Racism: A Passion from Above
by Jacques Rancière

September 11, 2010

I'd like to add some reflections on the notion of "state racism" to our meeting's agenda. These reflections run against a widespread interpretation of measures that our government has recently taken, from the law on the veil to the expulsions of the Roma. This interpretation detects an opportunism that is exploiting racism and xenophobia for electoral gain. This supposed critique reinforces the assumption that racism is a popular passion, the frightened and irrational reaction of retrograde layers of the population, who can't adapt to the new mobile and cosmopolitan world. The state is accused of failing in its duty by showing indifference towards these populations. But this accusation only reinforces the state's position representing itself as the face of rationality vis-à-vis popular irrationality.

Pakistan flood victims 'no terrorists'

By Mohammed Hanif
BBC News,
Pakistanhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8931886.stm

Three weeks after the start of the floods in Pakistan, a fifth of the country is
under water. More international aid is now reaching the country - but the world's
media finds it hard to stop talking about terrorism.

Many Pakistanis who have not been directly affected by the floods ask each other
this question: Is it a punishment from Allah? Or is He just testing our faith?

One of the many religious scholars who pop up on our television screens during the
holy month of Ramadan was asked the same question last week.

He shook his head and answered with the kind of hokey wisdom only TV preachers are
capable of: "If you have transgressed, He is punishing you. If He likes you He is
testing you."

Not everyone is reaching out for a divine explanation though.

In southern Punjab, poet Ashu Laal linked the fury of the river Indus to our
collective greed and corporate rape of the land.