RE: Whats your experience with Muslim neighborhoods and Muslims in your country ?
January 30, 2015 at 6:15 pm
I live in Marseille, we have a huge diversity of all religions. (Though I must say in general the French do not seem to discuss religion much).
Most of the muslims I meet are nice, polite and reasonable people. For a while I had language courses, and some of the classmates came from strict muslim countries without having been in the western society much. One guy from Sudan told me about harsh punishments in his country for stealing, he found it completely normal. Though after some discussion he was turning around and understanding that maybe the laws in his country are a bit too much. Another guy from Somalia did not give better stories, but was less open to ideas and changes. There was also a Russian girl from the Dagestan area who was very kind but had some strong opinions about her faith and things to do and not to do. All the people only gave responses to this if asked how things were done in their country, or if it had to do with the lesson we got for that day (discrimination, law, religion, women rights). There was not much preaching going on.
On the street I do not notice much for extremists or people in favor of sharia law. I think once I came across an pro ISIS demonstration, and once across a pro Palestine demonstration. Both of them made me want to get away from that place as soon as possible. There have been quite a few anti ISIS demonstrations as well, mostly organized by Kurds and mostly for the battle of Kobani. When I came by the old port last Tuesday there where loads of them singing and dancing because of ISIS losing Kobani.
I can say I have not been to the Norther quarters much. Apparently it is a dangerous place to go, I have been there twice (mostly passing trough in the bus) and had no real problem. The problems there are caused mostly by drugs gangs, and not by extremist Muslims.
Most of the muslims I meet are nice, polite and reasonable people. For a while I had language courses, and some of the classmates came from strict muslim countries without having been in the western society much. One guy from Sudan told me about harsh punishments in his country for stealing, he found it completely normal. Though after some discussion he was turning around and understanding that maybe the laws in his country are a bit too much. Another guy from Somalia did not give better stories, but was less open to ideas and changes. There was also a Russian girl from the Dagestan area who was very kind but had some strong opinions about her faith and things to do and not to do. All the people only gave responses to this if asked how things were done in their country, or if it had to do with the lesson we got for that day (discrimination, law, religion, women rights). There was not much preaching going on.
On the street I do not notice much for extremists or people in favor of sharia law. I think once I came across an pro ISIS demonstration, and once across a pro Palestine demonstration. Both of them made me want to get away from that place as soon as possible. There have been quite a few anti ISIS demonstrations as well, mostly organized by Kurds and mostly for the battle of Kobani. When I came by the old port last Tuesday there where loads of them singing and dancing because of ISIS losing Kobani.
I can say I have not been to the Norther quarters much. Apparently it is a dangerous place to go, I have been there twice (mostly passing trough in the bus) and had no real problem. The problems there are caused mostly by drugs gangs, and not by extremist Muslims.
