frbleus1-8, Exercise 3: Whistling the Marseillaise

Model answer (check the details):

Side A: whistling the anthem is disrespectful to the country and its symbols, harms the team and the nation, and should be punished (for example by stopping matches or sanctioning the offenders). Evidence they would use: the 2001 France-Algeria match, other incidents, statements of political leaders, and surveys showing public disapproval.

Side B: the whistling is a protest by people who feel excluded or insulted, and punishment will increase the resentment; the context (discrimination, policing, the colonial history of Algeria) should be addressed instead. Evidence they would use: sociological studies of the people involved, interviews with fans, and the history of the 2001 match and its context.

What both agree: the anthem is a symbol that matters, and the incidents attract more attention than their number suggests.

What is missing from both: precise counts of how often and by whom the whistling occurs, which would show whether it is common or exceptional (check).

Care: a fair summary states each side as its supporters would state it, and does not describe either as a caricature.