Moral equivalence by Macron doesn't solve anything
France's president may have supposedly condemned anti-semitism, and even anti-Zionism, when Benjamin Netanyahu came to visit the country this week. But the following news is a strong hint why Macron may not be true to his word:
Macron's commentary only suggests he's little different from Jacques Chirac, one of the most anti-semitic presidents in modern history, and he came from a right-wing background, not unlike George Bush Sr. That's why I don't think Chirac actually recognized France's own role in the Holocaust - if he won't acknowledge modern anti-semitism, then "recognition" of past anti-semitism is symbolic only, and was only done for brownie points. It could be the same with Macron, as we'll probably find out later.
However, Macron's historic speech contained an especially jarring comparison between the murder of Jews by Muslims and the racism Muslims themselves suffer in France. These are actually two very different phenomena that require different approaches. An attempt to placate the Muslim community and portray it as a victim of modern French society, without calling on this community to combat the radicals within it, is equivalent to the day-to-day silence in the face of racism that Macron himself denounced. Indeed, the modern murderous anti-Semitism in France and Europe is rooted in Islamic circles, and this must be stated clearly, as the president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions did.Well they won't do that, because the Koran overrides everything. However, it's a shame that columnist Eldad Beck's failed to distinguish between religion and race, and note that if anything in this case, it's anti-religious sentiment Muslims in Europe are dealing with, because they adhere to such an atrocious, violent belief system.
Macron has taken it upon himself to bring about an all-encompassing internal reconciliation so that all the French may find their place. This reconciliation necessitates bravely coping with big problems facing immigrant Muslim communities in France and Europe. But it must be stated that those who wish to see us abandon humanity, democracy and liberty all generally come from a specific religious background. Ignoring this fact or denying it will only exacerbate the problem. Internal reconciliation will be facilitated not just by acknowledging that Muslims are victims of European racism, but also by demanding that Muslims take responsibility for the radicalism in their communities and encouraging them to integrate into European societies rather than trying to change them.
Macron's commentary only suggests he's little different from Jacques Chirac, one of the most anti-semitic presidents in modern history, and he came from a right-wing background, not unlike George Bush Sr. That's why I don't think Chirac actually recognized France's own role in the Holocaust - if he won't acknowledge modern anti-semitism, then "recognition" of past anti-semitism is symbolic only, and was only done for brownie points. It could be the same with Macron, as we'll probably find out later.
