French Comedian Resigns from Government Council over Veil Controversy

To the French President, the artist has addressed his letter of resignation from the Council of Cities, where he had been sitting since May 2018. This is an institution set up by Emmanuel Macron, which includes "major national economic, social, cultural and sports actors, committed to the priority neighborhoods", and is supposed to lead the reflection on the priority neighborhoods.

"I resign because I cannot sit in an institution that sees the humiliations suffered by the inhabitants of the neighborhoods not for where they come from but for what they are simply," writes Yassine Belattar.

In his letter addressed to Macron and published by Libération, the humorist, who says he has "loved every moment spent" within this institution wanted by the President, unfortunately comes to denounce a "system favorable to certain elected officials" that has gangrened the suburbs, and has been the source of a "dramatic pauperization".

This system in question, Bellatar argues, "has so perverted the vision we have of our neighborhoods that the term ’banlieusard’ has given way to that of ’Muslim’".

For some time now, the nourished controversy on the veil and the stigmatization of Muslims in France have given free rein to statements from personalities like ordinary citizens who, the humorist thinks, do not honor the Republic.

"I am aware that the current atmosphere in our country is not related to your election, but I am disappointed that some ministers you have chosen do not even tolerate the idea of seeing a veiled woman on the territory," denounces Yassine Bellatar.

"I am French, I am Muslim, I am African, I am Afro-European, I am from the suburbs. I am not binary, I am French therefore plural," writes the artist who is outraged by the fact that one cannot recognize the Muslim’s ability to distinguish between good and evil.

"Doubting our ability, as Muslims, to tell the difference between good or evil is a wound that will take time to heal."

Yassine Bellatar concludes his letter with an appeal to the President of the Republic: "Know, Mr. President, that Muslims will have to be legalized in this country before marijuana is legalized," he writes.