France is no longer the peaceful country we once knew

[Blaze]

Fridges in French supermarkets hit by cyber attack last night.
What an utter waste - it will be interesting to know who ws behind it ....
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crq5nzxv9q4yo

And then there was this today :
Pupil arrested after two teachers shot at French school
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2keg7910gvo

The second incident was no doubt influenced by what goes on across the pond ...

[RobertArthur]

Blaze, isn’t there already a much longer tradition of revolution in France? On a smaller or larger scale? Isn’t there an almost constitutional right to a manif in Paris that gets out of hand time and time again? A so called mouvement social.

In the sacred fire of the struggle for a just cause, the usually obedient French citoyen or citoyenne – who normally treats representatives of the higher authorities with the utmost respect – suddenly seems to give voice to long-suppressed discontent. Undercurrents in the Seine that suddenly burst wildly to the surface in Paris. Of course, you could also look at it the other way round: the authorities, so sure of themselves, spoilt by all that obedience, sometimes forget to listen.

[Loup-garou]

I'm not sure I'd go along with the Obedience and Respect you refer to RA. In our village in 52 (70+ people in total) there are several who blame the President, the Gouvernment and/or the Functionaries for everything.

An example - one chap I spoke to was off to get new tyres for his aging car. But the fact that he had to was the fault of the gouvernment for not maintaining roads adequately and the functionaries for bringing in laws that meant perfectly good tyres had to be replaced unnecessarily.

[Blaze]

+1 @Loup-garou
There seems to be a culture that laws are made to be broken - there seems to be little or no respect for the law if a Frenchman feels it impinges on his personal freedom. Take speed limits, for example. Some drivers do obey them, but many totally ignore them. These same people will rail against councils for putting in any sort of calming measures such as humps or chicanes. As for radars .... if people obeyed speed limits, there would be no need for them. Try explaining that speed restrictions are put there for safety ... it falls on deaf ears.

Every malaise is blamed on the government and as Macron's reign has been long, all France's problems are down to him .... well, that's what I hear and read.

@RA - yes, the right to manifest is enshrined in law, but not to indulge in violence and destruction. Too many manifs are hijacked by casseurs and the original point in the manif is completely lost.

[RobertArthur]

That is indeed a key ingredient in this cultural cocktail – shaken, not stirred. The responsibility of the individual citizen to feel and take responsibility, not only for their own interests, but also for the common good. This was emphasised by Chaban-Delmas as early as September 1969 in his speech ‘Vers une nouvelle société’, as one of the problems for which France really ought to find a solution quickly.

A sense of unease that has already been explored and commented on by many in all sorts of ways, not least in France. A summary of this French attitude to life – and also that unease and grumbling about Paris – in almost the same wordings as in 1969, in the autobiography of Jacques Chaban-Delmas: *Mémoires pour demain* (1997). This former close associate of Charles de Gaulle, and long-standing President of the National Assembly, described it as follows:

“ Société bloquée aussi par un État < en passe de devenir tentaculaire et en même temps inefficace >. Il n'était pas question de mettre en cause les fonctionnaires, en général compétents et parfois remarquables, mais la tendance séculaire de la France et des Français à considérer l'État comme leur providence, leur protecteur, pour ne pas dire leur nounou.

.......... Naturellement, l'État en a profité pour proliférer. Les administrations se sont développées comme les baobabs de la planète du Petit Prince de Saint-Exupéry. Quand on crée des structures, il faut bien les alimenter. Et quand on les alimente, elles grossissent et donnent naissance à d'autres structures. Les textes aussi se reproduisent et se démultiplient, car il faut bientôt des protocoles pour appliquer les protocoles.“

[Blaze]

The demonstrations of violence and vandalism across the France yesterday gave a shameful view of the country and its people. There were some peaceful manifs by lyceens, many of whom do have genuine grievances, but sadly and utterly predictably, many manifs were hijacked by the gilets jaunes and the casseurs to become one of the worst days violence and destruction in recent years.
Many are blaming Macron for all the malaises in France, others are blaming immigration. Who exactly are the casseurs, apart from being thieving vandals ? Are they immigrants or of immigrant stock or are they white ? Or is this a racist question ? There's no doubt who the far right will be blaming. Even that odious vice pres. across the pond is blaming immigration ...

The French have the right to manifest in law, but not to cause the wilful destruction and pillage of buildings and property. The far left is rubbing its hands in glee as it encourages discontent and the blaming of immigrants will delight the far right.
Buildings have been set on fire - even the Mairie in Limoges - and the damage overall will cost millions to put right. Who will pay and what with ? Money that might have been allocated to the improvement of services (for example) will now have to go elsewhere.

Complaints about the rising cost of living and drop in spending power were given as the reason for many to demonstrate, but then you hear comments such as "How are we going to afford our holidays ?" We can't turn the clock back but the expectations of people today are often "surprising". The government encourages consumerism to create jobs but it has a huge negative side. We are bombarded with advertising wherever we go and many can't resist and end up living beyond their means. It's never their fault, it's Macron's ....

[MAD87]

uildings have been set on fire - even the Mairie in Limoges - and the damage overall will cost millions to put right. Who will pay and what with ?

We in Haute-Vienne will foot the bill, not necessarily with hard cash but fewer services.
Meanwhile, the judges will either dole out slaps on wrists or pats on the back.

[Blaze]

Meanwhile, the judges will either dole out slaps on wrists or pats on the back.

We're in a "We want it now" society if if society doesn't get what it wants, it throws its rattle out of the cot.

[Hotrodder]

They will have more to worry about once Putin takes over.