France in Flames
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It's fascinating being in France at time like this. Even more interesting that the unrest hit Montpellier before Marseille! Jenny and I are glad we went to the film in Mosson two weeks ago - we definitely wouldn't go now. The trams aren't even allowed to go there anymore. Crazy. Anyway, every night I watch the news, and see images like the one above. (Oh and then I have to listen to Madame raving against the Arabs. Um, who the way are French. !!!! Argh!) Things are happening here that are a big deal for the French - they are comparing it to 1968, and also they reenacting a law that was creating in 1968. This is the first time since World War II (!) that France has had a curfew - that's one of the reasons it's such a big deal. I find race relations in France a really interesting topic. It's so complex and the reasons for this unrest are so complicated. Hopefully things get better soon. "Thankfully", it's not yet directed against people - here in Montpellier, we have rock-throwing and car burning and les choses comme that, but no one has been hurt. A lot of my friends are going to Paris this weekend, though, and so we'll see how they find it up there.