The Toronto Globe and Mail reported Wednesday that the United States has been “accused of meddling in France’s immigrant policies.”
After two years, human rights activist Abdelaziz Dahhassi finally realized his dream of setting up a think tank to find new ways of fighting ethnic and religious discrimination in France. But backing for the venture came from an unlikely and controversial corner: the U.S. State Department.
A series of Wikileaked cables reveals U.S. Ambassador Charles Rivkin has an “ambitious agenda meant to ‘amplify France’s efforts to realize its own egalitarian ideals, thereby advancing U.S. national interests.’”
And just how do we propose to help France deal with ethnic discrimination? Mr. Dahhassi says the goal of his new American-assisted think tank
is not to promote American values but to see if France can benefit from the U.S. experience in dealing with minorities….
Mr. Dahhassi says the focus will be to “find another approach” to addressing racism and ethnic discrimination and that it will likely include a debate over the divisive issue of whether France could benefit from an affirmative action program to ensure members of ethnic and racial minorities are promoted.
The question is widely considered taboo in France, because the French constitution enshrines equality by stating that race and ethnicity do not legally exist.
Well, why shouldn’t we export affirmative action to France? After all, it’s worked so well to reduce resentments and promote smooth and harmonious race and ethnic relations here at home. Surely the French can learn and benefit from the example of all the good that has flowed from our relegating the colorblind equality that our own constitution used to enshrine to the dustbin of history.
