France: Corsicans object to children singing Lennon’s ’Imagine’ in Arabic

[unhappycamper]

http://www.france24.com/en/20150618-corsicans-object-children-singing-lennon-imagine-arabic

Corsicans object to children singing Lennon’s ’Imagine’ in Arabic
Latest update : 2015-06-18

A Corsican primary school has cancelled a children’s fete after parents threatened to disrupt the event because pupils were due to sing verses of John Lennon’s ‘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 Lennon’s 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.

[SheilaT]

1. So the problem was the Arabic language,

not the song itself. The headline, which I know you didn't originate, is highly misleading.

[bananas]

2. "Imagine there were no languages, no books or lyrics to songs"