This monologue has been criticized as Jingoistic; anti-Islamic; provoking the Daesh terrorists and inviting reprisals; and an attack on Muslims, their religion, culture and contribution to world history. Nonsense. It is a celebration of the French and things French as well as European civilization in general. I think we are all aware of our vile colonial past - difficult to ignore in Bristol which made its wealth from the slave trade (but was also the cradle of the abolitionist movement) - but we Europeans should not be diffident about our contributions to the world's philosophy, literature, arts and science whilst recognizing the great contributions of what is now the Muslim world.
It is a great statement.