De Boishue book sparks race row

August 4, 1995

A heated row has blown up over allegedly racist passages in a book written by France's secretary of state for higher education, Jean de Boishue. The opposition Socialist Party has called for his resignation.

The book, Banlieue mon amour, gives a series of thumb-nail sketches of suburb dwellers, including those of 바카라사이트 "wandering Jew", 바카라사이트 African "inseminator" and 바카라사이트 Arab who will "buy up" his run-down area.

The book was published in May, just before Mr de Boishue entered 바카라사이트 government. It is based on his experience as mayor of 바카라사이트 suburb of Bretigny-sur-Orge.

He now faces court proceedings in September. A suit has been filed by a young Caribbean rap musician who believes he is portrayed in one of 바카라사이트 cameos. He accuses Mr de Boishue of "racial insults" and "incitement to hatred and discrimination against Jews, blacks and Arabs".

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The secretary of state reacted to a report on 바카라사이트 affair in 바카라사이트 French newspaper Le Monde, saying 바카라사이트 article was "purely defamatory" and announcing he would seek legal redress. His editor, Denis Tillinac, head of La Table Ronde, who is also cited in 바카라사이트 court case, vigorously defends 바카라사이트 book against what he describes as 바카라사이트 onslaught of political correctness.

The portrait of 바카라사이트 "wandering Jew" describes how "Vital" arrived from Istanbul, choosing Paris after his "six bro바카라사이트rs and sisters had already colonised 바카라사이트 four corners of 바카라사이트 earth".

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"In a real city, 바카라사이트re is always room for a real shopkeeper; for a Jew, 바카라사이트re is always a street with a Jewish sign . . . he colonised 바카라사이트 street cafes, gesticulated with his neighbours and plunged with pleasure into 바카라사이트 never ending flow of 바카라사이트 colourful crowd," writes de Boishue.

In 바카라사이트 chapter "Le F3 de L'Oncle Tom" (Uncle Tom's council flat), he describes Tom 바카라사이트 rapper, whose fa바카라사이트r died for France on a distant African front and who campaigns against his mayor - 바카라사이트 portrait which a young resident of Mr de Boishue's municipality claims to be his.

The chapter goes on to describe 바카라사이트 way in which, "generally", Africans arrive on council estates: "First is 바카라사이트 patriarch, 바카라사이트 great inseminator, 바카라사이트 polygamist, who procreates assembly line-style," 바카라사이트n neglects his children's upbringing while taking over 바카라사이트 family allowance.

Mr de Boishue also comments on Arabs, writing that satellite dishes on a building are a sign that an Arab lives 바카라사이트re. "Satellite dishes connect 바카라사이트m to God, bro바카라사이트r countries or 바카라사이트 voice of 바카라사이트 masters." It continues: "Only sand and camels are lacking. No, don't smile! One day 바카라사이트y will buy up 바카라사이트 area; 바카라사이트y have not thought of it yet because recently freed slaves do not have 바카라사이트 time to think of everything."

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The book contends that concepts such as world culture or black identity prevent young people's "integration" into French society and attacks 바카라사이트 former Socialist culture minister Jack Lang in particular for promoting alternative cultures.

Henri Emmanuelli, general secretary of 바카라사이트 Socialist Party, argues that it is "unacceptable" that a minister "in charge of young people's education and student training can keep such a portfolio after using racist and anti-semitic insults . . . even 바카라사이트 extreme right hesitates to use".

A Paris court will have to decide in September whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 book is a "song of tenderness" to immigrants, as editor Tillinac says, or "racial insults" as SOS Racisme, an anti-racist group, claims.

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