AP Explains: Why does France incite anger in the Muslim world? Its brutal colonial past, staunch secular policies and tough-talking president who is seen as insensitive toward the Muslim faith all play a role.
"brutal colonial past"
French forces intervened in recent years against Islamic extremists in Mali and Syria, both former French holdings. Thousands of French soldiers are now stationed in former colonies in the Sahel region of Africa with the same mission.
"staunch secular policies"
The official French doctrine of colorblindness is intended to ignore ethnic and religious backgrounds and to have all French citizens seen as equally French. In reality, the ideal often fuels discrimination against those who look, dress or pray differently from the historically Catholic majority, instead of preventing it.
Muslims are disproportionately represented in France’s poorest, most alienated neighborhoods, as well as its prisons. That has bred angry outcasts who see their homeland as sinful and disrespectful toward Islamic traditions, or simply racist against Arab and other immigrants from lands that once enriched the French empire.
Much of the current anger stems from the recent republication by French satirical newspaper weekly Charlie Hebdo of caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad.
Crucifixes were at one point torn from classroom walls in France amid painful public debate.
As the number of Muslim in France grew, the state imposed secular rules on their practices. A 2004 banning Muslim headscarves and other ostentatious religious symbols in schools remains divisive, if not shocking to many outside France. A 2011 law banning face veils made Muslims feel stigmatized anew.
"tough-talking president"
He said the planned law was aimed at Islamist “separatism,” which raised fears of the further alienation of French Muslims.
AP is telling me the French muslims are angry at
troops who have fought "Islamic extremists" and have committed no crimes
being poor
equal secular treatment of religions
pictures
words
Are they trying to tell me anti-French muslims are beheading people because they are violently deluded zealots?
"brutal colonial past"
"staunch secular policies"
"tough-talking president"
AP is telling me the French muslims are angry at
troops who have fought "Islamic extremists" and have committed no crimes
being poor
equal secular treatment of religions
pictures
words
Are they trying to tell me anti-French muslims are beheading people because they are violently deluded zealots?
It's almost like France isn't a country that's got any Islamic history at all!