The Overview (Monday, February 1)
Religious freedom in France, two terrific stories from the New York Times, and David French on nationalism versus patriotism
Today marks the beginning of the Spring semester at my university, which means my latest round of anxiety dreams are a couple of nights old. What, you thought students were the only ones to get stressed out by classes and tests in their dreams? Nope — professors suffer, too.
For me, these dreams have taken a couple of forms. The first kind involves realizing it’s the end of the semester and it’s time to administer final exams, only I haven’t been teaching one of my classes at all — like, I’ve completely forgotten to attend all semester. I can’t explain to you how stressful this is in the moment, realizing there’s a group of students about to fail your course because you, for lack of a better term, suck.
The second kind (and the most recent kind to haunt me) involves arriving for the first day of class and having zero control over the students. Let me explain: I go to get things started (usually after arriving a few minutes late because, for some inexplicable reason, I don’t know where the class is), and immediately students start talking over me. I try to reign things in, and things just get worse. From there, what usually happens is I get frustrated, and the students get up and walk out.
I’m sure there’s a meaning to this, but I have no intention of exploring it. Instead, I’ll share that after I mentioned this kind of dream to one of my students a couple of years ago, he decided it would be funny to coordinate a prank where, every minute or so, one student would gather their things and silently walk out. After a few students did this, I asked what was going on, and at that point the rest of the class stood up and, without saying anything, walked out.
As far as waking nightmares go, it was pretty funny.
With that, here’s the Monday, February 1 edition of The Overview:
1) France, like many European countries, has a noticeably different understanding of religious freedom than the United States. The French concept of laïcité—which can be translated simply as secularism—guides France’s approach to church-state relations. Religious communities are free to practice their religion, so long as this practice doesn’t upset the principles of French secular society.
Lately, it is certain Muslim communities in France that have been faced with challenges about their practices upsetting laïcité. Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron asked the French Council of the Muslim Faith to work with the French government to establish a National Council of Imams and to firmly commit to rejecting “political Islam” and the interference of foreign Muslim actors in French society. Additionally, Marie Le Pen, the head of the far-right National Rally and a challenger to Macron in France’s next presidential election, has proposed a ban on wearing hijabs in public spaces.
These efforts have not taken place in a vacuum. In recent years, France has been the victim of several terrorist attacks carried out by Islamist extremists, including last year’s public beheading of a French teacher who showed a depiction of Mohammed to his students as part of a lesson on free speech. France has long valued cohesive support for its republican ideals, believing that values conflicting with these ideals may not be worthy of legal protection. Recent waves of Muslim immigration to France will continue to challenge laïcité, and if Macron’s and La Pen’s recent initiatives are any indication, laïcité is not going to back down.
2) Two fascinating longform articles from the New York Times:
The story of Robert Bigelow—“a maverick Las Vegas real estate and aerospace mogul with billionaire allure and the resources to fund his restless curiosity embracing outer and inner space, U.F.O.s and the spirit realm”—who is offering $1 million for evidence of life after death. Bigelow founded the Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies last year following the death of his wife (and nearly 30 years following the death of his son), and he’s determined to learn what happens to us after we die.
The story of Guy Babcock, whose name was dragged through the mud on the Internet. What’s the big deal — this happens every day, right? Well, Babcock’s research into the source of his defamation is equal parts incredible and depressing, highlighting how easy it is for one single-minded person to destroy the reputations of dozens of innocent people.
3) David French dissects the relationship between Christian nationalism and Christian patriotism. The former, according to French and consistent with recent research, involves an unhealthy and idolatrous commitment to one’s country, rendering any effort to change or improve the status quo as an attack on faith itself. As for patriotism, French offers this helpful reflection:
I love this country, but I love it with eyes wide open. The aspirations of our founding have long been tempered by the brutal realities of our fallen nature. The same nation that stormed Normandy’s beaches to destroy a fascist empire simultaneously sustained a segregationist regime within its own borders. Our virtues do not negate our vices, and our vices do not negate our virtues. America isn’t 1619 or 1776. It’s 1619 and 1776.
4) Finally, the Portland Trail Blazers have had a middling start to the season, but star guard Damian Lillard has not disappointed. He’s averaging 30 points and seven assists per game, and his three-point shot is among the best in the league. Lillard’s arsenal was on full display two nights ago, scoring 44 points (including six in less than nine seconds) to will the Blazers to a buzzer-beating road win. Portland may not win the title this season, but Lillard will continue to be worth your time.