A Story of Institutional Racism

Your Name Is an Insult to the Nation

Since the lockdown has started, I’ve been trying to catch up with videos I had saved for a later watch. I usually follow a few American, British, French, and Italian political talk shows on their YouTube channels. And after two years of a wait, I finally get to watch a controversial episode on a show called ‘’Les Terriens du Dimanche’’. TV host Thierry Ardisson and his reviewers are renowned for keeping the vibe on set quite spiced up.

I’ve always heard some outrageous rumors about Eric Zemmour, but I needed to listen to him for myself. I had imagined he liked embodying a Persona, someone who enjoyed going viral so that talk shows keep inviting him over. You know someone that nobody takes seriously.

I did some digging. I was deeply wrong.

Who’s Eric Zemmour?

Eric Zemmour is a French journalist, a polemist (as he calls himself), an essayist, and a writer, but any. His books are usually best-sellers in France. He’s often on TV promoting his books or simply debating hot topics. His eloquence and knowledge of French history made him one of the most sought-after guests on French studio sets. He’s the bear not to be poked on debates. He always does his homework before showing up. Debates get ugly and personal when he’s around; that’s why he made a bunch of opponents pretty much everywhere he goes.

What does he have to say about race?

‘’If on one hand Nazis had sanctified race; we, on the other hand, are denying race. And both logics are idiotic. I belong to the white race, whereas you belong to the black race.’’

‘’Most of the traffickers are either blacks or Arabs.’’

‘’Immigrants have to give up on their origin culture and assimilate to the French culture.’’

What he said about discriminatory hiring policies based on origin:

‘’that’s life.’’

What does he have to say about women?

‘’Feminism is a form of narcism pushed to the extreme, an excuse for seeking freedom, or even a caprice.’’

‘’Power should be in the hands of men; otherwise, it squanders. Only women with manhood values can be powerful.’’

‘’ Our society has gotten weak; we don’t make war, and we hate violence. It has become a womanized society.’’

‘’#MeToo is a movement that targets the white man.’’

What does he have to say about the Gay community wanting to adopt?

‘’One should take responsibility for one’s choice. Either one sleeps with the other sex and has kids, or one sleeps with the same sex and doesn't.’’

What happened with Hapsatou Sy?

In 2018, Zemmour was promoting one of his books (I’m not naming the book to not promote it). And as the tradition goes, Zemmour had been invited on set to talk about it.

One of the most controversial chapters of the book was addressing the choice of names. According to Zemmour’s French assimilation perspective, the French should name their children based on the Saint’s Calendar only, regardless of cultural or religious backgrounds. The reign of Napoleon Bonaparte had established this law (with the surge of nationalism back in the 19th century). This law has been removed since 1993.

The Bonapartist went on:

‘’ Normally in My Country, we should give names that exist in the calendar of saints.’’

One of the co-hosts, as in the commentator Hapsatou Sy took the bait

‘’ You know I’m French, and my name is Hapsatou.’’

Zemmour never misses the chance to score:

‘’ Then your mother was wrong giving you that name. Corrine would have suited you better.’’

What came next has been censored, since the production saw a high risk of condemnation, if they aired the whole sequence. A hidden camera has been recording. Zemmour didn’t stop quite there, and delivered the knockout punch:

‘’ Your name is an insult to France.’’

Along with C8 Channel, Hapsatou intended to take the case to justice. However, she found herself dealing with the production of the talk show, which has been trying to sabotage the case, even before getting to suit Zemmour.

In the classic, she said he said case, things got pretty ugly for Hapsatou. She has been harassed ferociously on social media. They accused her of being a gold digger by using the whole controversy to make a profit, and they even accused her of orchestrating the clash with Zemmour on set.

‘’ They can attack me as they want, It won’t stop me from telling my side of the story.’’

‘’These people use threats as a weapon to silence you. They may be powerful, but It doesn’t mean they can do what they’re pleased.”

‘’I’ve fallen apart many times, but I won’t back down.’’

A year later, she published her second autobiographical book, in which she tells her side of the story.

It’s been extremely hard addressing this controversy without getting involved, but I’ve tried to remain focused on facts.

What do you think about the whole thing?