American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
A young man armed with swords entered a kindergarten and took children hostage in the eastern French city of Besançon this morning. They've all been released, and the hostage-taker is in custody. The GIPN--the elite forces sent to deal with this situation--are known to be superb and obviously handled this well.
Now, of course what's being downplayed is that this took place in Planoise, a peripheral mostly-immigrant hellhole officially classed as a "sensitive urban zone." But before rushing to judge this as yet another instance of Islamist-immigrant horror, although that's certainly possible, have a look at this video:
That's Planoise. Do you recognize that culture? You ought to. It's ours.
American underclass culture--our gift to the world, the envy of lowlives and thugs the world over. Mix that with Islamism and you get Planoise. Mix that with fed-up Frenchmen wondering what on earth has happened to France, and you'll get fascists. Don't believe me about that? Hey, ten years ago no one believed me about the Islamists, either.
So, Andrew, apropos your suggestion that I go somewhere safer--like where?
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Nov '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
You know, ghetto hip hop music sounds much better when you don't know what they're saying.
Aug '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
It is sad that America has exported this repugnant cancer instead of condemning and marginalizing it. It's a huge moral failure on America's part.
But I don't see how one can establish linkage between a hostage taking situation in a French immigrant quarter to an American subculture, no matter how repugnant that subculture may be and to what extent it is emulated. I just don't see how one can get from here to there. It seems a forced attempt to establish equivalence. That's simply a bridge too far.
Edited on Dec 13, 2010 at 7:28amNov '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
To be fair, France had quite a few fascists before the coming of hip-hop. Unless Petain had a love for ol' dirty b****** that I'm not aware of. Claire, don't fall into the trap of blaming all of the iniquities of the third world (and their colonies in Europe) on the sins of the west. Free will exists in the banlieus just as it does in America. Those degenerates chose to embrace a lowlife culture. They could have made a different choice. America is (or used to be) a free country. We export our virtues and our vices. If they choose to ape our vices instead of cultivating our virtues then more fool them.
Sep '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
Oh please. Like the French couldn't have figured out how to wreck their society without us providing a soundtrack. They could and they did. There have always been punk boys on streetcorners, trying to act tough. If you want to blame us for giving them the military security that allowed their decadence to incubate, that's one thing. But blaming us for replacing execrable domestic French popular music with hip hop is a bit too much.
May '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
Claire, are you equating rap music with underclass culture? I could see your point if you're talking about gangsta rap, but this had too much of a pop, hip-hop vibe to really be called that. I was watching this and thought how much those guys reminded me of the young Sailors back in Norfolk with their short haircuts, riding around on crotch rockets and listening to rap. I think the darker aspects of rap have really become diluted in recent years as it has gained commercial popularity both domestically and abroad. I'm sure folks could quote many an offensive lyric, but I see it has having an overall positive impact as it encourages self-expression and identity exploration within the youth culture - values that seem the antithesis of Islamism. I think rap/hip-hop has really become increasingly popular in mainstream French culture. I watched a "A French Gigolo" (not as raunchy as it sounds and a big hit in France) the other day, a good bit of the soundtrack was rap. It's what the kids are listening to today. Didn't folks have a similar reaction to jazz music several decades ago?
Jul '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
The article says the hostage-taker was a diagnosed depressive off his meds. That kind of thing happens in every culture, sub- or otherwise. We shouldn't jump to conclusions, nor should we accept blame.
I don't speak any French (apart from the single phrase "il y a un poisson dans votre bibliotheque", which, surprisingly, doesn't come in handy all that often), so I have no idea what the guy in the video is saying before the music starts. Can anyone translate?
Nov '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
I wonder if this if a recurring pattern throughout history?
America is culturally dominant around the globe right now. The world watches our movies, listens to our music, and wears the clothes we wear. Children learn to speak English by watching American TV. So it isn't surprising that their trash acts and talks like our trash.
But there have always been big empires that dominate the surrounding cultures. I wonder if parents in the Gallia hinterland used to bewail the fact that their teenagers were acting like thuggish Roman soldiers? Or if parents in Damascus caught their kids with Persian porn, or whatever?
Bad habits are the most easily spread, and every culture has had its underclass. I bet that what we see in this video has been happening for the last 4,000 years.
May '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
Claire,
I agree with Andrew. You might want to check out Singapore, anywhere in Japan, maybe northern Spain (except Basque Country)..................there are lots of safe places that are interesting. As to American culture corrupting the universe - I don't buy it. If our music had that much influence, Barry Manilow would have ended the Cold War.
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
The culture comes from many sources; the physical environment is one of them. We didn't give projects to Europe. That sort of barren urban design was the product of their finest intellectuals.
As for the music: don't get me started. At least there's now a place for people who always wanted to have something to do with music, but couldn't sing and didn't want to learn how to play an instrument.
Dec '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
Claire, I believe your point is half wrong. This is not the export of American low class culture, but French embrace of one of several African American cultures. America has many lower class cultures including (using music style as a marker) country, blue grass, and blues. Rap and hip/hop are a ghetto culture, misogynistic and anti-authoritarian in character, grounded in a fundamental disrespect for the law and “the man.” Some French have traveled this road before when they embraced African-American expat writers and entertainers in the 1920s and 1930s. The question is not why do we export ghetto culture, but what conditions lead here (and abroad) to embrace of such a decivilizing ethic. In Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and other major cities, this ethic consists in a culture that has made large swaths of territory largely ungovernable. That problem will grow worse. I am not interested in why disaffected French Moslems (who from a Christian standpoint are simply more French heathens) embrace a decivilizing ethic. I am interested in what American failure gives rise to that ethic in the first instance. That said, are “trailer trash” rednecks any better? Or does their music simply use more guitar?
Jul '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
America? Corrupting Europe? Benjamin Franklin must be so very proud.
May '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
Southern Indiana, 15-20 miles off the nearest Interstate. Terre Haute or Vincennes for example, maybe even a little county seat town like Washington. Not as cosmopolitan as Istanbul, but they have concealed carry and Indiana is not one of the states teetering on fiscal collapse.
Aug '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
I don't know what the guy is saying after the music starts, either.
My French is likewise limited (to a few chansons), and so ranges from phrases unlikely to be useful (Quand papa trouve un hérisson il l’apporte à la maison) to those you hope never to have to use (Vouz avez eu mon pucelage, mais je n'ai pas vu votre argent). And what little I can understand is likely to be written, not spoken.
If part of the point of the video is what he's saying, rather than the fact that he's rapping (or hip-hopping) it, I expect Wylee and I aren't the only ones who'll need help.
That aside,
pretty much sums up my reaction.
Nov '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
Agreed - we did not export this. They imported it.
Everybody wants to be American unless they have some reason not to want it (like, say, suppressing people). Folks around the world see how sweet our poor people have it, and why not? Plus, it's cool and stuff. So then they take it, and add their own little touches.
Nov '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
Singapore is an excellent choice. The economy is booming, the population is multicultural, and the government (though rather stern) is refreshingly free of corruption. Foreigners are treated very fairly.
Tokyo might be more interesting. Japan is an ancient country with a homogenous population and an ingrown culture that is truly alien. Currently, they seem to be in the grip of a demographic "death-spiral."
Spain is about to go bankrupt, so that is a big story waiting to be born.
Or you could always come to America and try to help us figure out why American Jews consistently vote for Democrats — the party of anti-Semitism.
Oct '10
Re: American Underclass Culture: Our Gift to the World, not Islam's
Claire: virtually any city in the United States other than New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago, maybe? Apropos of Nick Stuart, Indianapolis is a great city in a great state.
But seriously, it's time to give up on urban life. Urban life doesn't scale, economically or ethically.