The difference between France and Morocco?

A little bit of hyperbole from Franco-Moroccan novelist Abdellah Taia:

The disturbances last November in the poor, predominantly minority suburbs of Paris, the banlieues, surprised many in France. Their surprise in turn surprised me, showing me to what extent, even in this country proclaiming itself for fraternité and the rights of man, society is divided into two classes, the rich and the poor. Exactly like Morocco.

Interesting the NYT chose him for an op-ed -- at least it's better than BHL.