Notre Dame d'Afrique
I try not to infuse too much politics into the arts, but then my blog heading, A place to explore and shed light on how art, culture and society converge, cannot always work without politics.
In my previous post, I showed how the French of the 19th century gave the Algerians a solid Basilica, which stands to this day.
What are the French of the 21st century giving Algeria?
Gallia Watch has been documenting French politics on her blog, and more recently Sarkozy's trip to Algeria, and his attempt to build a bridge between Algeria and France.
According to this source, he plans to build a Mediterranean Union of the Souther European countries (France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Malta), and Northern African Countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and Libya.) Already, the German chancellor has denounced his plan, and the EU is not too pleased with another competitive body.
But why is Sarkozy doing this? What is his goal for uniting Muslim countries with secular/Christian European states? Does he not heed the warnings of Bat Ye'or, and her Eurabia predicament? Because what will really happen is that the aggressive and manipulative Arabs will make sure they get their way: on immigration (open borders), Islamic culture dissemination, trade which benefits them, and above all a strong hold in Europe which they had to relinquish when they were forced out of Spain in 1492.
In fact, it was a weak European link that allowed them to enter Spain in the first place, and set up the longest reigning Islamic rule over Europe, even longer than what the Ottomans did to the southern and eastern Europeans.
Sarkozy is behaving exactly like the weak link, which is actually already there and about to break from the extreme pressures building in France from their resident Islamic "youths."
The Algerians have already started with their antagonism. Here is a comment by Algeria's Minister of Vetetran Affairs aiming a jab at Sarkozy's Jewish grandfather by saying that Sarkozy came to power due to a "Jewish lobby that has a monopoly on French industry."
At least the French of the 19th century knew to keep the Algerian at arms length. But what will France give Algeria in the 21st century? Probably the greatest, most terrible gift of all. Herself.