It made me think- nothing profound I'm afraid- but a thought nonetheless. It's roughly translates into 'For the (mid) afternoon hunger', basically the afternoon 'elevenses' / post-school munchies but what came to mind was- since when was a Kinder Bueno filling? Since when did it hit that spot of hunger? It tastes lovely, no doubt, but if I was peckish, I would much rather go for a Snickers bar or a Twix for they're relatively filling. I think they need to realise the Kinder Bueno is purely a pleasurable chocolate to eat- there's no other justification or excuse. For the record, in the white strip at the bottom there is the standard health advice to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle etc.
Alright, so I was in a bookshop and, by chance, I ended up in the religious books section. Taking a little browse around the bookshelves, 'La Bible' and Jewish texts were easily visible and after taking a closer look for something Islamic, I found that it was on the bottom shelf- quite hidden. Rather symbolic positioning if you ask me, since it is one of the largest religions in the world, it wasn't given near as much space or attention. Being a foreigner (I quite like the excuse) I sat myself on the floor before this small collection, looking at the French translations of the likes of Irshad Manji to Imam Al Ghazali and Rumi. One of the books I found was called something like 'These Great Minds against Islam'. A passage under the section of Charles de Gaulle seemed to ring true to what's still happening in France, regardless of the 'Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite':
Apologies for the blurriness of the photos.
Very rough translation (i.e. please don't shoot me if I make a mistake/ it sounds off in English):
It's very good that there are yellow, black and brown French people. They show that France is open to all races and that she [France] has a universal calling. But, under the condition that they remain a small minority. If not, France would no longer be France. We are, before anything, a European people of a white race, of a Greek and Latin culture and Christian religion. [...] Are you going to see the Muslims? Have you seen them with their turbans and robes [abayas]? you can see clearly that they are not French. Those who advocate integration have an intellect of a hummingbird, even if they are very wise/ intelligent. Trying to mix oil and vinegar; shake the bottle; suddenly they'll separate once again. Arabs are Arabs, the French are French. Do you believe that the French body can absorb ten million Muslims, who tomorrow will be twenty million and thereafter forty? If we were to integrate, if all the Arabs and the Algerian Berbers/ Arabs were to be considered French, how will you stop them from coming to settle in the Metropole [France] while the standard of life there/ here is significantly higher. My village would no longer be called 'Colombey-The-Two-Churches' but 'Colombey-The-Two-Mosques'.
Too tired to translate the second part, but nonetheless, we can get the idea that France loves being the 'pays d'acceuil' (welcoming country) but perhaps it doesn't make the best host. I was told by a lady that once, because she was fasting, her work colleague became rather hostile and aggressive. I feel like France is often either hypocritical in its values or simply a little schizophrenic.
That book cost 18€ so it was a little dear for me... And I guess it means the wealthier of French society will have the benefit of engaging in this level of critical thinking. That is, if they can find the book hidden on the bottom shelf of the rather hidden religious books section.
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