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Reader comment on item: The 751 No-Go Zones of France
in response to reader comment: NO GO ZONES EQUALS A LAWLESS ZONE

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Jan 18, 2015 at 08:18

HI, Charlie

I'm an American like you, not a Frenchie like "Udontknow...", so I can understand a bit of where you're coming from -- something "Udon't..." is apparently clueless about.

What I understand, and what "U" doesn't seem to know, is that we have "No Go" zones in the US, not to different from those in France. My family and I spent much of our lives on the fringe of such areas, and several years in them.

Our "No Go" zones, of course, have a core of minority groups such as Blacks and Hispanics, rather than Muslims. I grew up in a fairly big city, and everyone I knew had an intuitive sense of where the boundaries were. I imagine every major American city has such zones, and it would be a courtesy to travellers if the local chambers of commerce could be prevailed upon to provide maps with the areas clearly marked. They are dangerous places, even though our police, unlike the French, are not afraid to enter them.

It's shocking that a government should abandon 8% of its people, leaving them vulnerable in such places. I think it's also shocking, that honest Jews in Israel are not allowed to go about their daily lives without fear of being attacked or molested, or having rockets launched against them. I raised my children next door to a cocaine addict and two child molesors, with drive-by shootings and gang fights in the street -- and at that, we were actually outside the "red line". It was an interesting life, wherein we had to step over alcoholics sleeping on the sidewalk, to pick up our daughter at the bus stop; but I can't imagine what a horror it must be for those Frenchmen, to have to live in such a place without police protection.

I was raised, being taught by school teachers, TV, etc. that mankind was somehow "advancing" from more primitive, and presumably more dangerous, times. Unfortunately, we are not advancing in this way. Jesus taught the people with parables, stories taken from everyday life. One of those stories was of the "Prodigal Son", who took in a traveler who had been beaten and robbed, and left to die along the road. Another Bible story was of a Levite traveling through a town in the tribal area of Benjamin, whose young wife was gang-raped and left to die on his host's doorstep. Those stories are sadly applicable today, in minute detail; the only real differences being that now they would take place in a backdrop of automobiles and convenience stores.

"Udontknow..." noted that most people in those "no-go" zones live their lives with the hope of some day getting out of them. I imagine they do; and that's probably as true in the US as in France. I actually loved some of the squalid places I lived in, especially the neighborhood where I raised my children; because I had also grown up there in somewhat better times. The main reason I eventually moved out, was that I was getting chronically depressed; and the reason I was depressed was that my church was falling apart -- the brethren were foreclosing on their homes and quitting the neighborhood, as they were able, and leaving the area. It was a case of "The last one out, turn off the lights".

Ah, Europe! Would that they could fly away from the present, evil day, and return to the days of Oliver Twist and Les Miserables! Oh, I guess they have. C'est la vit!

We have our slums, and they have theirs.

Our reservoir.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (152) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
900, its the police themself [21 words]Dennis Blond Hald JensenJan 29, 2018 10:44242013
1What a difference a yarmulke makes [87 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
François GravelJan 25, 2015 01:40220671
1MY ADVICE [170 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
martinJan 16, 2015 21:27220434
2Hard to judge a book by its cover [785 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
R. CraigenJan 16, 2015 18:49220430
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2It takes a while and then some [467 words]GuestJun 9, 2015 00:40220430
1The real danger here [234 words]JesperJan 15, 2015 18:16220401
3Glad to see your update/retraction in 2013, but I have a request... [1499 words]CMDJan 15, 2015 10:52220383
1Push the Retraction Up [125 words]WayneJan 20, 2015 00:33220383
Does Sarcelles as a whole qualify? [83 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Anon.Jan 15, 2015 08:42220381
6How Civil War Could Come To Europe [134 words]DaveJan 13, 2015 20:52220344
Right on [80 words]Coach ClydeSep 22, 2015 13:41220344
2List of ZUS on French government website has been removed [55 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
ChrisJan 10, 2015 10:17220240
1No it hasn't grown [37 words]Bob1Jan 13, 2015 11:11220240
1Muslim no-go zones [248 words]Mr J D RobertJan 15, 2015 19:47220240
ZUS site not accessible [48 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
CaraxJun 18, 2019 04:07220240
6NO GO ZONES EQUALS A LAWLESS ZONE [79 words]Charlie HebdoJan 9, 2015 22:10220222
1You don't know what you are talking about [168 words]UdontKnoWhatYoureTalkingAboutJan 12, 2015 12:03220222
2You know absolutely nothing or live as a hermit [285 words]JesperJan 15, 2015 17:57220222
Au revoir [598 words]Michael SJan 18, 2015 08:18220222
1That is a good point [349 words]UdontKnoWhatYoureTalkingAboutJan 20, 2015 08:29220222
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1Wrong [165 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MacTurkJan 9, 2015 18:21220213
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w/response from Daniel Pipes
John WilkensJan 10, 2015 17:45189458
4Let us not forget to applaud the French [133 words]PrashantSep 17, 2011 03:37189372
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1What islam is not [20 words]John DoeFeb 8, 2010 01:08168606
6Should we stop allowing muslims to come to the West ? 09' [165 words]Phil GreendJun 23, 2009 19:12157846
We can't stop allowing them [191 words]TchJan 14, 2015 08:45157846
2what next? [184 words]Rebecca MouldsMar 14, 2008 14:49122649
Bergen: Ban on rain coats for police officers suggested! [93 words]Mysil BergsprekkenFeb 2, 2010 18:07122649
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1Sensitivities !!! [273 words]dfwhite19438Mar 14, 2008 00:48122609
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1No Go Zones [60 words]Linda HaslamFeb 7, 2008 10:55119718
1What's next? No Go Zones for religious NeoNazis, Mafia and Drug Lords... [95 words]KristaMar 13, 2008 09:13119718
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canadian govt. punishes private citizen for violating sharia [16 words]darrellJan 20, 2008 00:52118609
1Does this mean that [199 words]Long live moosesJan 7, 2008 18:51117686
french arrogance [39 words]churlFeb 3, 2008 19:35117686
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ones savior is anothers demon? [48 words]larry BJan 16, 2015 16:32117686
Paris, ah, Paris [84 words]Scott A. Joseph, MDJun 10, 2007 04:3797308
1balance please [332 words]petermhmurray@yahoo.comFeb 13, 2008 17:1997308
french military prowess [318 words]bosFeb 14, 2008 12:0797308
French Values = Oxymoron [55 words]KevinFeb 23, 2007 12:2178502
some further comments on ZUS [931 words]danielDec 2, 2006 14:2568046
agenda and fact [376 words]paulmhmurphyDec 3, 2006 16:0568046
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w/response from Daniel Pipes
KishmishDec 5, 2006 18:4768046
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rejoinder to daniel [741 words]paul murphyDec 7, 2006 07:2768046
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w/response from Daniel Pipes
ChappyNov 30, 2006 03:4267826
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No more paranoia please... Just sober Islamic common sense instead ... [1209 words]IanusJan 30, 2007 16:1667676
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Abolishing the ZUS unfounded myth [177 words]HarrakNov 28, 2006 23:4467665
It's true, I've seen it. [62 words]Evan JohnsonNov 28, 2006 23:2767662
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irony [163 words]paulmurphyNov 27, 2006 18:3867460
Change the subject again [233 words]GregNov 28, 2006 18:0267460
You are right [25 words]TerryApr 14, 2007 19:0567460
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w/response from Daniel Pipes
Mark JamesNov 26, 2006 20:2467426
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2misinformation and nonsense [316 words]paul murphyNov 25, 2006 07:5167250
2wake up [223 words]jo mNov 25, 2006 11:1467250
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No excuse [154 words]OctavioNov 25, 2006 13:0367223
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The Muj [33 words]IanusNov 25, 2006 11:5267207
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1Allowing One Group to Create Laws While Ignoring All Others [853 words]S RalstonNov 24, 2006 16:0667203
Daniel Pipes for President! [21 words]Vladimir JabotinskyNov 24, 2006 14:0567192
Probably happening elsewhere...just less "official"... [218 words]J.S.Nov 24, 2006 12:3067186
That's Europe, for you [49 words]OctavioNov 24, 2006 18:5867186
J.S. [164 words]OctavioNov 25, 2006 04:2367186
fabrications [81 words]richard lionheartNov 25, 2006 04:3467186
Richard, Richard [52 words]OctavioNov 25, 2006 19:4467186
What?? [346 words]J.S.Nov 25, 2006 19:5667186
Moslem intrigues in Sweden [343 words]IanusNov 27, 2006 15:0967186
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Ianus... [246 words]J.S.Nov 28, 2006 18:1567186
1French Moslem army [150 words]IanusNov 29, 2006 10:4267186
Kant for Moslems [557 words]IanusNov 29, 2006 18:0267186
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Indeed, chaos awaits... [599 words]J.S.Nov 30, 2006 20:5967186
Logic of chaos [1232 words]IanusDec 1, 2006 19:0767186
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Hagia Sophia and the mosques [185 words]IanusDec 3, 2006 12:0367186
For your edification [381 words]jeffDec 3, 2006 23:2367186
France [56 words]Octavio JohansonNov 24, 2006 12:2867185
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American ZUS's [126 words]Dave PetteysNov 24, 2006 12:0167181
La mort de France [16 words]PhillipNov 24, 2006 11:5367179
ZUS [37 words]msNov 24, 2006 11:2667173
Why are they called no-go zones? [56 words]Tom F.Nov 24, 2006 11:2267172
Urban Xray [19 words]LDCNov 24, 2006 11:1767169
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diversity [79 words]thewestiscomplacentDec 19, 2006 01:2467164
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I thought the French had more sense [103 words]IanusNov 25, 2006 12:4367162
Why did french play dominant role in the enlightenment? [6 words]aaMar 7, 2007 04:1667162
Why did french play dominant role in the enlightenment? [39 words]IanusMar 7, 2007 17:3067162
1MUSLIM TAKEOVER [81 words]CHARLIE BAXTERMay 27, 2009 14:2367162
Muslim takeover [174 words]IanusMay 28, 2009 05:3867162
Deportation [24 words]PeterNov 24, 2006 09:3967157
a caveat on French ZUSs [433 words]danielNov 24, 2006 04:2067140
And that is only the top of the iceberg [61 words]Alain Jean-MairetNov 24, 2006 01:4967134
The not so antiseptic acronym for Dar al-Islam zones would be DAI zones [17 words]Mark JamesNov 24, 2006 00:5967128

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