With riots by immigrants almost a weekly occurrence in France, it might be expected that French President Nicolas Sarkozy would be taking steps to combat this pressing problem. After all, Sarkozy largely came to power on the anti-immigration ticket, his hard-line words on this topic stealing the thunder of Jean Marie Le Pens Front National, the party usually associated with tackling this problem in the minds of the French people. But at a conference earlier this month, Sarkozy showed his true colours, and that of establishment politicians everywhere on the immigration issue, with a quite astounding U-turn on his pre-election rhetoric.
The French National Assembly was the setting for the inaugural Conference on the Teaching of Arabic Language and Culture earlier this month where the French Government strongly advocated the teaching of Arabic language and culture and civilisation in French schools.
In a blatant attempt to court the ever increasing Arabic and Islamic voter base in France, Sarkozy called Arabic the language of the future, of science and of modernity and expressed the wish that more French people share in the language that expresses great civilisational and spiritual values. He continued:
We must invest in the Arabic language because to teach it symbolizes a moment of exchange, of openness and of tolerance, and it brings with it one of the oldest and most prestigious civilizations of the world.
It is in France that we have the greatest number of persons of Arabic and Muslim origin. Islam is the second religion of France.
He then lauded the advances in terms of diversity that were occurring in French society, including the increase in Islamic sections of cemeteries, the training of imams and the appointment of ministers from diverse backgrounds.
Sarkozys words echo those of London Mayor Boris Johnsons recent gushing appraisal of all things Muslim as reported by the BNP News Team. Both Sarkozy and Johnson are typical of the mainstream politicians who talk the talk on the campaign trail but capitulate to the Muslim voters once they have secured the reins of power.
As with Margaret Thatchers swamped by immigrants carrot to the voters in the 1979 General Election, the mainstream parties can never be trusted to carry out their election pledges on immigration. The only party that will tackle this issue, and walk the walk as well as talk the talk, is the British National Party.