In a column for the French publication Le Monde, President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Muslims, as well as people of other faiths to practice their religions modestly and without "provocation". The article, drafted by Henri Guaino, Sarkozy's wordsmith on patriotic matters, was being seen as "heavily aimed at reassuring those who are unhappy about what they see as a threatening Muslim presence," according to an article in The Australian from The Times.
"Christians, Jews, Muslims, all believers regardless of their faith, must refrain from ostentation and provocation and ... practise their religion in humble discretion," wrote Sarkozy/Guaino.
Addressing himself to Muslims, he reassured them he would fight to protect them from discrimination, said the article. "But I also want to tell them that anything that could appear as a challenge" to France's Christian heritage and republican values would "doom to failure" moderate Islam in France.
"This dull threat that so many people in our old European nations feel, rightly or wrongly, hanging over their national identity, we have to talk about it together lest repressing this feeling ends up feeding a terrible bitterness."
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