How Muslims in Europe, affect European’s, French people, nation structure, culture, life, Religion, and education
Over the past few years, Europe has undergone several terrorist attacks, more particularly bombings in various European and American countries. Africa and Asia have also suffered even though not as high as Europe and America. The Public transport systems of Madrid and London sparked fears across Europe. Much of it was held that these bombings were carried out by Jihads. These events in Europe have been followed by the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh by a deranged fanatic and last fall’s riots in the French Banlieus. Considering all these events, the proof is evidence that the immigration and integration policies of several European Countries have all failed.
France a home of about 5 million Muslims prides itself on its egalitarianism and universal democratic culture. France is struggling to live up to its principles and fully integrate its Muslims into all sectors of national life. It has been observed that the last Novembers riots in poor, largely Muslim neighborhoods in France were a clash of civilizations.
Effect of Muslim on Life and Religion in France
Ideologically, the presence of the Muslim religion has affected the lives of the people of France in one way or the other. Firstly there is the issue of wearing veils. This issue has elicited a lot of controversies that arose from wearing veils in schools. Commonly, some Muslim fundamentalists in France have been opposing the ban of these veils in schools. On the other hand, non-Muslims have been advocating for the ban of wearing these veils in schools. The current French Law authorizes schools to prevent students from putting on religious symbols be it an Islamic veil, Jewish Kippa, or Christian cross. This has been done because religious symbols represent a way to exercise pressure, to publicize, provoke or exhort to concerting into a certain religion. However, this question mainly focussed on the anti or pre-prohibition of the Islamic veil. The former president Chirac supported a draft project providing for the prohibition of headscarves in schools, considering such an act as an aggressive symbol that reflects extremism. This bill was passed and it is now an effective law.
Entirely the presence of Muslims in France has changed the lives of other French nationals. This has affected them in one way or the other especially those from other religions. The recent bombings that have engulfed parts of Europe have subjected the Muslims especially the Arab Muslims to thorough scrutiny whenever they are moving around the world. Sociologists and other proponents of human rights might hold that this is object discrimination meted out on Muslims, but the real position is that security must be enhanced to some extent this security is justified given the fact most of these terrorist activities have been linked to some Muslim outfits. Some of them have openly declared that they were responsible for various attacks. Considering all these, lives of French people have changed. For instance, people from other religions do not want to be linked to Muslims in fear of them being suspected to be involved in unlawful activities.
This has led to separatism in terms of religion. It is not surprising to find people of the same religion for instance Muslims living in the same locality with the absence of other people from various religions. Hardly could you find other religions faithful engaging in social activities like marriage with Muslims. This continues to draw a wide gap between Muslims and people from other religions.
Effect of Muslim on Nation (Government) Structure in France
On the other hand, the government of France has undergone various challenges on how to tackle the issue of the Muslim people. Being a universal authority the government has to safeguard the interests of various French people irrespective of their religion, political affiliation, race gender, etc. on an equal basis. Due to surging differences and various attitudes, the government of France had to keep the situation under control. This included government officials’ agreeing with the Islamic Community Leaders in France to form an association representing the community. This achievement was carried by providing a framework of a good relationship between the Muslims and the Government in France. The September 11 incident in the U.S.A created a bad image of Islam. Therefore there was a need for the government to ensure that innocent Muslims were not victimized. Once, the then interior minister Nicolas Sarkoz said “What we should be afraid of is the straying Islam, the Islam of caves, the Clandestine Islam and not the Islam practiced in mosques in broad daylight”.
The assertions of the interior minister were meant to restore confidence in the Muslims especially those who carried out their activities openly and those who attended their prayers in mosques during the day to be different from those who were keen on masterminding attacks. Regarding this, the structure of the government in France has undergone various changes to accommodate the views and interests of Islam in France. To ensure fair play, the former French Prime minister commissioned Professor Daniel Rene with the mission of training the Imams in France. This was meant to enable the Imams to become more knowledgeable and creates awareness on them especially about the French society. Therefore due to a large number of Muslims in France the government structure had to undergo various changes to accommodate and safeguard the interests of the Muslims in France. In one way or the other, the Islam religion has affected the structure of the government.
Effect of Muslim on Education
In the education sector, much effect has been felt. Several Islamic institutions have been set up especially in Muslim-dominated areas like Paris, Lyon, and Marseille. Most of these institutions are attended by the children of parents professing the same religion i.e. Islam. While the government does not allow any censing work based on a racial or religious basis, the institutions are free to operate as long as they do not limit their entry to Muslims or any other religion only. However, this has not been the case as parents could prefer their children to attend schools which are run by their religions. In this sense, many effects created by Islam on the education sector have been felt across France.
Effect of Muslim on Culture
Finally, the culture of the French has also been compromised by the presence of Islam people in France. Most of the Muslims in France are the Arabs who found their way to France. These Muslim Arabs did not adopt the French culture instead they upheld their own religious culture.
Ethnic cultural differences have been high given that the indigenous French people hold that their culture should be maintained as their identification. However, religion especially Islam has come in and it is not keen to adopt the culture of French people. This has steered a lot of differences in France.
Through Islam’s influence, some of the Catholic-dominated French Christians converted to Islam. Today almost half of the Muslims in France are indigenous Frenchmen who denounced their original faith and adopted the Islam religion.
Conclusion
Looking at the impact caused by the open immigration borders migration there is a need to have these borders closed and free migration prohibited. This is evident from the casualties the Europeans have suffered due to open migration borders. Several innocent people have suffered. Thousands of lives have been lost. Recent bombings in Madrid and downtown London serve as an example. Open migration borders should be closed so that anyone entering a country is scrutinized and his visiting objective known. Most terrorists are sneaking into various European countries through open migration borders.
Bibliography
- Douglass S. Massey. Closed-Door Policy, the American Prospect. 2003, pp.26-28.
- Wayne A. Cornelius, Philip L. Martin, & James F. Hollifield. (eds) Controlling Immigration: A Global Perspective, (Standord University Press 1992)
- Immigration Control in Industrialized Democracies: The Nature of the Dilemma, pp. 6-9.
- Alternative Futures for Reluctant Labpr Importers, pp. 33-31.
- Cesari, Jocelyn. When Islam and Democracy Meet: Muslims in Europe and in the United States. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.