Macron pits French secularism against Islam

By Manasa Sriraj and Raymond Dai Dec. 8, 2020

Quincy Han Art

French President Emmanuel Macron recently faced criticism for his remarks about Muslims and freedom of expression after the murder of Samuel Paty, a middle school civics teacher who was attacked and beheaded after showing cartoons of a naked prophet Muhammad in class. The cartoons sparked controversy, as Islam forbids any visual representation of the prophet. In multiple statements and speeches, Macron publicly defended Paty and the caricatures, igniting backlash from the international Muslim community.

According to The New York Times, Paty aimed to instill the foundational French value of laïcité , or secularism, in his students with these cartoons. As stated by a student present at the lecture, Paty explained that laïcité protected all forms of religious expression, including statements that some may find religiously insensitive. The French government defines laïcité as a separation of religion and government and the idea that all forms of faith-based expression are accepted as long as it does not interfere with public order. Whether or not the Muhammad cartoons, which sparked numerous protests and violent retaliation, fit this description is debatable.

Macron justified the controversial cartoons in a speech, calling the teacher’s killing an act of Islamic extremism and stating that Islam is “a religion that is in crisis all over the world today.” He proceeded to announce a plan to “reform Islam” and “reduce Islamists,” angering many Muslims for his generalization of the whole faith instead of a small radical minority.

“Secularism and freedom of religious expression are crucial rights, but they should not be abused to alienate a religion. It is important not to generalize and stereotype religions, realizing that when someone makes a poor choice, their entire religion did not influence this and is not at fault,” Freshman Medha Nemani said.

Macron’s statement reflected dangerous stereotypes: for instance, he repeatedly addressed Muslims as “radical terrorists,” stigmatizing and disrespecting all people of Islamic faith.

Macron’s statement reflected dangerous stereotypes: for instance, he repeatedly addressed Muslims as “radical terrorists,” stigmatizing and disrespecting all people of Islamic faith. Moreover, his refusal to apologize for the images of Muhammad may ostracize the Muslim community in France.

Whether or not Macron truly holds prejudices against Islam, he was construed as such by protestors from many Muslim countries such as Turkey, Iran and Palestine, who heavily condemned Macron for the disrespectful cartoons. According to the Guardian, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said Macron’s words spread a culture of hatred and alienated French Muslims, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan suggested that “Macron needs some sort of mental treatment.” Some Muslims have participated in an economic boycott: store owners in Qatar and Kuwait no longer stock French products, and airlines are refusing to send flights to France.

Macron was correct in advocating for freedom of speech, but his efforts needlessly provoked the Muslim community. Although both Paty and Macron spoke within their rights, the latter’s position as the leader of a major country renders his tactless statements inappropriate and polarizing. The principle of laïcité should defend the liberties of both Muslims and non-Muslims—to leave one group feeling targeted and excluded by the government is counterproductive to promoting secularism.

“Macron’s actions are unacceptable, as he is using freedom of expression as a shield to convey misinformation about Muslims. The subsequent protests have demonstrated the importance of expressing and defending beliefs and rights, because as seen with France, this is the only way they will be acknowledged and protected from authorities who wish to limit them at their convenience,” Sophomore Karis Moon said.

Macron’s responsibilities differ from those of a civilian like Paty; like all politicians, Macron must place the needs of his people before acting at his own discretion. To attempt to preserve secularism and free speech at the expense of religious minorities fails to ensure the rights of all citizens.

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About the Contributors

Manasa Sriraj

Staff Writer

Manasa Sriraj is a freshman at Leland High School and a staff writer. She is a STEM, puzzle, and geography freak and loves torturing her friends by spamming and "Rickrolling" on group chats. Her hobbies include listening to music, playing basketball and the guitar, experimenting with snack recipes (which usually result in messes), and building Rube Goldberg machines and gadgets out of Legos and other regular household objects.

Raymond Dai

Staff Writer

Raymond Dai is a sophomore at Leland High School and a Staff Writer for the Charger Account. He likes to play video games, play badminton and go out biking in his free time.