You missed my point. I didn't say that the banlieus were the result of secularism, but rather look to the banlieus to see the effect of misguided secularism. To the extent that secularism means the separation of church and state, that there is no official religion, that no religion is favoured over another, and that the state does not impose religion or religious practices on anyone, then I am all in favour of secularism. However, the French model, so-called laïcité which ironically arose from anti-clericalism, has contributed heavily, particularly in the last 10-15 years, towards the margalization of French muslims, and has simply helped isolate numerous muslim women. To name but one recent example, you don't help integrate women into society by banning those who want to wear burkinis from public beaches. In a supposedly free country.
We're wandering a bit off-topic................but I'll go with the flow.
I would suggest that the marginalization of minorities in France predates any issue with muslims per se.
Its a long-standing issue that develops out of several different policy choices and widely held beliefs by the broader public as well.
The first of these would be the sincere belief by the French people writ large and by extension their policy makers that everything that makes France, France is sacrosanct.
By which I mean there is not merely a belief that one should learn to speak French; but a strong bias against first or last names that don't look/sound French.
Among the highly educated there is more flexibility, particularly with someone who is visiting or is a temporary (foreign) resident.
But among those who are or would-be citizens of France there is a strong sense of being insulted by the idea that anyone would arrive from outside and not modify their name to reflect
local custom/language.
This is true for people of all backgrounds, including other European ones, though no doubt is more acute in relation to Arab/Muslim/African sounding names, as this is by far the largest and most visible minority community.
Unto to itself, I'm not sure if one can argue the rights/wrongs of the preference, even though it is one I don't share..
It is, however, completely un-tenable in a situation where a large minority was invited/allowed in and not told this was a pre-condition of their acceptance into French society.
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Likewise there are clearly overlapping issues around skin colour and other points of difference, not merely the religious one.
Though I can say with confidence that eastern Europeans have not been seemly absorbed into mainstream society in France either, notwithstanding a similar complexion
and religious history.
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The banlieu problem has also been magnified for reasons that don't overtly have to do with discrimination per se; which is that they are often separate administrative zones from Paris, proper, or other larger centres as may be the case; and often have lesser resources and investment.
That along with the disproportionate concentration of poverty and state-owned housing, with those awful and discredited Le Corbusier designs......
Makes the problem much more layered an nuanced that one of faith/secularism alone.
