France: Corsicans object to children singing Lennon’s ’Imagine’ in Arabic
http://www.france24.com/en/20150618-corsicans-object-children-singing-lennon-imagine-arabic
Corsicans object to children singing Lennons Imagine in Arabic
Latest update : 2015-06-18
A Corsican primary school has cancelled a childrens fete after parents threatened to disrupt the event
because pupils were due to sing verses of John Lennons Imagine in Arabic.
The school in Prunelli-di-Fiumorbo in the north of the island where even French culture and language is often fiercely resisted had planned to have children sing Lennons famously pacifist (and anti-religion) song in five different languages, including French, Corsican, English, Spanish and Arabic.
Some parents at the school, which serves a district with a large immigrant population, objected to the idea of their children singing along in Arabic.
Graffiti was daubed outside the school earlier this week reading Arabi Fora! (Arabs out!) and Lingua Corsa (Corsican language) while a small group of parents threatened to disrupt the fete if the singing went ahead.