[Seymour]

Could someone explain to me race relations in France? I am under the assumption that there is tension between the native French and the immigrants from Northern Africa because the immigrants take all the low-end jobs. Surely the matter goes deeper than this, but I have heard that the French, specifically Parisians, are anti-Semitic to begin with.

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Name : Seymour, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 21, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[ACC25094]

There was an excellent French film called 'Hate' made in the mid 1990s about an immigrant community near Paris. It describes three friends, one African, one Arab, and one Jewish, all trapped by poverty, crime, and police brutality. It shows a lot of parallels between their experiences and immigrants and minorities in the US.

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Name : ACC25094, City : Phoenix, State : AZ Country : United States, 

[Matthew]

As in most white and rich nations, there is racial tension in France because the second generation of immigrants from Africa (black + arab) feel left out of society with regards to education and employment. There are poverty ghettos that are increasingly becoming lawless zones, and racial tension. Quite separately from this, France has a guilty conscience with regards to complicity in the holocaust. France was occupied by Germany in WWII and some French people collaborated enthusiastically to the Shoah. However antisemitism has been fairly marginal since then. In addition, the general muslim/arab vs. Jewish tension that is currently peaking around the world is felt in France as well, with a specific muslim antisemitism being increasingly vocal. The situation in Israel/Palestine with its cycle of repression/terrorism is causing strong feelings from all communities. The result of all this is a sort of triangle of suspicion and incomprehension, not unlike what is being felt in the USA I am sure.

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Name : Matthew, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 30, City : London, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Andres]

Cant answer that question, but it is well know that after WWII many African-American soldiers chose to stay in France after the war rather than return home to the States, so it must have been better than the US was back then anyway.

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Name : Andres, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 25, City : Chambersburg, State : PA Country : United States, 

[Lee22841]

I'm living in France now, though not in Paris. In my experience, racism in France is more subtle than in the U.S. but quite real. Some people go as far as believing that those who complain, are making it up because it is an American phenomenon. About the North Africans, I think that their religion also works against them. Unlike other groups who try to fit into French society in every way, they live somewhat apart. They tend to stick to themselves, observe their religious rules fiercely, etc. In some ways, their presence is seen as a threat to what is considered to be traditionally French. (Look into the headscarf debate). About the anti-semitism, I'm not sure.

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Name : Lee22841, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Age : 21, City : - -, State : NA Country : France, Occupation : - -, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

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