Quote: (02-04-2012 03:33 PM)scotian Wrote:
Quote: (02-02-2012 07:59 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:
Now, I know this is a topic that is sure to bring on some haters, but I don't mean to take it there. I've noticed a lot of French bashing in a couple of threads. Even talks about nuking their country.
Whoa.
I'm no fan of Parisians, but I dig Paris. And I dig French women. I like their culture generally.
That said, regardless of what you may think of the country and its people, you've got to give the French props for their social consciousness. They will unite quick to protect themselves against the forces that be, as this clip easily demonstrates. I think those of us in the Anglo world could stand to learn a thing or two from them.
I agree that the French are not passive sheeple that take shit laying down from their government or big corporations, however, it is undeniable that some major social problems exist there. With regards to immigration, France is probably the last place in the developed world that I would want my country to emulate.
An excellent movie to check out is Mathieu Kassovitz's film "La Haine", made in 1995, kind of like a French version of Menace to Society.
Also, listening to French rap (which is quite good), groups like NTM, IAM, Fonky Family and Sniper, you'll see that all is not peaceful in the land of Liberté, égalité, fraternité, especially if you have a name like Said or Mohamed!
Yeah. With respect to immigration, I wouldn't say France can compete with the Anglo world. Within Europe, London reigns supreme as the city to immigrate to and make something of yourself. Their system and culture is far more accepting and open to the world.
If I was concerned with economic mobility and had to live in Europe and just start out somewhere, I'd probably pick the UK, specifically London. As a black man, that's the place where I saw many black men doing well for themselves. Lots of brothers suited up going to work and looking real professional, just like we have in DC, NYC or Atlanta. In the Latin European countries (Spain and France), this was much less the case. I usually saw African men hanging out in parks, either unemployed or working in the informal economy (selling pirated movies, clothing, or w/e).
In the developed world, nothing beats the US (and Canada). Both countries depend on immigration, they just have their unique policies once people immigrate there.
I like both systems.
I actually like the US' immigration policy of assimilation. Extreme nutjobs on the fringes aside, there's a general view that once you come over here (legally), you are expected to be an "American." It doesn't matter where you come from, even if it's a culture that has endured thousands of years throughout many civilizations, you are now just an American. I think that's dope.
Canada promotes multiculturalism, which is also cool. I actually think Canada has done a better job of integrating people in spite of this policy that promotes that people maintain their cultural identities. They lead the developed world in the % of interracial marriages and I've never seen the degree of economic integration--across all income levels--as I have in Toronto. You don't really see that in the US. The higher you move up in the economic strata, the more people look the same. You have entire neighborhoods like that.
In Toronto, I saw evidence of a well-integrated society at every level, even in the historically wealthy neighborhoods.
I think North America is the model to emulate for those countries seeking to promote economic integration on a racial/ethnic level.
With respect to cultural/social integration, I think Brazil leads the pack. They've done an admirable job of making (and embracing) their society as a hybrid of many influences: African, European, Latin, Japanese, etc.