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Eric Besson behind the head by launching its great debate over national identity?



Some could not help but notice that the latest initiative of Eric Besson, the "great debate" about national identity, arguing for electoral purposes was the date for the conclusion of this lecture series end-January was bang-hair before the start of the campaign for regional UMP. Others feel it is time to address this question ever debated in France.
I offer two items for a more informed opinion.



The first, written by historian Daniel Teysseire comes from Rue 89 and entitled:

National Identity or frozen open and generous nation?

On this question, does he not agree to start at the beginning, that is to say by a celebrity in short: the story. As far as we go back in the existence of France, the regnum Francorum (the kingdom of the Franks), was a composite country. Ethnic composition, language composition, composite culturally.

Read more about:
http://www.rue89.com/2009/10/31/a-lidentite-nationale-figee-preferons-la-nation-ouverte-et-genereuse-124087

The second is written by journalist Swiss Sylvain Besson, France correspondent for the newspaper "Le Temps" and is titled:
National Identity: Lessons from the Switzerland-France comparison.


One can only smile at the new offensive ordered by the French government on "national identity". Does he really believe that a series of symposia in the prefectures of suburban kids will convert to "republican values"? In four years of correspondence, I have not met a single French can explain how they distinguished their country from any other democracy.

However, some indicators informal suggest that there is a disturbance of identity in France. I think the safest is the number of flags in the gardens. Switzerland and the United States is enormous: not only an area where house swarming with patriotic banners (in Switzerland, you can refine further by planting the flag of his township, to show that one is an old-patriot as there are old-believers in the Russian Orthodox Church).

In France, however, that I was undeceived, but I see much less spontaneous signs of national pride. Instead, an avalanche of commemorative state, with the Marseillaise sung at the memorial on November 11 and May 8 It is historic, Official school. In Switzerland, I do not remember a single hour devoted to "national identity" or anything approaching it (civic education is more like a lesson in constitutional law for use by children). And yet God knows if the Soothsayer are in their own way, chauvinists.

Read more about: http://letemps.blogs.com/paris/