A new French hero

Gerispringer Tue 29-May-18 14:01:52
"This isn't UK bashing just saying it is a difference and is worth commenting on."

Why compare France and the UK on this award and reward by Macron for Mamoudzou Gassam's act of bravery at all. The comparison is unnecessary and does not add to the topic in anyway.
Why do it?

A brave act appropriately rewarded for Mamoudzou Gassam's, facilitated citizenship and an offer of work.
Well done Macron. Although one could take the cynical view, and wonder if the speed of Macrons actions in recognizing and publicly rewarding Mamoudzou Gassams bravery, have something to do with the unpopular French bill on immigration, and Macrons personal popularity and approval ratings being at their lowest point since being elected to office.

Frances new immigration law:
“The [immigration] bill aims to both cut waiting times for asylum applications -- from around a year currently to six months -- and make it easier to deport those turned down as "economic" migrants.

The right-wing opposition say the bill is too soft but left-wing parties and NGOs have branded it repressive.

"We cannot take on the misery of the world," Macron, who campaigned as a champion of open borders but has adopted a tough line on migration since
taking office, said in an interview with BFMTV on Sunday.”
www.thelocal.fr/20180416/whats-wrong-frances-new-immigration-law-according-to-rights-groups

“Macron’s approval ratings hit record low: poll
Voters think French president is launching ‘too many reforms,’ according to new survey.
By MAXIME SCHLEE
3/23/18
Updated 3/23/18, 4:41 PM CET
French President Emmanuel Macron has seen his popularity slip to its lowest point since he took office, according to a new opinion poll published Friday.
Only 40 percent of the French population said they have a favorable opinion of Macron, a drop of 3 percentage points from last month and 12 percentage points from December, while 57 percent said they hold a negative opinion of the president.
Macron’s approval ratings, 10 months into his term, are comparable to those of former presidents François Hollande (35 percent) and Nicolas Sarkozy (40 percent), according to the poll conducted by BVA, which surveyed 1,053 people on March 21 and 22.
The poll noted that support for Macron has decreased most significantly in low-income households — where only 21 percent hold a positive opinion of Macron — and among voters under 35, among other demographics. His approval ratings slipped below 50 percent for the first time among voters above 65, the poll also found.
Among those who said they were disappointed in Macron’s performance, many reiterate the idea he was “too arrogant” and a “president for the wealthy.” A growing number of people also said they think Macron is launching “too many reforms,” the poll found.
On Thursday, tens of thousands of public sector workers went on strike across the country to protest Macron’s planned reforms, which are part of a plan to cut state costs.
Macron’s prime minister, Edouard Philippe, also saw his approval ratings drop, with 43 percent saying they see him in a favorable light — a drop of 9 percent since December — and 54 saying they have a negative opinion of him.”
www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-france-approval-ratings-hit-record-low-poll/

Again, much praise for such a fine example of instinctive bravery by Mamoudzou Gassam. Putting that childs safety before his own, outstanding.

Though I have to agree with Dannirae why does this turn into an "opportunity to knock this country"?

Also Baggs and mamie are correct Occams Razor does not apply here.
“Occams's razor:
In philosophy, a razor is a principle or rule of thumb that allows one to eliminate ("shave off") unlikely explanations for a phenomenon. Razors include: Occam's razor: When faced with competing hypotheses, select the one that makes the fewest assumptions and is thus most open to being tested.”
Pasted.

Its going to be hard to set up a toddler clinging onto a balcony or person risking their life in a terrorist attack. I somehow doubt there will be a spate of people risking their lives to get their asylum status speeded up.

I do not want to take away from this act of bravery. And I am basically pro-immigrant, as my own family were refugees who came to the UK. But will this prompt a surge of brave acts that will result in the protagonists getting the right of stay in whatever country? Let´s watch the news. My point is that there should be definite guidelines under which someone should qualify for political asylum. Picking out individuals who are given preference will only lead to lots of scams.

The Malian refugee has papers allowing him to work in Italy but did not want to live there -it could well be that French is his language.
I saw today that the child fell from the balcony above and managed to cling on to the next balcony as he fell. His father has been charged with some form of neglect allowing him to be able to do that - his mother is due back from Reunion today.

I don't know for certain, but is that perhaps because bravery awards in the UK are made after a process of recommendation to the Queen and the President can award them himself?

I know usually bureaucracy in France is slow, but they are quick to organise awards for those who have shown bravery. There was the case a couple of years ago where some American soldiers stopped a terrorist on a train, they were given the Legion d'honneur (sp?) or some other national award within a few days. I am sorry, but our system doesn't respond with the same speed to such acts of bravery. This isn't UK bashing just saying it is a difference and is worth commenting on.

I was shocked to hear that Viktor Orban's right wing populist government in Hungary is proposing to make it illegal to help refugees by giving them food, water or any other aid, even giving them advice could be illegal"!

The BBC News reprted "The Hungarian government has drafted new laws to criminalise those who help irregular migrants seeking asylum.If passed in its current form, the legislation could make printing leaflets with information for asylum-seekers and offering them food or legal advice a criminal offence.

The constitution will also be amended to prevent other EU countries from transferring asylum seekers to Hungary. Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban is defying EU policy on migration.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44288242

Let's hope that no Hungarian child hanging from a balcony dies because there is no brave refugee to come to his aid!

Apparently the mother was away and the father went out. The person on the next balcony could not reach him safely because of a glass partition. I have read that the child is now in care.
It was a wonderful act of bravery and I am very impressed by Macron's actions. It doesn't mean that gaining French citizenship is easy though.

A fanastic rescue by someone who seems to have been a real climber - and fast with it!
2 questions come to mind:
1. How did the child come to be hanging on to the railing like that?
2. Who was the person on the balcony next to the little person trying to grab him?

Thanks for the info, mamie.

om, I love Occam's razor but it doesn't apply to this, as mamie's posts confirm. What my so-called over-thinking was about is questioning assumptions about how things are done in other countries just as a way of UK-bashing.

I'm glad the man's quick action has been recognised as good and worthy of quick acknowledgement and reward.

I am glad that this story has met with so many favourable comments.

I think President Macron's response has been exemplary - swift and inspired, recognising this young man's bravery, not just with a medal, but a promise to facilitate his becoming a French citizen and also offering him a position as a trainee firefighter - a job which requires the level of fitness, courage and humanitarian instincts which Mamoudou Gassama demonstrated when he saved that child. I hope he has a very successful career and a happy life in France

Citizenship takes apparently about two years at the moment.
For Carte de Séjour the amount of paperwork varies between regions. Ours was on the weighty side - translations of birth and marriage certificates, minimum five years tax returns, proof of health cover, proof of income, electricity bills, photographs, proof of local taxes. I think it took us about 60 hours of collecting and photocopying and cost about 300€, though the card itself was free.

Wry smile to my lips, too Mamie

Permanent residency was just ‘allowed’ to us. No form filling, but as we were French tax payers, I guess that made it all ok.

When we arrived in France in 2003, a Carte de Séjour was no longer required. If I remember correctly, they had been considered unnecessary several years before that.

Perhaps that was because we were European, and other types of residency papers are now required for those who used to live outside the EU. Obtaining citizenship was certainly known to be a very long drawn out process.

As long as you have all the correct papers and required translations it take exactly 4 months to recieve citizenship here in Belguim. I know as I am in the process of applying, I went to the local commune on Monday morning but forgot to take passport sized photos. at myself.

I think what he is getting is a fast-track to a Carte de Séjour, which is more like an entitlement to permanent residence. We have these cards (after a lengthy bureaucratic process involving masses of paperwork, several visits to the préfecture and some costs for official translations). It is not Citizenship which takes much longer and involves a language exam for under sixties.
The comment about doing things quickly in France brought a wry smile to my lips.

This is an inspiring story and well done President Macron for his prompt acknowledgement of such bravery BUT do we have to take this opportunity to KNOCK this country? And why?

I do know you don’t have to be a citizen to live and work in a country. #notthatstupid

So not a grear believer in Occam's razor then?

Nope. I think most people underthink stuff like this and make all sorts of stupid assumptions because of that.

You overthinking this perhaps Baggs?

"struggling for six years" (see chew's mention of a previous story of the same kind) doesn't sound like 'quickly' to me.

I do wonder if it's possible for countries to grant citizenship 'quickly' (whatever that means: weeks? months? a year or two?). If you think about checks that presumably have to be made and the sincerity of applications, etc, etc, it soon doesn't look like a thing that can be done quickly anywhere except in exceptional circumstances like the heroism mentioned.

Citizenship isn't a simple thing nor, necessarily, an issue. Individuals can still be allowed to live and work in a country in which they are not citizens. My brother only became a US citizen after living and working there for over two decades. Similarly, I have a friend in UK who has been here for decades but who is not a UK citizen and who doesn't feel any need to be one.

Yes they do things like this quickly in France. In this country he’d probably be locked up until there was a newspaper campaign to free him. There would be a crowdfunding appeal which would pay his legal fees.

Yes Old Meg - particularly Bonnie Tyler ?