Arabes dociles
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The experience of many African immigrants in France, and in other Western countries, reflects a painful process of assimilation that requires them to suppress their true identities in order to gain a semblance of acceptance. As Karim recalls, he worked tirelessly to be “polite, nice, and docile,” always aiming to make a good impression, not as a personal choice, but as a survival strategy (Martin, 149). However, despite his best efforts to integrate into French society, he ultimately realized the harsh truth: “French people won’t ever truly accept you.” This realization, that no amount of adaptation could erase his "difference" in their eyes, is a cruel form of exclusion, one that is rooted in colonial history and racial prejudice.
The internalized inferiority that immigrants like Karim experience often extends to their children. The constant erasure of African history and culture in the education system, as he mentions—where only the “history of France, of the French people” is taught—reinforces the sense of being outsiders. For the children of immigrants, this cultural marginalization is even more pronounced. As Tsiory describes, he was taught to “make [others] think I’m less than him” in order to avoid conflict, a tactic borne out of a deep-seated belief that White people are inherently superior (Martin, 152). This ingrained inferiority doesn’t simply vanish but is passed down, shaping the identities of the next generation.
As children of immigrants grow up and witness their parents' struggles to fit into a system that views them as inferior, they often experience a profound desire to reclaim their heritage. For some, like me, this manifests in a rejection of the need to conform to foreign ideals. It becomes crucial to embrace, unapologetically, our African, Muslim, and cultural identities, proudly rejecting the notion that we must diminish our worth to be accepted. As Baldwin ironically writes, despite the West’s supposed “generosity” in accepting immigrants, it will never tolerate (or imagine) any rebellion (5). This is a rebellion against the legacy of colonialism, where not only were our ancestors oppressed, but our self-worth was systematically devalued. The legacy of inferiority embedded in these systems may continue to reverberate, but there is a growing movement among the children of immigrants to reclaim their value, assert their identity, and demand recognition on their own terms.