That headline conveys good news, right? Well, yeah, I guess it’s a start but check out the first few paragraphs from the Global Post. See if you can identify the problem without scornfully mocking Sarkozy’s ignorance of the elephant in the living room:

Muslim preachers whom the French government considers radical will be banned from entering France, President Nicolas Sarkozy said today.

“People who don’t respect the values of the French Republic shouldn’t be here,” Sarkozy told France Info radio.

He gave the example of Sheikh Youssef Al Qaradawi, a well-known Egyptian preacher who is one of several clerics invited to an Islamic conference in France next month. The meeting, organised by the Union of French Islamic Organisations, is due to take place in Paris between April 6-9.

Sarkozy said he had personally told the Emir of Qatar, where Qaradawi is based, that the imam “was not welcome on France’s territory.”

Uh, Qaradawi was scheduled to visit France for an Islamic conference, right? What kind of people does Sarkozy think would be greeting him at the conference? Wouldn’t they be individuals who admire and respect the Brotherhood leader’s views?

How about the Union of French Islamic Organisations? Aren’t they responsible for inviting Qaradawi? If Qaradawi – according to Sarkozy – doesn’t respect French values, does he think the FIO does?

Additionally, this isn’t the 19th Century. Simply expelling some fiery figure from your land doesn’t prevent his message from being spread like a virus anymore.

Here’s a hint for Mr. Sarkozy: it’s a technological development invented by Al Gore.

Banning Qaradawi from France is like discovering termites in your home and having Orkin come in to remove the biggest one.

h/t Weasel Zippers