The problem with article is the understanding of what went on in France in the fall of 2005. The riots in the French suburbs had more in common with the Los Angeles riots of 1992 than with what's going on in Iraq or what the London bombers did. The riots occurred because of pent up frustration due to racism, police brutality, and economic marginalization, triggered by police chasing two children into an electrical generator and getting electrocuted. It was not some sort of Islamic jihad that the American and even some in the European media have been calling it. Even though there were plenty of Islamic radicals that want to call it that, the overwhelming majority of these youth rejected this notion.

If the fall 2005 riots showed that France has a problem with its North African and black youth, then the country also has a problem with its white youth as well. As they rioted a couple months later in the spring of 2006 over the CPE bill which would've made it easier to fire workers. For some reason I wasn't surprised nobody in the media highlighted how blonde and blue eyed the rioters were. Both the CPE and banlieu riots were carried out in the same manner, and almost same manner of the 1968 riots. They were angry at the state and wanted to change the state, but minus a revolutionary ideology.

France’s Muslims are not as zealous as we are led to believe. French Muslims are heavily influenced the secular culture of the nation. The typical Beur-a term for French of North African heritage-is more likely to be just as secular as a French catholic. Practicing Muslims are more inclined to be private about their faith, than say in the UK where religion is less regulated.

The issues that confront France’s 2nd and 3rd generation youth, has less to do with Islam, and more to do with the lack of justice and equity.