misinformation and nonsense

Submitted by paul murphy (Ireland), Nov 25, 2006 at 07:51

I had meant in my earlier contribution to this weblog that these zones had been misrepresented as 'no-go zones'. However, Alan Stanhope has already corrected the inaccuracy.

As an American who has recently lived and taught at the school of architecture in Nantes (An etremely orderly and prosperous West Coast city on the Loire estuary ) I can speak with a certain first-hand knowlege of the designated 'zones' in Nantes. These zones are, as Alan Stanhope has correctly stated, 'renewal' zones, slated for special incentives and redevelopment. Some of these are not even residential. One zone includes the old Nantes docks (The commercial ports are now situated in Ste Nazaire and Donges at the mouth of the estuary). Only one of the 'zones' has a significant moslem population.

I am well aware of the wish by Daniel Pipes and his acolytes to portray France in a certain way, however, when fanaticism takes over, truth as always becomes the first victim - particularly inconvenient truth.

Americans who are worried about France going Islamic should put their worries aside. French immigrants from the Arab world are inclined to become apostate and rather French after a short time. The family size of second generation immigrants is also inclined to be similar to that of the locals of similar socio-economic background. In fact, Americans will be delighted to know that the most recent population phenomenen in France is the increase in size of middle-class families due to tax incentives which particularly favour people on middle income. The population of France will (if things continue as at present) overtake that of Germany around the middle of the century when France will become the EU nation with the largest population (Unless Turkey gains enrty - now extremely unlikely). The projected proportion of the population from a North African background will be just 10-12%.

Hardly the makings of an 'Islamic' takeover of Europe?

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