"We will respond by being firm, by being fair and by being faithful to the values of France."
"Who said that?"
"Chirac, the French President."
"Sounds very good doesn't it?"
"Chirac can't possibly label what is happening in France as terrorism. They are the disenchanted youth, Muslim youth, who are out on the streets."
"Granted."
"And saying the right things in politics doesn't mean you are going to do the right things."
"I believe the French government has already announced a package of assistance for the poor neighbourhoods which includes access to better education as well as more jobs."
"Yes. I am surprised though that no one is linking this disenchantment as the first step towards terrorism."
"Because that is unpalatable to all. Bush and his Poodle can't accept that because that would mean their own societal values, that they say they want to uphold and went to war for, are not worth saving."
"Some of them need to be ditched. Also their faith, or rather the centrality of their faith, does allow them to dismiss the concerns of other religions whatever they may say to the contrary. Their actions belie their words."
"As I have always maintained these two together have generated so much hatred in this world, religious based hatred, that I sometimes wonder if we can ever turn the clock back."
"At this point it is well neigh impossible I would say."
"But then there are some values that the two need to uphold. Like freedom of speech."
"Their law now forbids anyone to preach hatred."
"What about the US priest who gave a Fatwa to kill a South American leader."
"Forgotten."
"Ah yes, and if it was a Muslim he would have been deported to a country that may have persecuted him."
"Some are more equal than others."