freescorfr
Awaiting autumn harvests
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2002
- Posts
- 2,805
ever since Le Pen got through to the second round in the French Presidential Elections.
In France any group of people is allowed to hold a "manifestation". They can parade, stop traffic, picket factories, distribute leaflets. You need to inform the police, but you don't need to give them notice or have permission.
So my 15 year old goes to Lycee and has his first real lesson in Democracy. Each day 95% of his fellow students have downed pens, prepared their banners, refused to go to class and marched down to the Route Nationale to block it - all with police protection. They have been urged on by beautiful weather. The cause might not be so pressing if it rains tomorrow.
He explained to me that their main reason for the "mani." is that their voice cannot be heard through the ballot box because they are too young to vote - but this is a legitimate way of saying they are not in favour of the far right.
That, I find, incredible and rather touching
In France any group of people is allowed to hold a "manifestation". They can parade, stop traffic, picket factories, distribute leaflets. You need to inform the police, but you don't need to give them notice or have permission.
So my 15 year old goes to Lycee and has his first real lesson in Democracy. Each day 95% of his fellow students have downed pens, prepared their banners, refused to go to class and marched down to the Route Nationale to block it - all with police protection. They have been urged on by beautiful weather. The cause might not be so pressing if it rains tomorrow.
He explained to me that their main reason for the "mani." is that their voice cannot be heard through the ballot box because they are too young to vote - but this is a legitimate way of saying they are not in favour of the far right.
That, I find, incredible and rather touching
