France releases video honoring Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech, featuring all-white children
- The video was finally removed today by the National Ministry of Education
The French government has been pilloried for releasing a video celebrating Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” civil rights march that used only white children.
In the short film, young people who have clearly never experienced discrimination because of dark skin appear, all speaking English. The phrase “Blah Blah Blah” is used by environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who is also white and from Sweden.
The video was eventually removed today by the National Ministry of Education after critics described it as “a belated April Fool’s joke” and “a gimmick that lacks diversity at all.”
The main purpose of the film was to celebrate the 60th anniversary of August 28, 1963 – the day when more than 250,000 Americans participated in Washington DC’s historic March for Jobs and Freedom.
Some 3,000 journalists were present when Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Boy in French government video marking the 60th anniversary of August 28, 1963 — the day more than 250,000 Americans participated in Washington DC’s historic March for Jobs and Freedom
Girl in the tribute video. The video was eventually removed today by the National Education Ministry after critics described it as “a late April Fool’s joke” and “a gimmick that lacks diversity at all.”
Girls in the tribute video. After posting the film on X (which used to be called Twitter), the ministry had to admit that only white children had won a contest “dedicated to the creative practice of English”
France – which considers itself the home of human rights – was determined to have its young people celebrate this day.
But after the video was posted to X (formerly known as Twitter), the ministry had to admit that only white children had won a competition “dedicated to the creative practice of English”.
This meant that only white children could appear in the black civil rights video.
Gabriel Attal, France’s new education minister, said: ‘The students in this video are the 2023 winners of the ‘The More I Say’ competition, which promotes the creative practice of English in secondary schools.
In memory of Martin Luther King on the 60th anniversary of his famous speech on August 28, 1963, they were invited to deliver a short speech inspired by Martin Luther King’s, beginning with “I Have a Dream.” ‘.’
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I Have a Dream” speech to a huge crowd gathered in front of the Mall during the march on Washington DC for jobs and freedom
The Civil Rights March for Jobs and Freedom in Washington DC, on August 28, 1963
France is regularly criticized for its mistreatment of ethnic minority groups, including those of black African and Caribbean background.
Attal has recently been criticized for banning children in state schools from wearing the Abaya – a garb associated with Muslims.
Loubna Regui, president of the ELF Muslim Students of France, said such action was directed against immigrants and was “inherently racist.”
And Clementine Autain, of the France Insoumise party, criticized ‘the clothing police’ and the ‘obsessional rejection of Muslims’ in France.
Earlier this summer, there was widespread rioting across France following the death of a French-Algerian teenager at the hands of a Parisian police officer. The death was described as symptomatic of the racist way French public order forces treat young people who are not white-skinned.