From reading our Mainstream Media, you’d think that the riots in France were over, quelled by offers of beaucoup de government programs and l’action affirmative for the “troubled youths” who have so far torched  some 9.000 cars plus all sorts of other property. Not so, Astute Blogger reminds us (hat tip: Michelle Malkin, who supplies plenty o’ links). Here’s the news:


“A high school guard suffered a heart attack and died Monday while trying to extinguish cars set aflame by vandals in the latest unrest in troubled French suburbs, police said. The guard collapsed southwest of Paris in Trappes, one of about 300 cities and towns that were hit by three weeks of rioting, arson attacks or other violence that shook France earlier this month.


“While the violence has abated, sporadic arson attacks continue, as they did before the rioting. Police say dozens of cars are torched each night on average in France’s depressed suburbs where frustrations over unemployment and discrimination often run high, especially among youths from immigrant families.


“On Sunday, youths in a public housing project in the eastern city of Colmar threw stones at firefighters called in to extinguish burning scooters, said Jean-Christophe Schneider, a regional spokesman. No one was injured, but the windshield of the rescuers’ vehicle was smashed.”


And the French government is still pretending that radical Islam has nothing–rien!–to do with the riots: Here’s a report on a speech yesterday by Jean-David Levitte, French ambassador to the U.S.:


“Though the vast majority of the rioters were Muslims, Mr. Levitte believes the violence was not motivated by religion.


“‘It was not about the role of Islam influence,’ said Mr. Levitte.  ‘It has nothing to do with the clash of religions or civilizations or cultures.  I think it’s very important to understand that.  You may say, but are you so sure?  Yes, I am.  Religion played no role at all during these two weeks.’


“Mr. Levitte says the government has no information that the violence was organized by religious leaders.  The ambassador acknowledges that in France there are mosques and houses where militant Islamic groups are recruiting teenagers, but says there is no evidence that any radical Islamic group had a role in the recent violence.


“‘Absolutely no link with al-Qaida, absolutely no link with events with Iraq, in Afghanistan, in the Middle East process,’ added Mr. Levitte.”


And here’s plus on the Levitte speech:


‘The violence that swept predominantly Muslim communities in some 300 cities and towns in France for three weeks has abated and ‘we are back to normal,’ French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte said Monday.


“He said mostly teenagers had acted out of social and economic hardship.'”It was not about the role of Islam in France,’ he said.


“‘We never saw any link, direct or indirect,’ the French diplomat said. ‘Religion played no role.’


“‘We know that jihadists are recruiting teenagers, but this has nothing to do with the general unrest in those neighborhoods,’ he said. The teenagers want to be considered 100 percent French, he said. ‘They want full equality.’


Levitte also suggested ‘the word “riot” is a bit too strong’ to describe the disturbances and that while thousands of automobiles were destroyed and scores of police officers injured, there were only a handful of fatalities, in contrast to the 1992 Los Angeles riots that left 55 people dead and $1 billion in property damage.”


I don’t know what Levitte would deem le mot juste to describe what’s happening. But the French do have unkind words for anyone in France who dares to retaliate:


“Several mosques have been attacked or vandalized – in what Muslim leaders fear is a possible anti-immigrant backlash from the rioting.


On Sunday, authorities discovered racist and extremist slogans – including one that said “defend yourself, France’ – spray-painted on a mosque being built in Saint-Etienne in the southeast.


“Larbi Marchiche, who heads a Moroccan cultural association overseeing the mosque construction, called the vandalism ‘a provocation by brainless kids.'”


While I condemn the vandalizing of houses of worship, I’ve got to say that those “brainless kids” seem a lot smarter than their head-in-the-sand elders.