaccented Parisian French. They were French citizens, born and raised here, educated with all the egalitarian principles so cherished by the French. For once, the city center and the banlieu, the troubled suburbs, seem to be speaking with one voice. We are Paris, they seem to be saying, and we have been attacked, and we will stand together and defend ourselves.
We, all of us, and not just the French, have been given an unexpected gift in a moment of deep crisis: the opportunity for a real reexamination of the road we have been following, and a chance to correct our course.
Is that the sun, breaking through the dark clouds? I certainly hope s0.
Omniop 
My theory on them being born citizens rather than immigrants is a desire to prove their membership of the group: people who grow up with something at the heart of their culture are usually not extreme in their expression of it (for example, most Anglicans in England are intermittently observant and don’t go to the trenches if Christian values do not overrule equal rights); whereas citizens who have a belief outside their cultures default are much more likely to be extroverts about it (for example, to continue the comparison, most pagans in England are very observant and vocal about challenges to their beliefs).
Conversely, Muslims who came from another country know they are Muslims but not that they are French, so will try to demonstrate their right to be part of the existing nation, to be citizens.
Not sure if that applies in this situation, but interesting, nonetheless.
The fresh breeze is felt here, too. Thank you, Mikels, I’ll be sharing this in a few places.
I’m glad to hear it. Thanks.
I agree. I was flabbergasted by what the leader of Hezbollah had to say.
I also hope the sun breaks through Mikels. Some extreme interpretations of sharia are simply not compatible with a free society, but throughout the west we have lost our ability to clearly articulate what a free society means. Incidents such as this massacre have the ability to crystallize attention on what is important. Let’s hope this renewed focus leads to a clearer vision.
Hope so but you also need to fight fascists
Amen.
If they were born French and integrated perfectly into society, how they dared to kill part of the country that had given them shelter? Religions are so dangerous…
Yes, they are, but you have to remember, they may have been born French, but they were far from integrated. Like Black people here in America, North Africans in France are targeted and harassed by police, and they feel marginalized. Not an excuse by any means, but it makes it possible to understand.