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2008-06-04 05:37:38
By Emma Jane Kirby
BBC News, Paris
Performing a rap in his "I Love N.Y." T-shirt and baseball cap, high school
student Yassine looks like an all-American boy.
But like most French teenagers from the Paris suburbs, Yassine and his
classmate, Massinissa, have a love-hate relationship with the United States.
While they worship its culture and music, they despise its involvement in Iraq
and the support it offers Israel in the Middle East conflict.
But having just returned from a trip to Harlem, which was entirely paid for by
the US government, Massinissa says his eyes have been opened.
"We have the same problems here as they do over there - a problem of negative
image. We must break this image."
Muslim community
Since the attacks of 11 September 2001, US embassies have been instructed to
reach out to second- and third-generation immigrants from North Africa and
Pakistan.
We're trying to... reach out to young people who haven't made up their mind yet
who they are or what they think of America
James Bullock
US Embassy in Paris
No-one in the US forgets that the only person to be charged in connection with
those attacks so far has been Zacarias Moussaoui, a French national.
With five million Muslims, France houses Europe's largest Muslim community and
the US is keen to keep them on side.
But James Bullock, the public affairs counsellor at the US Embassy in Paris,
insists it is not about identifying terrorist cells in the suburbs but about
making sure they never start up in the first place.
"We're not a security agency, we're not working with the police," he says.
"We're trying to identify future leaders and... to reach out to young people
who haven't made up their mind yet who they are or what they think of America."
Bad image
Regular outbreaks of violence in the poor suburbs mean America is well aware of
the French banlieues' bad image.
Two and a half years ago, the French government was forced to call a national
state of emergency after three weeks of violent rioting in suburbs across the
country.
The protests were largely about social exclusion, but in the US they were often
reported as "Muslim riots".
Catherine Withol, an expert on the banlieues, believes that is what has
prompted the US to focus its attention on the sink estates.
"They really fear there could be Islamic networks in these places and they
think that the more there is [social] exclusion, all the more there will be
mobilisation," she says.
Although he recognises the US is courting Muslim immigrants, journalist Mohamed
Hamidi still welcomes the interest from the other side of the Atlantic.
They try to talk to us - they try to understand why Muslims from France don't
feel integrated in French society
Mohamed Hamidi
Journalist
He was invited to visit the US after his blog on the banlieues, Bondy Blog,
caught the eye of US officials.
He feels the country is more interested in the banlieues' problems than his own
government.
The French authorities' offer of help for the under-privileged estates have
come far too late, he says, but the US is "more pragmatic" and has stretched
out a hand to the young people from the banlieues who want to succeed.
"They try to talk to us. They try to understand why Muslims from France don't
feel integrated in French society," he explains.
'American dream'
Back in their classroom in the Paris suburbs, the high school students are
sorting through the souvenirs from their recent trip to the US.
Before I went to the States, I had a bad opinion of America and its policies...
now I have another opinion - my own opinion - and it's good
Ouardia
Once hostile to the idea of a powerful US, these young people now feel they
have a greater understanding of American society.
Massinissa and his friend Ouardia talk ecstatically of the "American dream" and
Ouardia laughs when challenged about her enthusiastic use of language.
"Before I went to the States, I had a bad opinion of America and its
policies... now I have another opinion - my own opinion - and it's good!" she
says.
A misguided public relations exercise or a benevolent gesture of transatlantic
solidarity?
Whatever the motivation, the US clearly has its eye on the French banlieues.