Everyone knows about “Liberté, egalité, fraternité.” But it is laïcité that defines the most ferociously contested battle lines in contemporary France. The term has come to express a uniquely French insistence that religion, along with religious symbols and dress, should be absent from the public sphere.
No. That’s not the idea. The idea is that religion has/should have no power, no influence over the democratic government. When I say the idea, I mean “in a perfect world, on paper, this is what it means”. And I think it is a wonderful and reasonable idea, fundamental to democracies (we can see how religion in the US gets in the way of far too many things).
The problem is that France plays a double standard game; it acts as if it was a true religion-less country but has always gone back to “I’m sorry we’re a Catholic, Jesus-having country over here” when it’s time to either side with our Anglo-Saxon friends, invade Muslim countries or manage immigrants.
That’s what the problem with religion in France actually is. And it compounded through history.
This double standard has fueled religion-based terrorists attacks in France and alienated its minority communities. Which in returns, have fueled an even more unnecessary and gross double standard from the government. So today it’s a mix of ultra-showing of religiousness or anti-religion sentiment. Profound disrespect of the state or good old French nationalism. It’s strange as hell and people are spreading across the country to avoid each other more than ever for what I get from family over there.
The contrast between France and the U.S. could hardly be sharper—but it conceals a common challenge. Whether the issue is religion, race, or region, both nations are trying to set the rules by which diverse groups exist and function within a unified whole. It is not an academic exercise. Liberal democratic states will not survive if they cannot strike a balance.
People cling to identities in hard economic times. Just spread the wealth more equally, you idiots. Nothing will change culturally if it doesn’t change economically. The principle being, let people live and chill and you won’t have to worry about no scarf. Maybe you’ll try to wear one if you really value universalism and secularism.