France came to view religion as a threat to national identity
<i>The assumption is that we [Americans] can embrace our hyphenated identities without disloyalty to a broader national project.</i> An assumption that seems false in light of your (American) current events.<p>Perhaps France has noticed the result of allowing religion a place in politics. It&#x27;s easy to see countries where this has been very retrograde (eg. Afghanistan and (I&#x27;m afraid) America); it&#x27;s not easy to find countries with strong religious politics and a modern or rational outlook :(<p>(And yes, I anticipate there might be a reaction to this, civil debate being rare these days.)