We’re constantly told that Islam is a religion of peace and that extremists shouldn’t be lumped in with the ‘moderates’. Keep that in mind as you digest this latest bit of news out of Paris, France.
Unhinged, Pro-Palestinian protesters racist rioters targeted synagogues… in PARIS, France in response to Israel’s attacks on Hamas in Gaza. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better example of what Israel is dealing with than Palestinian supporters in a different country attacking synagogues that have absolutely nothing to do with Israeli airstrikes.
Pro-Palestinian protesters tried to force their way into a Paris synagogue Sunday with bats and chairs, then fought with security officers who blocked their way, according to police and a witness.
Recent violence in Gaza has raised emotions in France, home to Western Europe’s largest Muslim population and largest Jewish community. Sunday’s unrest by a few dozen troublemakers came at the end of sizable protest in the French capital demanding an end to Israeli strikes on Gaza and accusing Western leaders of not doing enough to stop them.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls said two Paris synagogues had been targeted by unspecified violence that he called “inadmissible.” In a statement, he said, “France will never tolerate using violent words or acts to import the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on our soil.”
At least Valls seems to be having a rational reaction to the violence in his country’s streets. Not so much for the President of France, Francois Hollande. In his case, the rioters are having the desired effect, which will only reinforce their behavior. Hollande obviously doesn’t understand this:
On Sunday Hollande urged a cease-fire “as quickly as possible.” “We will spare no effort, no trouble to achieve this,” he said in a speech to dignitaries from around the world taking part in a special Bastille Day ceremony meant to celebrate peace.
Clearly, Hollande is using an extremely ineffective and counterproductive psychological defense mechanism known as displacement:
Displacement is the redirecting of thoughts feelings and impulses directed at one person or object, but taken out upon another person or object. People often use displacement when they cannot express their feelings in a safe manner to the person they are directed at. The classic example is the man who gets angry at his boss, but can’t express his anger to his boss for fear of being fired. He instead comes home and kicks the dog or starts an argument with his wife. The man is redirecting his anger from his boss to his dog or wife. Naturally, this is a pretty ineffective defense mechanism, because while the anger finds a route for expression, it’s misapplication to other harmless people or objects will cause additional problems for most people.
Why don’t we see mass demonstrations outside of mosques in response to rocket attacks by Hamas against Israel? Why, that would constitute Islamophobia!
h/t GWP