Nations without nationalism
In the name of research and solidarity for my fellow immigrant, I participated in my first manif on Saturday. (I'd caught the national call to march in protest of the highly controversial loi Hortefeux on the GISTI web site.)
We arrived at the appointed place of departure, métro Belleville, at a rather Parisian 14h30 (15h30). As usual, I was the only one surprised to see that the reported 3,000 supporters - from la CGT, MJS, les Panthères Roses, and the Ligue des droits de l'Homme - were still prepping to march.
Flyers were distributed left and right, all by representatives of the Left, some for free (smart) and some at a fee (interesting and visibly counter-productive), and only some with polemical rhetoric: headlines like "Stop Sarko-Bush" and pleas for anarchy NOW (please?). I nabbed a highly informative pamphlet on the current legislation regarding one's rights during a demonstration (yes, you can film and photograph the police) and attempted to scribble some of the fervent incantations, such as, "Qui sème la misère, récolte la colère! Sarkozy au Kärcher!" (He who sows misery reaps anger! Flush out Sarkozy!)
Exercising my right to digitally immortalize the moment, I readied my camera... and then felt shy about snapping images of participants who might be sans-papiers. Of course, I reasoned, those in precarious legal situations wouldn't show up to such a demonstration -- would they? I had already garnered some sidelong stares when I began taking notes; would they think me an RG agent?
After the thousands of pages of scholarly and journalistic resources I've ingurgitated on the subject of immigration in France, the sensorial experience of a demonstration is a refreshing change, though one that jams sticks in the wheels of your objectivity. I left the manif with a grip of first-hand information that I've already put toward my research: primarily, Parisians are never as polite and accommodating as when they're blocking traffic for a shared cause.
We arrived at the appointed place of departure, métro Belleville, at a rather Parisian 14h30 (15h30). As usual, I was the only one surprised to see that the reported 3,000 supporters - from la CGT, MJS, les Panthères Roses, and the Ligue des droits de l'Homme - were still prepping to march.
Flyers were distributed left and right, all by representatives of the Left, some for free (smart) and some at a fee (interesting and visibly counter-productive), and only some with polemical rhetoric: headlines like "Stop Sarko-Bush" and pleas for anarchy NOW (please?). I nabbed a highly informative pamphlet on the current legislation regarding one's rights during a demonstration (yes, you can film and photograph the police) and attempted to scribble some of the fervent incantations, such as, "Qui sème la misère, récolte la colère! Sarkozy au Kärcher!" (He who sows misery reaps anger! Flush out Sarkozy!)
Exercising my right to digitally immortalize the moment, I readied my camera... and then felt shy about snapping images of participants who might be sans-papiers. Of course, I reasoned, those in precarious legal situations wouldn't show up to such a demonstration -- would they? I had already garnered some sidelong stares when I began taking notes; would they think me an RG agent?
After the thousands of pages of scholarly and journalistic resources I've ingurgitated on the subject of immigration in France, the sensorial experience of a demonstration is a refreshing change, though one that jams sticks in the wheels of your objectivity. I left the manif with a grip of first-hand information that I've already put toward my research: primarily, Parisians are never as polite and accommodating as when they're blocking traffic for a shared cause.
Comments
delphine
Thanks for reporting back. I've heard that they're proposing taking DNA from immigrants to prove their family ties to those they plan to bring over to France. WOW...speechless.
So, when are you going to update that Mlle Smith link to Eclat, btw? (hint, hint...)
:0)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1017/p06s02-woeu.html
delphine
I'm surprised something like that hasn't been publicly floated by some of our right-wing politicians here in the US. They're quite happy to use subtlety to mask their racism, so perhaps I shouldn't be too shocked.
And here, the police film you. Then take away your camera, especially if you have the apperance of a DFH. Unless you love the President.
I've read some articles about the issue, but I don't know enough about it myself -- I could definitely learn a lot from you. How do you find the time to do it all?! AND to fit in the reading for pleasure as well? Maybe I've been sleeping too much lately... I need a wake-up call.
I haven't yet participated in a manif myself, but I definitely would at the right moment -- and this sounds like one of them...
Eclat, we definitely came to the right city of opportunities to protest! When the press pays more attention to Cécilia's love pangs than DNA testing laws, it's good to see people out and shouting about it. What were you protesting in 2002? (sorry it took me a while to update your link - I love your new banner, by the way.)
Randal, I haven't been paying as much attention to the U.S. legislation, besides the ludicrous wall between Mexico and the Southern border states, and minute men situation (classic case of what watching too much John Wayne?). Les flics from the renseignements généraux film the demonstrators, too, in civilian garb, which I find shocking, but not nearly as disturbing as all the video cameras in London.
Alice, I think I might finally be learning to pick my battles: immigration and good books! Seriously, though, if another demonstration on the same subject arises, we should go.