Post

Tough luck—I’m missing the big protests in France two weekends in a row, first because of a wedding and then my nephew’s 20th birthday. My wife: “Protests are banned anyway.” Me: “That can’t be right—it’s a fundamental right, and there’s very little violence here.” *I check* 🔽

Only six people were arrested here, and now we’re not even allowed to protest anymore. 💀

A decade of Macronism has been, first and foremost, a succession of cutbacks to social rights, and now to civil liberties.

We’re right in the thick of this famous Nemik quote. Every day brings some new bit of madness. The rule of law is weakened. I didn’t think this would happen until next summer. 🤷

Why I no longer have the right to protest in my city: Last Saturday, six people were arrested (1 for vandalism, 2 for participating in an unlawful assembly, 2 for setting off fireworks, and 1 for participating in an unlawful assembly and contempt of authority). That’s it.

Contempt For Authority is the French national past-time!

Because the authority has contempt for citizens.

After I wrote my posts, a guy carried out a terrorist attack specifically targeting people of color. We’d already had anti-Semitic attacks, but not ones based on skin color. Of course, we’ll never have proof that the shameful media coverage of what’s happening is making people paranoid and violent.

What is tragic—beyond the human toll—for my country is that they cannot bring themselves to name what is clearly a far-right attack; meanwhile, the government has spent its time deliberately pinning the looting on the radical-left opposition, and investigations have revealed that...

Madness. That’s hardly anyone, assuming your city has more than like… a thousand people in it. Wild and frustrating that options in so many countries have been “the normal authoritarianism-prone, money-oriented politician” and “the absolutely mad fascist.”