"O, my beloved father.."

Not words, I imagine uttered by Marine le Pen this week as le Pen senior, Jean Marie the honorary president of the Front National, stood by his belief that the gas chambers were a "detail of history".
Defying anyone to cite a single instance of anti-Semitism in his political career le Pen père said that his claim was quite simply a fact.
Daughter Marine quickly distanced herself and her party from daddy, saying that she did not share this view.
This is the kind of sophistry which is used by extremists to try and hoodwink people into thinking that they are simply stating the truth. Yes, it can be claimed that it is a fact that it was a detail. But it is a detail so horrifying that any right thinking person would be condemning it, not brushing it aside.
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Melenchon et les Boches

Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of a left wing party, who has said he was going to say less has been advising German Chancellor Angela Merkel to do the same, especially with regard to French economy. But his use of language "ta gueule Madame" - "shut it Mrs" - was less than diplomatic. A few days later in a TV debate with a German euro deputy he described her as a "cartoon Boche". Is the level of debate we can expect in France and Britain's relationship with the EU to be reduced to that of Sun headlines or the ravings of Mail Online comments?
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Lady readers annoyed by sexism?

A couple of weeks ago TAG ran a story about a MP who insisted on saying "Madame le president" when the lady concerned had specifically asked to be called "Madame LA presidente". Now casual or routine sexism can be reported via a website called "Macholand.fr" (presumably there are English language versions). The site is full of what the organisers see as unnecessary sexism. In adverts mothers are usually seen as domestic goddesses, grandmothers as cuddly or in dating sites women are depicted as sexy and available ("French models also have great body work" - dating site using motoring metaphors). Competitors in the La Parisienne women's road race were presented with panty liners and detergent.
The site offers useful templates for sending to men in public life who offend women with insensitive remarks and lots of other links pointing out how stupid stereotyping language is used everywhere. Some will dismiss it as "political correctness gone mad", but it can be annoying.
http://macholand.fr

Val says we have just laughed as Malc who wrote the post wondered if he should say" do not worry your pretty little heads about it" I think he could see from my expresion it would not be a good idea!
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Vowel trouble

A media polemic has broken out because a Deputy (ie MP) called the president of an organisation "Madame LE president" and not Mme LA presidente as she demanded. Even the Academie Francaise, the custodian of the French language, has given an opinion, saying that job titles may be feminised, but not offices.
This story has been in all the written and broadcast media, including overseas. The MP concerned, Julien Aubert, has written an open letter to all "citoyens" - though not "citoyennes" - condemning what he sees as Orwellian "newspeak" invading the right of freedom of expression in traditional ways. Aubert seems to be prolonging what many see as a waste of time and effort over a minor point of grammar. His argument is that he put forward hundreds of amendments to proposed laws and virtually no media bothered to report it, but one little non-pc use of grammar and he is all over the papers.
Perhaps his amendments were just too boring, but he is having his 15 minutes of fame with a little "voyelle" (vowel) as he puts it.
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This is happening in France and the UK

France and Germany on Thursday pressed for urgent reforms to the European Union's visa-free Schengen travel zone to counter the increasing number of Europeans leaving to wage jihad in Iraq and Syria. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve led the impassioned plea to EU counterparts at a meeting in Luxembourg, calling for "a European PNR (Passenger Name Record) ... and a more efficient system of checks at airports."This is urgent," he said. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere echoed Cazeneuve, saying "three thousand fighters have left Europe to wage jihad and we don't want Europe to become an exporter of terror".

"We above all do not want battle-hardened fighters to return to Europe and plan attacks," he said. "We need measures both at the national and European levels."

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Val says once again these are my views and you may have totally different ones  all the Muslim leaders say these terror groups in Syria are not about THEIR religion, so why do these disenfranchised young people see the need to go and fight? Well the word "disenfranchised " says it all.

The adjective disenfranchised describes a person or group of people who are stripped of their power, like disenfranchisedimmigrants who pay taxes but aren’t allowed to vote in elections.

Being disenfranchised is no fun. The rules work against you, your rights are constantly violated, and you have little power to change your life for the better. The Old French word enfranchirmeans “to make free,” and when you add the negative prefixdis-, disenfranchised means “made unfree.” A disenfranchised population doesn’t rest easy, and often they organize and fight back against their condition to demand their basic rights and freedom.

In France and the UK young people do have voting rights but perhaps feel victimized by the police and society in general, making them wish for a better life.

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You can see why I prefer pictures of pets

In a chilling threat distributed via social media in several languages, Isis urged Muslims around the globe to kill French people, Americans and nationals of any country in the coalition targeting the Islamic extremists. 

“If you can kill a disbelieving American or European – especially the spiteful and filthy French – or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then (do so),” Islamic State in Syria and Iraq said.

Later in the 42-minute message he adds: “If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies.

"Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him.” 

Val says  It is not religion, it just is not. No religion has that much hatred, these  militant terrorists of Isis are not working for a religion but for power. There have always been people with hate in their hearts and by linking it with religion in any form gets them more support. We have to be strong and fight back, bullies need to be stood up to.

France has issued a list of 30 countries where they are suggesting French people do not travel, one of these is Mali.

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Peddler of hatred

Prime Minister Manuel Valls had branded Dieudonne as a "peddler of hatred" even before his recent video about James Foy the hostage being killed " like a dog" as he put it, about the beheading. The video clip practically sounds as distressing as the first must have been and although offensive to all right  minded people, imagine the distress of families involved.

A judicial source said the Paris prosecutor's office had opened an investigation on Wednesday into Dieudonne for condoning terrorism.

The government has expressed concern over increasing anti-Semitism and attacks on Jews in recent years and had said it will not allows tensions linked to Middle East to spill over to its territory. France is home to western Europe's largest Muslim and Jewish populations.

Val says I do not know if I should comment as  by some it will be termed a " political rant" but actually on these issues I do feel strongly.  We need to combat the rising anti -semitism  and racist attitudes abounding here in France.  I hope all my TAG readers agree with me on this fundamental human right - we are all equal, we are all people with feelings, whatever our colour, race  or religion. Comments to taglines82@gmail.com

"Racism is not an opinion: it's a crime"

The words of Education Minister Najat Vallaud Belkacem who this week has been the subject of racist attacks in two far right magazines. The magazine Minute headlined its issue with "a Moroccan muslim heads national education ministry", calling it a provocation. A magazine called Valeurs Actuelles (New values) described her as an ayatollah in charge of "re-education". These magazines have also caused controversy with attacks on Christiane Taubira the Justice Minister, describing her as "crafty as a monkey".
These right wing attacks are typical in that they aim not at putting an argument against the ministers' policies, but suggesting that they are in some way dangerous because they are black or foreign. NVB was born in Morocco, but raised in France.
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A morning smile

Malc has just suggested we have a side label called " political rants"
It did make me smile.
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