The New York Times reported in an interesting article from Paris June 17 that Barack Obama's political success in the United States is helping to give hope, and a new sense of identity, to blacks in France. The report erred, however, by referring twice to incidents of vandalism and rioting in France with the clear, but mistaken, implication that they were perpetrated by blacks.
In the first instance, the report mentioned recent vandalism “in a poor minority suburb of Vitry-le-François,” but did not explain that it concerned Arab immigrants. The article later described rioting in a poor French suburb three years ago as a “watershed” in the revival of black consciousness, without specifying who was involved.
At the time, the NYT itself reported:
“Though a majority of the youths committing the acts are Muslim, and of African or North African origin, the mayhem has yet to take on any ideological or religious overtones. Youths in the neighborhoods say second-generation Portuguese immigrants and even some children of native French have taken part.”
“For Blacks in France, Obama's Rise is Reason to Rejoice, and to Hope” The New York Times, June 17, 2008
An op-ed by Roger Cohen in The New York Times June 9, ‘The Good American and Monsieur Obama,’ also touched on the French love affair with Obama and his rising appeal in African neighborhoods.
This post was written by Reginald Dale, Transatlantic Media Network Director
