Comment Re:Strange French Peeps (Score 1) 575
Two remarks here :
1) The article of the BBC is fearfully misinformed. I happen to know someone working at the architectural firm in charge of the project. It has _nothing_ to do with claiming for a change in the Prime Meridian. The project is purely symbolical and meant to celebrate the new millenium. Its name is "The Green Meridian". The idea is to celebrate y2k with something which relates to the environment : a reminder that environmental issues will be the greatest challenge of the next century.
Regarding The French and the British being white Europeans:
One in four French citizens is either an immigrant or a first or second generation immigrant. If you withdraw the input of immigration in France from the thirties on, the current population would be 40 million, instead of 60 million. Some posters here have not travelled much obviously. Take a stroll in Paris or London, and you will realize that the ethnic mix there pretty much matches that of New York, for instance.
As for "guests" not contributing to the building of the country, statistics show, both in France and in the US that immigrants are net contributors to the economies and government budgets of the hosting countries (meaning that they pay more than they receive). Not to mention of course their contribution in terms of ideas, culture, arts, science etc... If you are not convinced, check out the names on the doors at the science and engineering dept of any American or French university. Arabs, Chinese, Indians, Russians, etc... are currently researching and training Western students, for the better future of our economies. We should be thankful, I believe...
Unfortunately the view expressed in post #461 --which is both plain wrong and morally inacceptable-- is all too often heard in France too.
1) The article of the BBC is fearfully misinformed. I happen to know someone working at the architectural firm in charge of the project. It has _nothing_ to do with claiming for a change in the Prime Meridian. The project is purely symbolical and meant to celebrate the new millenium. Its name is "The Green Meridian". The idea is to celebrate y2k with something which relates to the environment : a reminder that environmental issues will be the greatest challenge of the next century.
Regarding The French and the British being white Europeans:
One in four French citizens is either an immigrant or a first or second generation immigrant. If you withdraw the input of immigration in France from the thirties on, the current population would be 40 million, instead of 60 million. Some posters here have not travelled much obviously. Take a stroll in Paris or London, and you will realize that the ethnic mix there pretty much matches that of New York, for instance.
As for "guests" not contributing to the building of the country, statistics show, both in France and in the US that immigrants are net contributors to the economies and government budgets of the hosting countries (meaning that they pay more than they receive). Not to mention of course their contribution in terms of ideas, culture, arts, science etc... If you are not convinced, check out the names on the doors at the science and engineering dept of any American or French university. Arabs, Chinese, Indians, Russians, etc... are currently researching and training Western students, for the better future of our economies. We should be thankful, I believe...
Unfortunately the view expressed in post #461 --which is both plain wrong and morally inacceptable-- is all too often heard in France too.
