A rchive Date
[ 23-02-2005 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ France ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/mulroney.html
Battle of France
Racist Le Pen is working within the system - so should Chirac
By BEN MULRONEY - Tor the Sun
April 28, 2002
Jean-Marie Le Pen is a lot of things. He is a French presidential candidate, a reactionary, a xenophobe and a racist.
His party Web site claims that immigration is the mortal enemy of the identity and the sovereignty of France. His National Front Party espouses the belief that the Muslim faith is incompatible with the concept of French citizenship and therefore has no place in France.
To Le Pen and his followers, Islam is part of the greater scourge of the commingling of ethnicities that has weakened French civilization. For this reason, they say, France - led by the only true French men and women - must rid itself of these threats, weaknesses and impurities.
Replace the word "France" with "Germany," and "Islam" with "Judaism," and you've got Mein Kampf, the Sad, Sad Sequel.
Le Pen's party Web site reeks of Nazism, complete with all of its bells and whistles. One will find statistics supposedly proving that North Africans are predisposed to violence and that immigrants are a drag on the French economy.
One can also find the trademark of racial fascism: A skewed version of history that is used to display how far a once great nation has fallen. This historical fall from grace blames the usual suspects: Porous border policies, weak national leaders and communists (it wouldn't be fascism without a couple of commie potshots).
Le Pen also stands for the other staples of fascism: Military buildup, commercial protectionism and political isolationism. I can't think of a single positive thing to say about Jean-Marie Le Pen, save one. As scary as he is, he is working from within the political system. When every citizen - even the most radical of players - feels that they have a stake in the political process, democracy is a success.
We have had enough Osama bin Ladens and FLQs - groups and individuals who, for whatever their reasons, have chosen to enact change from outside the political system. To reach their goals, they use bombs and bullets, envelopes full of germs and planes full of people. Let us be thankful that Le Pen and his twisted followers still feel that their voices are heard and that they matter. Let us be thankful that their weapons of choice are still the microphone and the ballot box.
Unfortunately, over 16% of those ballots identified with the National Front's message, which has put Le Pen in a position to run head to head against the incumbent President Jacques Chirac in the second round of voting, scheduled for May 5. Traditionally, the last two candidates standing have engaged in a televised debate. However, Chirac will be bucking this trend, refusing to engage his adversary, citing moral objection.
Never mind that the majority of France wants to see this debate, what is appalling is that Chirac is weakening French democracy by not taking on the candidate chosen by the voters of the republic.
If Chirac is willing to abandon this democratic tradition because he does not like his opponent's policies, what is to stop a future president from shutting out a communist candidate or even a mild socialist? And what message does this send to Le Pen and his supporters? They might see this as the entrenched political powers refusing to play by the rules that they, themselves, established.
If Le Pen no longer feels that he can work from within the system, where do you think he will go?
Read Mulroney on Sundays and watch him on talktv's the chatroom and Canada AM on CTV. Reach him at benedictmulroney@hotmail.com. Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@sunpub.com.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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