Andy Rooney really pissed me off when he declared that the French of no right to criticize George W. Bush’s foreign policy because we saved them in World War II. I’ve heard similar sentiments from other people. I bash the French all the time, but not for any of these so-called legitimate reasons. I bash the French like I bash Canadians, because in American we overlook them, we hold silly and baseless stereotypes. When I bash the French, it is really a backhanded compliment, a bashing of America for being the great land of the free that just doesn’t want to worry about the history of freedom. I would never bash the French because we “bailed them out.”
Luckily, Molly Ivins agrees with me, and gave me the history that I wish I knew:
George Will saw fit to include in his latest Newsweek column this joke: “How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris? No one knows, it’s never been tried.” That was certainly amusing. One million, four hundred thousand French soldiers were killed during World War I. As a result, there weren’t many Frenchmen left to fight in World War II. Nevertheless, 100,000 French soldiers lost their lives trying to stop Hitler.
On behalf of every one of those 100,000 men, I would like to thank Mr. Will for his clever joke. They were out-manned, out-gunned, out-generaled and, above all, out-tanked. They got slaughtered, but they stood and they fought. Ha-ha, how funny.
Well, by the end of AMST 100b this semester, I’ll finally get the WWI and WWII history that I’ve always wanted but the public schools, with their focus on the American Revolution, never provided. Maybe because sometimes American wars can’t be glorified, and we just want to forget them? Well, if we’re trying to forget our history, it seems to be working splendidly.
Wow, my high school American history was Civil War and after only. I took too classes, one was Civil War to WW II, second was Depression and after (don’t think we went past the early ’60s though). My teacher even tried to give us WW I from a socialist view point.
I think you missed Andy Rooney’s point. He was present at the liberation of Paris. He saw the American soldiers free the city, and he waw DeGaulle follow as if he was the one who fought the Germans. His point was that Americans fought and died at Nomandy Beach, and DeGaulle took the credit. Now, when the US takes the fight to Saddam, the French cower in fear because of their own self interest in oil. I tend to agree with Andy. Saddam is a BAD guy. He has killed and tortured his own people in the past, and he will do it again. The French have a second rate army but they act like a first rate power. They are only fooling themselves. And maybe you? Their losses in the First World War have nothing to do with this, any more than German losses in the First WW do.
While Molly Ivans makes an excellent point about how many french died in support of their country against the Nazi, Americans are not anti-French because they didn’t defend themselves, we are anti-French because there a lot of graves in Normany which they seemed to have forgotten about. Our parents and grandparents died for them; for their freedom, and the very least they can do is honor their memory by supporting us.
I can’t say I like Chirac or his policies, but I think what upset me about Rooney’s comments had nothing to do with Saddam or the Iraq situation, but with his pretty blatant assertion that the French are not allowed to have opinions. It may be that they are a “second rate army” (they certainly don’t have much world influence except by virtue of being a permanent member of the Security Council) but I feel it is antithetical to all America stands for to deny a people the right to have opinions.
All right, perhaps I took it the wrong way and Rooney was simply criticizing the French government for its refusal to support the US. If that is the case, my indignation is less warranted. Then again, policy does not take place in a vacuum — Chirac has to answer to his own people. Now if, as the latest Economist suggests, his actions are going to fracture the Security Council and ultimately hurt France’s place in the world, then so be it. It was his choice to make on behalf of the country that elected him. I don’t think it hurts our war march much.
The French have oil interests in Iraq which they wish to protect. It is not a certainty that we will go into Iraq (only about 99.9%) Since they are not sure of retaining their oil, Chirac is being prudent in his leadership. Good, honest Frenchmen aided us as fifth columnists in WWII and their incredible bravery should not be questioned. Molly Ivins is spinning a viewpoint once again. It is not the number of French lost in WWI or WWII but their ingratitude for what we did that Americans object to. It is the actions of the leadership that is getting the ridicule. While I understand their view, I am personally displeased and will continue to propagate jokes and stories about the French.
Precision: The soldiers that liberated Paris where the French from the second armed division from the Free French Forces. The US oil interest are far more greater than the French.
Good for Molly Ivins.
France is a graveyard, as is Germany. As a result, they’ve learned the lesson that war is an admission of failure, and just a preview of greater failures.
Thank God for the French, as Woody says.
By the Way, they financed and inspired our Revolution.
And thank God for the Russians, Germans, Chinese, Mexicans, Turks.
They may stop the stupid Americans from making a big mistake.
Why must we rule the world?
We can’t even run our country in a sensible way.
As for old Europe, they’ve got better cars, planes, trains. The food’s better. The countryside and the women are more beautiful.
Maybe it would be better to learn from them.
We have become a fat, willful child, who, not given its way, throws a fit bullies and calls other countries names.
Our cold shower could be right around the corner.
WMD and their proliferation must be regulated by The UN.
The Un should pass resolutions to regulate WMD and their proliferation.
The Un Resolutions should contain sanctions to force regulation of WMD and their proliferation.
If we do not enforce the sanctions then the regulation of WMD and their proliferation becomes a chirade. This not only relegates the UN to irrelevancy but it also does not deter the maintenance of WMD and their proliferation.
This is not rocket science.
I share the Rooney viewpoint. I started out liking French culture and reading about how they helped our US of A become the US of A. Then I went overseas to live in Korea 2 years. I was walking in the Nam-Dae-Moon market (shopping district) in Seoul. I always made an effort to say hello to other people “of European heritage” whether they were American or Canadian or German, as where I lived (in Cheju) it was rare to see another foreigner. I saw these two girls shopping and I said hello to them. Then they both threw what they were looking at down, marched up to me a said “How dare you assume we are American and you say “Hello” to us. Why didn’t you take the time and say Bonjour!!” Just as snotty as you please. I was dumbfounded. Then the more I learned about francophones and how they don’t allow any foreign words in their language, and their “better than thou” attitude, I realized that most of them are indeed like the French waiter in “National Lampoon European Vacation.” Then I learned that Ben Franklin had to plead to get the French to help us. As far as I am concerned, they can keep their fau gras (whatever) and next time they need saved, they can go it alone. I’m not saying all French or like that, it has just been my experience. Of the 14 French I have met, they have all gone out of their way to be extremely rude.
RUDE IS ALSO
GROTESQUELY OBESE AMERICAN
WITH UGLY CLOTHES AND LOUD
GREETINGS IN A PARIS CHURCH
…
OR I SEEM TO REMEMBER THOSE
THE LACKERED HAIRDOS AND PAINTED
FACES ON THREE EXTREMELY HAPPY
TEXAN TOURISTS IN THE METRO
LOUDLY DISTURBING EVERYONE THERE
….
RUDE IS BUSH BRUSHING OF THE KYOTO
ACCORDS IS IF IT WAS A RED ANT
….
CRUDE IS CALLING FRENCH FRIES
FREEDOM FRIES
………….
RUDE IS YOU GUYS, THE MOST EXTENSIVELY
DISLIKED PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, THE MOST INELEGANT AND SELF CENTERED
….
BARELY RUDE IS ME INVITING YOU
YANKEES TO STAY HOME
French bashing,
I loved your statement regarding the French, great you should bash them all the time that’s a great past time.
Since you are so knowledgeable, I’d like to know why the strongest force in the world the US of A got kicked out of Vietnam with their pants down??? Any explanation?
Since you like history, I am not sure of your level, (We understand that Americans do not fly high as far as intellect is concerned it is around the seventh grade.)
Who was La Fayette?
If you answer is: A Mongolian you failed
If you answered is: The Belgian Congo, no good this is where the chocolate comes from
If you answered: Mexico no, no good either… This is where the tacos come from (maybe you do not know what tacos are? remember Taco Bell?)
Answer: The guy who saved the Americans in their fight for independence against the British, and prevented the “Colonies,’ to stay under the “Crown of England.” And prevented our beautiful country the US of A to be British for ever.
The French are bastards to use their veto against the Resolution against Hussein, as a matter of fact they have done it several time. They used their veto 11 times.. What bastards!!!!
Well… well, let’s review more vetoes at the United Nation. The American have use theirs 77 times… Whoa… 77 times, the British 33 times isn’t that something??? When you look at the real facts then one get a different perspective. Naturally it is beyond the average American level to get that far.
I understand that getting your news from Fox and CNN and MSNNBC is not helping to raise your grades.
Best of luck in your bashing,
With love from French Fries
PS French born, American citizen for more than 40 years. I am certainly more American than you since you where born in this country and did not have any choosing.
The French don’t get it. Sure they helped us in the Revolution. They haelped create the most just and magnanimous country in the history of the world. And after WWI and WWII we worked with France and the rest of Europe in thier resistance to Communist expansion. When Pres. Reagan asked Mr. Gorbachjov to tear down that wall it was the united and solid coalition of America and Europe representing their ideals of freedom that eventually led to the disolution of the imperialist Soviet system. We all took a principled stand and stuck to it. It eventually led to the desired results, freedom and choice for our eastern european friends! Now the united states is trying to lead all of those freedom loving nations to once again take a stand against tyranny in the mid-east. It is one of the two hotspots in the world that must be dealt with in order for the world to be safe from catastrophes like WWI and WWII where we did not respond quickly enough to tyranny of the likes of hitler and hirohito. In the aftermath of WWII it was the strength of our common convictions that helped eliminate the soviet threat. We did not waiver in our support for each other because of our belief in a result for the common good. Now France and even Germany flinched when Saddam had to be confronted by a coalition of strong and committed allies. He must have felt great when that happened. Now, I’ve got them fighting among themselves. Divide and conquer. It is just what he wanted. It should make us all sad that historical ties we’ve had that led to such great results to the freedom of peoples all over the world has been compromised by a demented maniac. Nice work France. I hope that your narrow-mindedness in looking out for your own self interest will make you feel good when this is all over. I am so proud that American kids, when called upon by their elders to put their lives on the line to spread freedom to peoples oppressed have acted much more like Lafeyette than the Frenchmen of today. It’s not too late France. All we want is your moral support. We and the Brits are going to fund this expedition with our billions of dollars and hopefully not too many of our kids lives. And when it is over their is going to be a great need for assistance in getting Iraq back on it’s feet and moving in the right direction. Hopefully, you’ll step up and help then. We’ll still be friends because we would like to have your support in the future when the success of this mission proves that we were right in changing this regime. And by the way Aussie and Chilean wine is better than yours anyway. I haven’t padi for a bottle of french wine in years.
Mr. Lemarque:
Make that 15 French people. Since you have laid down the glove, I accept your challenge. Let’s keep this gentlemanly (though I doubt 40 years of being in this country would have taken the French snob out of you)
La Fayette was a great Frenchman. To top it off, he was a Masonic brother of mine. He had great taste in friends (Geo. Washington). As far as Vietnam, the great thing about America is we all have the right to disagree. I thought Vietnam was not any of our business, but Sadam has shown his voracity for evil in countless ways from gassing his own people to cutting his political opponents into little bitty pieces. The last guy with that kind of megalomania ended up killing over 6 million people. Sadam harbors terrorists and has vowed to hurt “us”, U-S.
As far as vetoes go, you have to look at each one separately. I am not against any country vetoing unless they are vetoing what they have agreed to in the first place. They voted for Security Council Resolution 1441, now they, along with Germany and Russia, are not agreeing to what they voted for in the first place. They have bought into Sadam’s piecemeal compliance scheme. 1441 calls for Iraq to disarm, not for hundreds of UN inspectors to play hide and seek for months on end like the French would like them to do.
Don’t worry about my intellect. I am well educated and hold a management position in a major corporation. Granted Americans can be obstinate, obnoxious and rude as well as any French person. I have to draw my conclusions from my experience, and that is that all the French people I have met have been exceedingly rude. I would love to be proven wrong. I hate that the sterotype is more truth than fiction when it comes to French snobery. When I traveled I have met people from many countries, including Russia, Australia, Germany, Italy and Sweden. I have to say that people are people. Some were rude; some were nice. However, the French…well, I have said my piece about that. And you just helped to verify my theory. Other countries think Americans have big egos, but nothing compares to the xenophobia France displays. How many Frenchmen does it take to defend the Champs Elysées? No one knows. It’s never been tried. Tasteless jokes aside, as far as the promise breakers, laissez-les manger le merde
The French have produced many great people but none of them seem to rise to the top government or in the military. For centuries its been one lousy leader after another and Chirac is no exception. The French politicians have that Maginot line thinking which has reduced them to also rans in the world. In Canada, our French leaders although charismatic can’t overcome their doltish thinking skills.
Bonjour,
My husband is American and he is getting pest off. We have a 3 year old daughter who is 50% French and 50% American and thank god she doesn’t understand what’s going on.
Brian work with French people of course and he was NEVER NEVER insulted by some nasty comments about Americans. The problem with you Americans is that if we don’t agree with you we are AGAINST you. I leaved in the USA from 1993 to 1999 and the big problem with you guys is that you are a little to self center and you don’t want to listen. You discover Terrorisme on Sept 11, but it was there way before. How many time i heard Americans telling me that nothing will ever happen in the USA because you are the Greatest country in the world and NOBODY could ever touch you? A thousand time. So please Stop putting the blame on us, YES we are against this Stupid War, I am standing near my President, and we should not be ashamed just because we are standing up for what we think is right.
I would like to thank Madame Molly Ivins for her article, i personnally lost 2 great grandparents during WW1 and both of my Grandpa fought during WW2.They both left their wiwes and family for 5 years and they gave everything they had for their country.My Mom’s dad left when she was one month old and when he came back she was 5. So please have some respect for them and all the others.
Anyway, have fun trying to rebaptise all the French roots word, by the way How do you call a French kiss now???
As a french student, I can tell you I feel nothing but pity for most of what I read in your news, forums, or your “jokes”, all your so-called “french bashing…” At the beginning, I wanted to participate to your debate and discuss my point of view on the subject but I’m affraid it is useless, I’ve read too much about it, you’ve got everything mixed up, you are so sure of yourselves and of what the sacred TV says you… oh yeah I surrender .. I thank your “God” (that certainly blessed America so well, that it is able to spread “freedom” everywhere.. you do feel free as American?) that some people like Danny Silverman, Molly Ivans or Phillip Lemarque are still a bit lucid about what’s is going these days.. and I thank Mickeal Moore for his great movies that raise the real issue about your country: don’t you think you should deal with the problems in your own country first?.. Hoh, How rude am I, like the other Frenchmen of course, because it’s the best ill mannered monkeys are able to do..
No, in fact, I want to tell to all Americans, proud of their “french bashing”, that here, in France, you make us laught a lot.. so go on with that, find us some other brillant ideas like the freedoms fries or bringing home US troops buried in Normandy, or the fact we have intersest in Sadam’s oil but certainly not you, and of course re-elect Bush in 2004!..
Would you excuse me now, but as a frenchman, I can’t write anymore and think without having a break of cheese and wine…
God Bless America comme vous dites !
Molly Ivins -> …They were out-manned, out-gunned, out-generaled and, above all, out-tanked. They got slaughtered, but they stood and they fought…
didnt those french idiots have like a year to prepare for war (from the moment war was declared until the moment it actually started)?
didn’t the germans & the britts also lost a shitload of people during WWI?
even thought the pols had the shittiest army in the world, did anybody c them fighting/collaborating w/the germans after they lost to them, like the balless french cheepishly did?
what the hell is she talking about??
Allow me to add another clip to piss off the rest of you frenchies that are so neurotic you have to see what the we superiorly rude loud Americans are saying about you. I am rude and loud and damn proud of it. But I am only rude and loud to the ones that are that way to me. That is the rude Francophones I have had the unfortune to meet. I will be so relieved when our troops march into Baghdad and find out how deep Mr. Chirac’s nose has been up sadam’s deriere, and what french companies have been trading with him during the NATO blockade that all agreed to 12 years ago. Anything for the allmighty franc I guess. Or is it the Euro now?
I will be so relieved when (the rest of) your troops march into Baghdad, (it’s not gonna happen in a hurry) and find out that Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction, no chemical or biological weapon neither, and how that it was just a lame excuse for your so-called president, to INVADE Irak…in fact, just because they dare oppose your so mighthy and proud nation, which was so eagerly looking for their oil…
Scapegoat. France is a mere scapegoat. It’s so easier to capitalize on some usual French bashing than to criticize former REAL enemies, like Russia (China maybe?). France did NOTHING but asserting its opinion. And this is far less cowardly than to follow the Americans for help against national terrorism (Spain) or further financial help (Afghanistan). France’s President has a democratic role, that is to say he has a moral assignment to express his people’s opinion, and that’s exactly what he does.
And stop saying French people have no memory! They were the first to show their support in the aftermath of september Eleven! They sent the best of their army, the only European aircraft carrier to support Enduring Freedom : no need to go as far as Lafayette to find an example of the French helping the Americans! So did they in Gulf War One, when there was a real casus belli identified as such by the Security Council.
About the French being rude : no boycott for American products has been called for in France. Because they know all Americans don’t agree with Bush. They know it’s stupid and irrelevant to talk of D-Day to advocate rejection of French products.
An exerpt from a Michael Moore’s letter to G.W. Bush
“Finally, we love France. Yes, they have pulled some royal screw-ups. Yes, some of them can be pretty damn annoying. But have you forgotten we wouldn’t even have this country known as America if it weren’t for the French? That it was their help in the Revolutionary War that won it for us? That our greatest thinkers and founding fathers — Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, etc. — spent many years in Paris where they refined the concepts that lead to our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution? That it was France who gave us our Statue of Liberty, a Frenchman who built the Chevrolet, and a pair of French brothers who invented the movies? And now they are doing what only a good friend can do — tell you the truth about yourself, straight, no b.s. Quit pissing on the French and thank them for getting it right for once. You know, you really should have traveled more (like once) before you took over. Your ignorance of the world has not only made you look stupid, it has painted you into a corner you can’t get out of. “
From http://www.michaelmoore.com
Looks like they found Chem weapons today! US was right all along.
Just a few word about a french guy who lives in Normandy.I want to say that i’m against this war.You can’t make peace with the war.American people doesn’t know the arabian people.The consequence of the war that you will win in a few days are going to be catastrophic.People of Egypt;Marocco;Tunisia,Pakistan…hate americans because of that war.
Why Mr Bush attacks Irak and not North Korea which is more dangerous.Irak would have been desarme by the UN.I’m very worry about the consequence of the war like many people in France.
The fact that I’m against the makes me not a “chiken”..And i’m very sad when you talk about the second world war…The sacrifice of american soldiers was very precious and deliver our country of the Nazi;I’ve got an american simetery near my home and I usally visit them,to thank them for their sacrifice for freedom.
I love America but I hate mister Bush who is not very honest and makes war for oil.This war is a big trap!
War without France would be like … uh … World War II
Q.Why are all the highways in France lined with trees?
A.So the Germans can march in the shade!
Q.What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up?
A.The Army
Q. How do you stop a French Tank?
A. Shoot the guy pushing.
Q. how many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris.
A. We don’t know, it’s never been tried.
You suck man!!!If I can give you a tip,go and take a French History book,or a world History like a lot of americans who are ignorant(also Mr Bush and Mr Rumsfeld).
Hopefully all the americans are not like you.I thank Michael Moore;Martin Sheen;Susan Sarandon;Sean Penn…and the others.They are very courageous.
As a French from France, I know about french Bashing, and i tell you that make me laught sometimes. If it’s a past time for you, fine. I won’t get mad at you. I came many times in your country and i love your life style.
I don’t forget what Americans have done for us even if i wasn’t born.
To all Americans against us, i just tell them come here in France, and then judge.
Fact:The American are the most selfish,stupid,ignorant,fat in the world.For them to continue in this fashion should’nt surprise or shock anyone.
Enguehard Benoit
Your Anti-Americanism is just stupid. By reacting this way, you just provoque reactions of hate and war. As a French myself i’m shame to see bloody ass-hole like you. And you are giving all reasons to american to hate us.
Ground 0… Ousama not only succeeded in destroying WTC down to Ground 0. He did the same with the spirits of some paranoiac US people who swallow the propaganda of their government and media without further thinking, not so different as in former Irak. Do those people really know the French position on Irak? I think they don’t, or they pretend they don’t. Emotion drives them and makes them hysterical about French people as a whole. “Frenchs are scums, arabs are liers, Germans are nazis, Russians are alcoholic… We can continue like this. This is called RACISM (By the way, aren’t the US a mixture of all those people?)
Let them go on with their poor French bashing. I personnaly absolutely don’t care. If this may constitute their psychotherapy, we are glad to be here for them.
I am ready to have a real debate on the French position. May be it was not fully right, but I am sure it was not so bad as most americans think. Unfortunately, I am afraid I will get poor insults rather than interesting arguments.
sigh………… I see alot of american bashing on here (as usual), and quite a bit of bashing back by US. None of it is particulary enlightning. Let’s agree to disagree, shall we. Do not presume to understand why we took the action we did. It was the right thing for US to do, that’s all that matters to US.
Feel free to disagree, call us fat, call us arogant, never buy another American product. Hate us as much as you please. I only ask one thing….
PLEASE, do not continue to desicrate the graves of our AMERICAN war dead, buried in our cemeteries over there. After all, my grandfather is buried in one of them. He died defending France in 1944.
Keep hating us, after all you will always know that if France ever needs America to sacrifice more of our children to defend your freedom, we will be there.
BUT PLEASE, don’t ruin the graves, after all, I may like to go visit & honor the man who I never got to meet, who died on your soil.
p.s. I don’t think this is too much to ask. If it is, forgive me, I’m just an arogant, fat American (who never got to meet his grandfather)
The American,
You don’t need to answer to insults (fat,arrogant). They are irrelevant. I guess the fellow who wrote that reacted violently to what he read before about Frenchs on this site and everywhere in the US media. That’s naive or paranoiac to believe that French people hate US people. May be some of us are a bit jealous of you because you are THE superpower in the world, whereas we are become a little power. But that’s natural, that’s a good sign for you, and that’s not hatred at all. US standards of living are everywhere in our country (may be too much…most are high quality standards, some others are big shit: McDonald’s, TV soaps…). We are the SAME people. It is irrelevant to generalize the hatred of few Frenchmen. I shouldn’t even have to write this… And the same is right in the other way, of course. But right now and for a few weeks, in which country, France or USA, do you think there is most hatred against the other? You know the answer. Your media and government encourage it. It’s radical and absurd. Listen to this : “France supported Saddam Hussein” they claim all day long. That is not serious. That’s mind manipulation. Please inform yourself. French govt disagreed, like tens of other countries, on the timing and method of Saddam’s disarmament, not on the principle. This can be discussed.
You evoke grave desicrating… Such actions are awful. Yes, we unfortunately have extremists in our country, like everywhere. Don’t you have silly extremists in the US? I am afraid they are even not far from power…
Yours.
I’m sorry americans but if you support war specially in the name of God you are creating more extremisms, You can’t kill someone in the name of God whatever it’s a dictator or not. No Way. It’s absurd.
But this is exactly what bush did by sending missile over Saddam.
And please stop saying we are protecting Saddam. We protect Peace and justice.
It seems Bush administration change always subject when he fail somewhere, (catching ben laden and so on). The fault is always with other, Bush fail to convice UN and is the fault of French…of course.
We protect peace……………………..Please
only until Tanks (with German flags on them) rumble into your capital, then you quickly abandon peace and demand others come and fertilize your soil with thier blood. All the while hating and spiting on thier graves.
At least be honest and say that you are protesting because removing Sadam threatens your pre-exsisting financial relationship with Iraq. ‘We’d respect you more if you were at least honest about it.
I have a serious question for those French posters here. There was recently alot of media (US) reports that polls in France reported that over 40% of the French population actually were HOPING that America & the Brits would lose this war.
Despite what you think, most of what you hear, we don’t just take everything in our media as fact. I was curious to know, is this true? Did just under half of France really wish death and failure to America and the UK.
Enlighten me. I really am curious?
Personnaly, I was as Moved by learning the death of all that boys and girls from USa or UK than by learning Irakian civilians death.
That why I was against this war. Not because of any kind of Sadam-supporting. Reading all that hating messages I almost cried. No one in my familly or relatives never mentioned any will to see American loose this “war”.I’m too young to have known WW2 , but I think American (and Canadian and Britanic) men died in order to free France, not to have it being USA’s slave. USA is not the Messiah. To not be with you isn’t to be against you. I don’t understand this french bashing thing. Will Mr Bush bomb France now because we must pay? I hope it could help you .
Poigniez………………Bless you.
Let me try to explain Anti-french sentiment, which (you probably could care less) is at an all-time high in the US.
Americans have always had a special place in our heart for the french (yeah, we made good natured jokes but, but truth is, we REALLY liked you). Maybe it was because of your country’s gift of one of our most precious symbols.
In this latest conflict, you did not simply disagree (many of us did that exact thing) with our stance, you openly, and very publicly, took a very anti-american stance.
We are not stupid (despite what you think), we understood that you had, at the very least, financial interests in Iraq. We translated your stance as France taking sides, And sadly, you choose Iraq.
To many in the US, particularly with those of us that have family members buried In France after having died for YOUR freedom, this is very hurtful.
Hurt turns to anger. I fear that the US (our people, not our government) will never recover from what we view as CONTINUED faceslapping from your people.
No, Mr. Bush will not bomb France. After all, he would never do anything to disturb everlasting resting place of THOUSANDS (over 50,000) of our sons.
As you the statue of liberty thing, I think we have repayed you in full with our blood. Call us even now
You said that you started the war in order to remove Saddam from power, because he was a dictator. Other countries said that was because of oil. All of that is certainly true. Don’t say that you made it only for self defense or liberty, as in Corea there is a man who is far more dangerous than Saddam, because he really has WMD, and because his people starve. Will you attack him ?
But you freed Irak…and as it was said previously, Saddam was quite a bloody dictator. Now the Irakian people can taste democracy.
Now there’s a problem.
Who’s next ? It may be Syria. You must understand that, even if you have good reasons (Wich you certainly have), you frighten more and more people in the world. The September events were the result of your policy. And it’s not by bombing evil countries that you will gain friendship.
Maybe it’s true that you brought freedom in this part of the world, but if everybody see it as an aggression, even the very people you saved, where is the good ? I’m not a mindless pacifist, but how can you explain that, for the price of the war, you could have feeded over 30 millions people for one year in Africa ? I think this would have been be really important: giving life and not spreading …
…death, of course.
I don’t aggree that sept 11 is the result of american policy don’t say that. It’s very mean i don’t accept that.
Is the result of desperaded people who live in deep sheet society. I agree with american to change that.
We have a moral responsability to help those people. Otherwise we will get more terrorist attack.
Sept 11 is the result of evil. I know many people disagree about that.
Sept 11 was something awfull, innocent people had to jump from the top of this building. Horror and hell i’m sorry. NO ONE DESERVE THAT. As a french, but also as a human, I condam that. I feel shame to listen an other french saying those thing, that really hurt me coming from another french. You a bloody bastard for saying that.
But i also desagree about American who say that war was a good thing.
War is always a bad thing, Look now how friends we were suppose to be are insulting each other. It’s a shame.
Yes my parent surrender during WWII, i don’t blame them for that.
Seeing your daughter and wife rapped, your son murdered. Anyone would accept humiliation to avoid that.
WWI has killed 1 million 400 of french.
YOU AMERICANS you don’t deserve lessons from us it’s true, What you have done in France was great.We would never thanks you enought for that.
If it’s french blood that you want fine i give you mine. Take mine first. You can get my life but never my spirit.
My name is gil de bejarry, i live 74 bd victor hugo boulogne city and i wait for you. And i say to anyother human never revenche my name or you would insult my name.
We keep saying we want help you, This war is going to create more terrorists as al quaida if we don’t act together. French exactly wanted to avoid that. Don’t you think we are not suffuring from terrorism. The subway station close to where a live has been bombed and killed plenty of innocents
French and Americans are trying to make this life better. We are not ennemis, Al Quaida will defeat if we remain together, Bash us as who want is fine. In fact French are using a lot of self critisim is a good thing, Americans don’t, but you compensate by humor.
This war has maybe one good thing, We can’t ignore each other, You treat French as subalterne since WWII. You finally never took as much as importance as us.
We are cheese eating monkeys, but i tell you sometimes monkeys worth more than human.
Sincerely yours.
Don’t be so narrow minded. I didn’t say that they deserved that, of course ! Nobody could think that, even someone who doesn’t like America ! But you must admit that if it was The US of A that were targetted, it was for a “”good”” reason. And the reason is that SOME people are afraid of their power, and how they use it. How can you deny it ?
And it’s now my trun to crtiticize what you said:
“You finally never took as much as importance as us.”
But look around you. Not only US have (and by far !!!!) the greatest army, but they also are behind the most powerful firms (Even the one we are so proud of, like L’Oreal). 1 movie out of two (at least) are from USA. Nothing is above them, not even IMF nor UN. And France is nothing but a declining country…
So we can only hope that you, Americans, do something useful with your power. Not threating us.
Rens………….
I think that SOME of what you say is valid. Yes, we are the most powerful nation in the world. I am don’t think that I’m being arrogant by saying that. After all, it does make us a target for people who are scared, jelous or whatever. With that power, comes a great responsibility. More than you will ever know. In a way, it kinda stinks. A great deal of the taxes that I pay, goes to funding other countries. It is also somewhat of a burden. We have had to sholder much responsibility in order to help other countries. We have provided aid and care to almost every nation on this planer at one time or another.
It seems that the rest of the world have become almost like beggers. Unless we are directly helping them, we are nothing but bastards and jerks. Some even think that when we are providing aid to them.
I do think we do something useful with our power. I’m am sorry you don’t see that. Right now, France does not really need our help, but it certainly has in the past. And guess what, We were there for you, both with our money and our blood. What have we ever asked for in return, almost nothing.
Would you perfer that we isolate ourselves and not provide any aid to anyone. We certainly could, We could trade goods and services with a few other countries and let the rest of the would “go to hell”. We could close our borders and deny any other people to enjoy our educational and financal assets. What would the world say then. That would whine and cry that we have a responsability to the world to help out, you know they would”. Well, who says we do. we have a primary responsibility to ourselves FIRST.
Would we ever do that, no. And why, because we are one of the most generous nations on earth. The rest of the world will go on despising us. It really is sad to me.
Americans right now are not really happy with the french (and vice versa). But quess what, we could live without your friendship, if your freindship takes the form it has lately.
Look at Canada, they, like you, did not agree with the war. Unlike you, they just said we disagree, and did not provide aid. France went beyond that, you went out of your way to undermine and create a public outcry against us. You call it courage to stand up for what you beleive.
Fine, but don’t be suprised our friendship suffers because of it. Just like to war, the easy part was winning it, the aftereffects will be much tougher.
It was easy to stand up to us, and say “bad USA”, but now you must prepare yourself for the after effects. France is no longer the ally you once were. Being of french desent, that makes me very sad, but was of YOUR choosing.
France is out for France, that much is clear. when we say that we will not value your freindship (which you obviously did not cherish like we did) it is not a threat. It’s just a reality.
Good luck.
Ok. I understand the first part. Saying that you’re the most generous, it’s OK. But this cash flow you give have also a counterpart. Don’t forget it. And it’s no more a question of France/USA relashionship. Obviously, your country (As all in the world) is not all white with little angels in here. Remember who were a close friend of Saddam, along with the French, I agree…it was the CIA. So you don’t have to play “Oh we are the most generous and you know what it stinks”. Because I bet that with your taxes you give more to your Army than to the help funds. And I also bet that the ratio will go on increase.
So I’m asking: now, who pay the price of liberty in blood ?
And I want to add that I think it was quite stupid to use the veto. At least we agree on that.
Rens
Ok for sept 11 you didn’t say” they deverve it ” fine. But i don’t accept when you say, that people who did that was for “good” reason. I don’t know what you mean by good in that ? Rens France is a decline country only if we accept it.
The American
I’m sure you are convice that what you are doing is good.
But please don’t tell me that Canadians are not able to think by their own.
Can i ask you a question, Al Quaida promise the death of capitalist countries like ours. Those people are fanatics, they accept to died, for no reason.
I get the information, that 2 or 3 nuclear bombs has desapeard after USSR colapse.
How America would react if terrorists
would use nuke bombs in a big city ?
What would be your position towards french ? I understood you said that if American tombs weren’t in France, would you nuke us? Are we just a bloody bug for you?
I aggree that your first responsability is to protect yourself first. I don’t blame you for that and i aggree about it. You are honest on that point ,I have to admit that , but in this case why are you so mad at us if we are doing the same ?
If oil what our motivation in Iraq don’t you think that france would have more interest to be with you ?
I truly believe you can do something with your power , France never say “BAD USA”, your media dissinform you. I have a friend of mine is Irish is
leave here , he fluent in French, He listen at french declaration in UN, And he says that US Media didn’t translate the exact meaning of french declaration.
I don’t know if you speak another language,but please be carrefull with deformations from one language to another.
Don’t you think we would be talking with you if we wouldn’t care of you.
best regards.
Gil,
Couple things
1) I never said that Canada did not have a mind of it’s own. I said the opposite. I just stated that, while they disagreed with us on this war, they VALUE our friendship so much that they would not try to stop us on something we felt so strongly about.
2) You asked “are we a bug to you?” Again you misunderstand. The very fact that there are American graves in France proves that we would never “nuke” you. The fact that we have sacraficed over 150’000 American to help defend you, that ought prove our loyalty to France.
3) If a terrorist set off a nuclear device anywhere in the world, it would be horrible. We believe that this war will help prevent that. They already hated us anyway. DO you really think they hate us more now?
4) And yes, one thing we agree on, I beleive the media (both in France and in USA) are giving all of us garbage. I think yours is feeding you garbage, and I think ours is feeding us alot of garbage. But that always happens in time of war.
5) I don’t think Americans HATE the French, Quite the opposite. I think most Americans are HURT and SADDENED by what we feel is France’s hatred of us. Of all the countries that did not want this war and spoke out against us. The only one that it seems bothered us the most was yours (FRANCE). And again, that’s partly because there are still MANY, MANY people here that still feel the personal loss of a family member that died for YOUR freedom. Do we hate you, certainly not, Are we saddened and shocked, very much so.
Yes, I do speak another launguage.
“The French navy transported reinforcements to the southern American army under the Marquis de Lafayette, fought off a British fleet, and protected Generals Washington and Rochambeau’s march to Virginia. With an almost evenly divided American-French Army of 16,000, Washington laid seige to 8,000 British forces at Yorktown and forced their surrender on October 19, 1781, for all practical purposes successfully ending the War for American Independence.” With out the French —- We could be under British rule!! NOT THE USA!!!!
Look Americans
I love you, all of you, I have my deep reason to say that and please don’t contredict me on that point.
My media are deep sheet also as yours most of the time. I completly agree with you.
Nothing is better than talking to an other person as we are doing right now.
Americans i tell you i really think people want nuke you, like in big city DC or NY. For me you are in great danger right now. But I know you are strong enought to react, Please let a bit other decide what they want, even if you think what they want is shit.
Let other do mistake by their owns.
I am 100% sure in every american heart you feel that what you are doing is freeing those iraqi people, I tell you, i command you. Move you butt from there now. I personnaly send you money if you want we help you. Just move, now.
And you’re operation will be complete success, you will be heros, King of this world, and so on. It is just fine for us.
Please don’t stop bashing us we like it.
=:-) . We would not like you as much if you would just do everything as slave, we now that would be fake, and we hate fake.
Hi!
I’m an American who is also attempting to understand the political implications of this invasion of Iraq and why we Americans have become so upset that the French dared to express an opinion different than our own. Hmmnnn..
Here’s some pretty fundamental thoughts that influence my interpretation of the recent French bashing (and there is plenty of it on this message board.)
I have observed in American society in the last 10-12 years, an increasing admiration for entertainment which is “dumb and dumber.” We waste hours and hours of our precious gift of life watching dumb reality programs on TV, eating mindlessly and becoming fatter and fatter. We drive huge, macho cars which guzzle gas and make us feel like we have some power, when, in fact, we have less and less ability to make significant choices in our lives. We’ve given up so much BECAUSE WE LIVE MINDLESSLY.
Yet we claim some exclusive right to invade another country for moral reasons. Bush invokes the Christian, “evangelical” God every chance he gets. This is scary stuff! I sure don’t think we are going to be the “saviors” of Iraq because we go in there to help them organize their society the right way. Our own is such a mess. Give me a break!
I know many French people and have spent a lot of time in France. It seems that the ordinary Frenchman has an education and an upbringing which creates a person who still values developing intellectual capacity, aesthetic sensitivity, healthy living and justice for all persons. There is always time for dialog and the expression of opposing views. There is respect for another person’s opinion. This is life on a much higher plane that the one most of us live in the good old un-disciplined USA. So let’s label the French snobs or worse, but let’s admit that maybe our rancour comes because we’ve been brainwashed to believe that excellence, disciplined choices, intellectual reasoning, appreciation of of the arts creates snobs instead of people who actually live better than we do. Maybe we’ve become too lazy to improve ourselves, so we try to bring down others.
I know this is harsh, folks, but I know a lot of other Americans who feel the same way. And we grieve for our own country.
Thanks for letting me have my say. I am an American and I’m exercising my right to have an opinion that is a whole lot different than many other Americans on this list.
Thanks for reading….
Madelyn, you are an idiot.
Madelyn,
You sound, sadly, to have become soured on “life in America”. What your saying, transends simply a “anti-war” position and instead paints your own general feelings on this great country of ours. Since your complaints extend over a 10-12 year period that covers both a Republican and democratic leadership, we can rule out that your statements are political in nature.
I also have been to France, and I find that, as a people, they are in fact no better (or no worse) than your average American, but I suppose that is a matter of opinon.
I too, sometimes question the actions we as a nation, but on the whole, I am proud to be American. If you feel that strongly that this country is on the wrong path, why don’t you excersize you freedom, and emigrate to another country that you are more comfortable with (I suggest France since you seem so fond of it). We all deserve happiness, and if you cannot find yours here, find a place where you can.
By the way, I drive an economy car and am the picture of fitness 🙂
Please webmaster correct that bug.
Madelyn,
You are not idiot you are very smart.
You are a beautifull person and you can be proud for spreading love instead of hate between people.
Madelyn you are the real heros of your country.
You will be the one really freeing Iraqi people. In return those people, will help you to be loved by muslims, and never live under fears of terrorists.
Is it something we can do for you ?
If you say no is terrible.
French and German Socialists Threaten European Prosperity
NewsMax.com Wires
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003
“French history books mention Omaha Beach in a single paragraph, and “the Marshall Plan no longer appears at all. In 10 years, it seems entirely possible that America’s pivotal role in liberating France will be unknown to French pupils.
WASHINGTON – Cracks are appearing in the forced structure of the European Union.
In announcing their objections to France and Germany’s domineering diktat, eight EU members have signaled their opposition to a more dangerous cultural shift that has taken place over the past 50 years. If not brought under control, this shift will erode performance and stifle ambition to the point where the Continent becomes a permanent second-class society to North America, Japan, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea and, eventually, Russia.
New Europe vs. Old: How True
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s recent identification of the “new Europe” brilliantly identified this shift of half of Europe away from the growing control of Brussels bureaucrats. His casual reference may well prove to be one of the brightest foreign policy statements of President Bush’s administration. It is noteworthy that it emanated from the Department of Defense, not the State Department.
The progressive centralization and statist control of the “Europeanization” of the continent began after World War II, in the 1950s. As it has gathered followers, it is as if a new race has been forming in much of Europe, a breed different from anything we have seen before.
This new race is not yet in absolute control, but it should be recognized that a majority of Europeans has become accustomed to government guidance, in preference to market motivation.
The appropriate name for this new race is Eurosocialists. Not Euro-Socialists, no hyphens, no beating around the bush. Rather, a clear identification of those who would create a single, pervasively centralized continent from a score of individual nations.
Anathema to the Eurosocialists above all and everything is what they consider excessive motivation, energy and effort by others. These feelings have become so engrained that it will be difficult, perhaps not possible for decades, to re-create a productive, promising climate and attitude capable of competing with the more dynamic countries of the world.
For now, we will have to live with a new race firmly linked to government aid, control and all the other encumberments of a supra-state. Always dedicated to very, very early retirement, the Eurosocialist of course maintains fine decorum in his casual, coddled guitar culture.
Rewarded Just for Existing
The members of this race believe that a comfortable living standard should be guaranteed to them simply for existing. How much each Eurosocialist works or produces with his intellectual contribution plays no role.
Today, a majority of Europeans seem to be part of this belief system. It is particularly disturbing that this should have happened in a continent so full of history, culture, learning, science and remarkably talented people.
Eurosocialism got its big initial boost in the late 1950s and 1960s when the original European Common Market of six countries, avowedly dedicated to centralized political and social “unification,” won over the European Free Trade Association of seven states, whose title meant only what it said.
Then, as now, the driving Common Market powers were France and Germany, while Britain attempted to create something less monolithic via the European Free Trade Association. And the French and Germans won.
At the end of World War II, there was a clear opportunity for a new beginning in Germany, France and elsewhere. America’s victory over German fascism, then called National Socialism, made possible the introduction of representative forms of government and free enterprise. Unfortunately, we had overlooked one critical point.
Copying Soviet Failures
Socialism in its most comprehensively pure form, communism, lived on in Eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union. In Germany, France and elsewhere, academics and intellectuals copied the softer elements of this hard-core socialism, firmly establishing this ideology in schools, universities and media throughout virtually all of Europe.
The soft-core socialists have enunciated a successfully evangelized Europeans using this Mercedes-socialism, managing to turn these attractions into a way of life.
Free enterprise exists in form, but is limited in substance. Europe has its stock markets, multinationals, finally even venture capitalized start-ups, all the elements that propelled the United States into the fast lane. But corporate Europe operates in close association bordering on partnership with government.
Slavish Conformity
All this togetherness, at virtually every level has created a slavish social conformity that says: “Do not step out of line or show that you want to work harder in any noticeable way.” And be sure not to indicate you are more motivated by your own willpower and energy than your neighbor or co-worker.
Curiously, driving a powerful BMW and your wife wearing ultra-fancy jewelry go well in Germany, which has transformed itself into a world leader in materialism, greater even than the United States with all its advertising and faults of throwaway consumption.
Materialism behind closed doors has become one phenomenon, and if you are one of the 100 most successful Germans you will certainly be envied. However, you had better be careful your name does not appear in the media, or you will not be considered a regular member of the Eurosocialist team, but an outsider.
Today in France, an open shirt is standard Eurosocialist attire, certainly with no tie and best without a jacket. Demonstrable intellectual “finesse” is still in high demand, but showing signs of economic success is quite another matter.
Society has arrived at the point where an entrepreneur, a scientist or a physician openly earning four times the average wage is considered asocial. The French will say, “Monsieur ou Madame est bizarre,” that is, something is out of line with that man or woman.
In short, the hardworking have become the exception. They are no longer considered examples to be admired by the young.
Today, the EU, with dual capitals in Brussels and Strasbourg, France, boasts 40,000 bureaucrats in control of domestic life from common labor regulations to production of butter, milk and eggs. The $90 billion budget casts in concrete thousands of laws and regulations, superseding national legislation and customs developed over generations. Fifth layers of government are super-imposed on the citizens.
Stifling statist control has worked better within the EU than internationally. Disagreement over what action to take against Saddam Hussein is an embarrassing example. While individual members act in defiance, diplomatic functionaries rove the world representing “European” policy rejected by fully half EU members.
Taxation Without Representation
Within Europe, however, individuals and communities are effectively coerced into becoming captives of an opaque, immovable, unapproachable system. Although each European pays $250 a year in taxes to Brussels, it has all happened without a vote, neither for the scope and method of government nor for a constitution (which is still far from being agreed). With the exception of three countries where voters were finally asked, the same goes for the euro, the new currency.
What happened to the opportunity offered the newly liberated continent in 1945 and later? Having lost 400,000 lives in World War II, the United States provided $26 billion in Marshall Plan aid to friend and foe in Europe, in 1952 dollars. France benefited by $5.5 billion, Germany by $2.8 billion, equivalent to $32 billion for France and $16 billion for Germany at current values.
This enormous and unprecedented aid was aimed at economic and social recovery, however, with no stipulation as to the form that recovery should take.
Heterodoxy Raises Its Brave Head
Fortunately, some rays of light are beginning to appear on the horizon. Here and there regions are daring to act counter to the EU, openly questioning predominant Eurosocialist solutions. Market forces have motivated companies and municipalities to form economic and trade alliances.
In northern Italy, in sections of Austria and in Germany’s Bavaria, zones of cooperation are developing.
In Switzerland, not yet part of the EU, it is the strip between Geneva and Lausanne; in Britain, around Oxford; in Spain, areas in the south.
Moreover, businessmen, companies, and even some politicians have started planning across borders.
In the big triangle between Lyon in France, Turin in Italy and Geneva in Switzerland, one such answer to EU dominance has developed.
Similarly, northern Switzerland is pushing feelers toward neighboring Austria and southern Germany.
Scientists, businessmen and politicians are supporting these new regions. Where it is happening, esprit de corps, increasing productivity and greater overall dedication to one’s work follows.
National resistance to EU demands has succeeded in several instances.
Ireland has moved from the lowest to the top layer in productivity, largely because of its resolute refusal to raise tax rates to the EU’s strangulating levels, saving the average Irish worker 8 percent in taxes versus his continental counterpart.
Italian centrist politicians, led by businessman turned Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, are beginning to open the shackles of punitive taxation as well as the nation’s notorious regulatory morass.
Switzerland’s Example
Venture capital start-ups are the order of the day in Switzerland, proceeding at a rate unprecedented elsewhere on the continent. The Swiss social scene remains noteworthy for its family-centered discipline and the country continues to excel in basic and higher education.
Lausanne’s IMD-International Business School is on a par with Dartmouth, Michigan and Carnegie Mellon, rated best in the United States by the Wall Street Journal. One can obtain a world-class MBA in 12½ months at IMD, while it takes 20 or more in the United States or at Oxford.
Each of the 27 Swiss cantons controls 40 percent of governing powers, with municipalities holding an additional 30 percent. Only 30 percent is ceded to the federal government, to provide overall national guidance and conduct defense and foreign policy. Politicians in the EU are beginning to take notice of the obvious benefits of the Swiss system.
An estimated 97 percent of Europeans do not know the names of their overseers in Brussels or representatives in Strasbourg, in part owing to the speed with which the supra-state has become operational, overriding the rights and desires of individual citizens and many of their governments.
The Arrogant Chirac and Schroeder
Two self-crowned leaders of the EU supra-state stand out: President Jacques Chirac of France and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany. Instructive of the pervasive political attitude favoring Eurosocialism, Chirac and Schroeder follow hard on the heels of governments headed by their political opposition, respectively Francois Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl, the two predominant forgers of the EU in its present iron-fisted form.
Chirac plays the pragmatist, pretending to represent a middle-of-the-road conservatism. (Fox News Channel has reported that his “conservatism” is to the left of Al Gore.)
Excelling in typically Gallic flowery promises with very limited follow-through, and cloaked in sassy Italian suits, this 73-year-old likes to blame “l’arrogante Amerique” for Europe’s troubles. A salon Leninist is one of his close advisers: his daughter, Claude. Chirac, who has an additional six years of regal rule, has effectively subdued a significant number of talented younger politicians.
Ungrateful for America’s Help
French history books mention Omaha Beach in a single paragraph, and the Marshall Plan no longer appears at all. In 10 years, it seems entirely possible that America’s pivotal role in liberating France will be unknown to French pupils.
Germany’s Schroeder is far distant from the Federal Republic’s founding father Konrad Adenauer, or even later Social Democratic Party Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. Striving to maintain his SPD-Green coalition in power through increasingly anti-American actions, he has effectively presided over the regression of Germany to a narcissistic level not seen since the years preceding World War II.
Schroeder and Chirac could easily have changed the dirigiste course of the EU by reverting to national responsibility. Instead, they have chosen the easy downhill slide, giving Eurosocialism the opportunity to take root and flower. The result is that EU economic, foreign and military policies are worlds apart from those of the United States.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel? We must have hope, but with Europe at self-induced half-speed compared to America and Asia, any real change will be incremental, without a radical change in German or French leadership.
Take Note, Blame-America-First Left
Short term, the gulf will surely widen. As they encounter ever greater areas of conflict, Eurosocialist protectionism and America’s free-enterprise spirit will have increasing difficulty coexisting. Eurosocialism is on the march, with legions of non-elected bureaucrats committed to solidifying suffocating systems that corrode commerce as well as individual freedoms.
Barring major political upheaval or more major terrorist disasters, there are only a few ways to stop the Eurosocialists from completely homogenizing the continent. Nationally, it is possible that one or more tax rebellions will occur, as governments see their commercial competitiveness steadily erode. More trans-national groupings such as those noted above could also be formed.
Perhaps the most significant development would be development of ad hoc commercial associations among the New Europe nations identified by Rumsfeld. These could include Polish, Czech, and Hungarian members of the former East bloc, plus one or more of Britain, Spain and Italy.
Whatever Europe’s eventual course, it is certain the struggle will be long and arduous. However, given one or more of these developments, it is possible to envision the Eurosocialists in Brussels, Strasbourg, Paris and Berlin finally giving way to realism and favoring economic over political union in Europe.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/2/25/105148.shtml
You are right.
You are good for us. You have always beeing good. If ennemis exist
it is not you, you have helped me getting red of my fears.
Thanks for explaning me that the only
ennemi the only threaten me and want kill me is…myself.
Thanks for liberating me.
Anyone who thinks that the french won the American Revolution is eating their own poop for breakfast. France’s interest at that time was to obtain cheap cotton, among other commodities, which Britain had been supplying until the American Revolution. (Also, France’s national pasttime is being an irritant to anyone.) Get a life!@!!!!
While we anxiously wait for “Operation Spanking” that will teach the French a lesson they will never forget, we should do more than to call French Toast, Freedom Toast, and French Poodles, Freedom Poodles. I propose that we stop using the thousands of French words which are part of our language. This way we would cleanse ourselves of the French forever and we could also speak a primitive version of English which better suits our intellects!
Someone named “Molly Ivans” is supposed to have supplied history about how the French were out-gunned, out-generaled, and out-tanked, etc. at the beginning of WWII. Generally this is correct, especially the out-generaled part. Actually at the outbreak of WWII the French had a battle tank fully equal to the then current version of the German Panzer. They should rightlfully be proud of this technology. However, their inferior tactics prevented them from grouping these tanks together in formations that would equal the number of tanks the Germans could concentrate in one place and thus they were always outnumbered at points of critical confrontation. Even worse, French government policy was so divided and the French Generals were so afraid of losing their tanks they refused to commit them to battle at the most opportune time early in the German drive to the English channel. After that it didn’t matter whether they still had them “in reserve” or not.
But enough history, partial-history and mis-history. There is enough silliness on the postings to this site to make any sensible person embarrassed to be either French or American! However, one fact was “acted out” and not just cheap talk. The desicration by Frenchmen of the graves of British and American soldiers who died defending France, whatever their other motivations, is inexcusable; and for the generations of military veterans since WWII unforgivable. The U.S. and U.K. should give serious consideration to moving the graves and bringing our dead home, regardless of the cost.
Yes, of course. Tomorrow I’ll go painting some French bashing on the Statue of Liberty so that the French spend billions bringing it home.
Susan Sarandon
You said that french didn’t help you during American revolution, you have the right to think what you want. France was one of the richest country in the world at that time . Do you think they needed your cotton to survive ?
Marquis de Lafayette was from a noble familly, Excuse me but what did America do ? when 13 years latter during the french revolution 1789, to help thousands noble famillies killed and murdered? It what the same people who were helping you…
Pierre L’Enfant was a French architect , he designed for you Washington DC, he died poor and alone. But you get the most beautifull city in the states.
Two days ago in a theatre in Paris, a comic who was making fun of Bush , get caught by two men , they beat him and cut his face with a rasor. They insult him and said you support bloody Arabs.
What are you doing americans? Are you playing against us ? Don’t you realise that we are the same people as you? Terrorists are too happy to see that. What is happening now make them stronger. They will succeed to separe us if we don’t mind. We will push them to do new attacks, if we show them that we are fighting each other.
Don’t you realize that if we don’t help each other we go for suicide ?
Expecting that you won’t compeat to decide if you should spell cutted potatoes : “french fries” or “freedom fries”, because cutted potatoes where invented by Belgium.
Is the right name shouldn’t be “Belgium fries”?
Sincerely yours.
French and Americans are very succesfull when they are together.
Both of our countries had people who died for that, because they were expecting a better world for us.
We have no right to forget them.
We can’t change the past, as we can’t change the future where we won’t be friends…
Hi I’m French and i need to go to your country in one or two weeks. Sorry if my question seems naive but, i’d like to know if i may face difficult or worse situations ?
Please be honest with me, This is not that i’m scared but i’d like to be prepared.
I must go anyway and that would not change my trip (east cost from Montreal to Wash DC as tourist).
Thanks you for your anwsers.
Hey Gil
Stop polluting that forum with your pseudo historical science – Belgium was a part of France when cutted potatoes were invented. It gained its independence from the French in 1830 only.
Dear Lawrence,
I may agree not what you say, but i will defend to my death your right to say it.
Quote: “eet takes a Frenchman to make a perfect saladuh” Jacques Pepin to Julia Child on “Cooking at Home” on Public Television. Just another good example of how arrogance runs amuck in the French. Pepin has been in the USA for over 30 years and still the arrogance has not escaped him. Geeze. Like any idiot couldn’t take a head of lettuce and tear it into pieces and add some oil and vinegar. Lord, PLEASE let me meet one nice French person so that my idea of them can be proven wrong! I even get emails from Brits living in France married to French women that tell me how right I am. I must not be the only one that can’t stomach the French.
What really strikes me is the growing intolerance in the U.S. for any differing in opinions. I hear over and over that people who are not in line with current mainstream “simply don’t get it!”. How come you know for sure what’s going on. Must be that you are just more intelligent, more enlighted, more attentative to others, travelling more abroad, more sensitive to foreign cultures, better at speaking foreign languages, etc.
However, I am not concerned by this attitude since it is very costly to afford your military machine in the long run, giving you a “collect call from reality” in a few years time (hint watch your debts). I will pitty the ones facing the ten trillion dollar bill soon. http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
As for bashing other people (by the way I’m Swiss, so please bash Switzerland not Sweden), the whole world is full of lying, of cheating and of other weaknesses. Moreover, I assume that these “virtues” are distributed normally over our planet. Thus, wherever I point my finger I can see whatever I want to see. Hence, there is no point in bashing or in any other generalisation which usually base on observations of isolated incidences with the means of (fault-free) human perception.
In the meantime there are some poor bastards paying for your decrease of civil rights. Just pray you are not belonging to the wrong minority.
Rosa Luxemburg (I reckon she is currently not a mainstream philosopher in the U.S.) once said: “Freedom is always and exclusively freedom for the one who thinks differently”. So it seems that intelligence is distributed normally even among socialists, liberals or however you call them…
Hello all,
just to tell you that :
1) the U.S. are probably the biggest tyrant of all history, killing democrats like Allende in 1973 in order to control this country, now killing Saddam’s power to control the 2nd biggest oil reserves in the world, already controlling the 1st (Saudi Arabia), and you would like to make people believe you when you say you did it to liberate Iraqis ? But you had 12 years to do it, since the 1st Iraq war ! And BTW you were the biggest ally of Saddam in the 80s when he was the enemy of Iran, you gave him Bell helicopters, massive destruction weapons and all the necessary instructions to use it (what he did, killing thousands of Kurds),
2) stop annoying frenchs with your deads during WWII, we have no debt because :
– we already helped you fighting communism,
– we helped you fighting Saddam in 1991 when it was useful and approved by U.N.,
– we created you country during the XVIIIth century : without the french army and navy of that period, you wouldn’t even probably exist.
3) the resolution 1441 said that we may wage war to Saddam if it is proven that he had massive destruction weapons, but we yet wait for the U.S. army now to show those weapons…so France, China and Russia were right in willing to oppose their veto to any illegitimate war,
4) You said that you would let the Iraqis chose their own government, but now you split the country in several parts to distribute it to yourself and your allies, making dominions like european countries did several centuries ago…this is called imperialism and must be fought by all means,
5) when the U.N. inspectors said that there was no proof of any massive destruction weapon in Iraq, you just overlook at the U.N. and said that U.N. failed to prove useful, which means “U.N. failed to help us doing our war”.
Bonjour chez vous,
Laurent
Like GOEBBELS said : the larger one lie is, the more the people believes in it.
That’s what G. W. Bush actually use to run his country and enrich himself, her friends and his family. When he talk to its citizens, W. Bush always laughs to see how which you are credulous.
French people really don’t care about USA and french bashing. We are just sad for our US friends who knows and defend the truth. Sincerely, the remainder should have died on September 11, that would have been a good thing for the world
The french should be rounded up and shot. They are nothing but a bunch of non bathing,arrogent,wimps that could not win a fight against 10 year old school children. We need to ship out all the “little frenchmen” here in the USA. Listen to what we are saying, “We dont want you here”. There were 2 living here in my building, but we took care of them and now the builing smells a whole lot better. Eveyone in the world knows that the french as a group are useless, so stop crying about eveything, and stick you head back up where you pulled it out.
Towel Snuffer – I think YOU should be in psychoanaylsis and you are a disgrace to honorable Americans. Are you one of those teenage girls who was in the high school hazing/bashing and shoving feces down other people’s mouths? You darn tootin sound like you are and YOU should go visit David Duke in prison or join the Baath party. There aren’t many French people in our country but they have been used as a scape goat to promote jingoism. It’s shameful and the stories in the papers (tabloid in my opinion) have been false and finally they are being made to reveal their sources because they’ve all been unsubstantiated. So, I’ll defend their “hard asses” before ever going along with your flat one. You should buy a one way ticket to the Jerry Springer show where you belong and please stop embarrasing the rest of us intelligent Americans and our multi-ethnic culture. Actually you don’t even need to buy a ticket, they’ll gladly let you on the show for free. But then again you might just be a Neanderthal? Homosapien men can smell your stink. We are a successful multi-ethnic country without your IQ.
And Boz – your last comment in the post above makes me think you belong on the Jerry Springer show too. Vitriol, sping, bigotry, joingoism, pick up a dictionary or join the KKK
spin, jingoism..dictionary.. lol.
Unfortunatly Suzanne, stupid French or European exist also, we fight them too, those idiots are on both size.
Dear Gil and Suzanne, it’s true, stupid French or European exist also. So and i’m glad to note your reaction. As you can see, it is easy to mark anything in order to promovoir hatred between two people friends.
Sorry for my english. You must read “So i’m glad to note your reaction. As you can see, it is easy to say any idiocy in order to promote hatred between two people friends
“Cheese-eating surrender monkeys”, “the rat that roared”, “the petulant prima donna of realpolitik” – the epithets flung at France by the US and British (The little “pet” of USA) media can easily make a reader forget they’re talking about America’s oldest ally.
Let’s joke. There’s 38 reasons to love the French. Les voila:
1. Paris has not yet been ruined by skycrappers.
2. French women have helped to teach the women of the world how to be sexier at 35 than at 25, as they have mastered this for hundreds of years.
3. For every arrogant Frenchman, there is a beautiful French woman who is cuckolding him.
4. Even Chinese food tastes good in France.
5. The French have 400 types of cheese and still manage to import Kraft.
6. The French can take Italians like Yves Montand and Serge Reggiani and turn them into French crooners in one generation.
7. The French name their streets after artists, poets and statesmen; there’s not a single French city with numbered streets.
8. Sigmund Freud was not French.
9. The French have stopped writing operas.
10. The French have not started a war in 100 years, or won one in 50.
11. The French hold their elections on Sundays and never close their bars.
12. The French take eating more seriously than religion.
13. The French do not put ketchup on their oysters.
14. The French always hold their revolutions during warm weather.
15. In sports, the French prefer losing by one point to winning by 10.
16. The French consider American movies of the 1930s to be works of art.
17. French police always salute automobile drivers before they issue traffic tickets.
18. When dubbed in French, John Wayne sounds like a good actor.
19. Picasso lived in France and was allowed to remain a Spaniard as long as he paid taxes.
20. Voltaire hated Rousseau.
21. The French wash their hands before going to the toilet.
22. French trains run on time, when they’re not on strike.
23. The French do not sing La Marseillaise before every soccer match; they sing it after, if they win
24. The French serve water without ice.
25. French politicians can finish a sentence.
26. French people in the provinces hate the Parisians as much as foreigners do.
27. The French drive better than the Italians or the Turks.
28. The French do not put sugar in their bread.
29. The French do not use French dressing on their salads.
30. The French eat a lot of yogurt, but do not claim to have invented it.
31. Income taxes are called “contributions” in France.
32. The French word for “fart” is “pet.”
33. There are almost as many trees in Paris as there are automobiles.
34. One can say “merde” in polite society.
35. La Seine, le Rhône, la Loire.
36. French women look dressed up even when wearing blue jeans and “Fruit of the Loom” T-shirts.
37. The French never speak of “the French touch.”
38. The French are very tolerant of foreigners who love them. La preuve: they have put up with me for 40 years.
Dear boz,
39. Didn’t you forget to say that French are modest and have a good sense of humor ?
Boz, If french didn’t give that feeling of arrogant people.
1) Irak would now, be ruled under UN governement .
2) A pacific solution may have been found for Irak.
3) USA would still be ready to develop new programs for peace in other countries under UN.
4) France would have increase its credibily for international cooperation.
5) American would not have spent so much money for weapons.
6) Americans would have been ready to help us next time.
7) Not so much pressure would have been under our allies.
8) Peace would have been the winner.
Boz, still proud of yourself ?
Gil, j’espère seulement que tu ne crois pas une seconde les 7 points que tu viens d’écrire. Sinon, permets moi de te dire que vis à Disneyland où l’on ne capte que Fox news.
Quant à savoir si je suir fier de moi, je ne vois pas pourquoi j’aurais honte de citer un écrivain americain.
in english, please.
Quelle désolation que tous ces commentaires d’amerloques imbus d’eux-mêmes, intoxiqués par leur CNN et FOX de merde, persuadés de leur mission sacrée…
Qu’ils ne boivent plus de Bordeaux, on en aura plus pour nous, de toutes facons ils ne savent pas ou est Bordeaux.
Est-ce qu’ils nous font rire avec les “freedom fries” ? A gorge deployee
Est-ce qu’ils ont trouves des armes de destruction massive ? Non.
Est-ce qu’ils vont en trouver ? Je ne pense pas
Est-ce qu’ils ont refile aux Anglais les territoires les plus durs a conquerir ? Evidemment
Est-ce qu’ils ont arrete Saddam ? Non
Est-ce qu’ils ont sécurisé les musées et les sites archeologiques ? Non
Est-ce qu’ils ont apporte la democratie ? Demandez aux irakiens
Est-ce qu’ils ont protege le ministere irakien du petrole ? Oui
Est-ce qu’ils vont privatiser le petrole irakien ? Sans doute
Est-ce qu’ils vont faire du business en Irak ? Sans aucun doute
Est-ce qu’ils vont se prendre bientot un deuxieme 11 Septembre ? Ce n’est pas a souhaiter, mais ils vont encore se demander pourquoi
Est-ce qu’ils savent que dans toute l’Europe (et c’est nouveau), leur image est plus mauvaise que jamais, et ce sans avoir besoin “american bashing” (Bush s’en charge) ?
Voilà le resultat pitoyable de l’equipe des faucons de Washington qui pilote le petit Bush, celui qui fait son caca nerveux quand ce tout petit pays appele France ose avoir un avis different du sien
C’est toi qui fait un caca nerveux, mis à part l’ouvrir , que fais-tu ?
Ce n’était peut être pas une bonne idée, mais au moins il on essayé de faire quelque chose.
Tu étais bien content quand ils sont venus sauver ton cul pendant la deuxieme guerre.
Et maintenant tu leur crache dessus.
Saddam c’était ton monstre aussi.
Bien content qu’il t’en débarrasse.
Tu leur reproche d’être anti français parcequ’il t’agresse, mais tu fais la même chose.
Je te signale que s’ils se prennent un deuxieme 11 septembre, tu t’en prendras un aussi, tu crois pouvoir rester tranquille dans ton fauteuil.
A toi de voir si tu ne veux pas les aider au lieu de les critiquer.
Old french joke :
Pourquoi le coq est-il le symbole de la France?
Parcequ’il est le seul animal de la ferme à chanter les pieds dans le fumier.
US so inferior to France – email
“Passer pour un idiot aux yeux d’un imbécile est une volupté de fin gourmet” – Courteline
“Being considered an idiot by many a blockhead proves a sensual delight to the eyes of accomplished epicures”
“Les Etats-Unis sont le seul pays à avoir connu la barbarie et la décadence sans passer par la civilisation” -George Bernard Shaw
“America is the only society that went from barbarism to decadence, without experiencing civilisation”
USA=Ugly Stupid (or else: Stinking) Animals (or else: Analphabets) – email
Switzerland – Confederation Day August 1
Cyprus – Independence Day August 16
Luxembourg – Grand Duke Day June 23
Spain – National Day July 18
France – Bastille Day July 14
Norway – Constitution Day May 17
Ireland – St. Patrick’s Day March 17
Denmark – Queen’s Birthday April 16
People’s Republic of China – National Day October 1-2
Austria – Founding of the Second Republic April 27
Algeria – Revolution Day November 1
Italy – Republic or Constitution Day June 2
Nepal – Independence Day December 21
Ecuador – Independence Day August 10
Cuba – Independence Day May 20
Argentina – Revolution Day May 25
World – Roar with Laughter Day September 11
Flush the stinking US
Q: How do the US and the UK know Iraq has weapons of mass destruction?
A: They kept the receipt.
Can’t wait for 9/11 !
What do you call a pretty girl in New York?
A French tourist
Bush election = banana republic
The French people wish to express to the Unitedstatish people that while we do not like President Georgette W (for wimp) Bushette, we do not hold the Unitedstatish people responsible for his election. After all, it’s not like most of you voted for him or anything.
Do the Unitedstatish sissies have brains?
What do you call a Unitedstatish guy interested in French culture ? An intellectual.
What do you call a French guy interested in Unitedstatish culture ? A retarded.
God Nuke the USA
Question : How many Unitedstatish does it take to catch and prosecute child-abusing polygamists?
Answer: No one knows: it’s never been tried.
Vive la France! Vive Chirac!
Give me a synonym for “ citizen of the USA ”
“ obese shit-eating war-losing sissy ”
Will the Unitedstatish ever become intelligent ? – email
True story. Background : two guys in a train facing each other.
The first one stands up and then expectorates a thick gob of spit that flew up to seat, almost brushing against the right ear of the other one. Then guy clears his throat again and disgorges another copious amount of mucus that’s once again just missed the left ear of the still sitting guy.
Then the spitting guy went : “ I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Tim Burlington, citizen of the USA. I am the spitting world champion ”.
The other guy stands up and coughs out a thick, pasty, viscid, gummy, sticky, sick, twisted, heavy-loaded gob of phlegm bang in the middle of the face of the Unitedstatish.
And then he ends : “ Nice to meet you. I’m Pierre Martin, French amateur ”.
tu sais lire le français, connard? – email
Une firme japonaise et une firme états-unienne décident un jour de faire une course d’avirons entre leurs deux équipes.
Avant le grand jour de la confrontation, les deux équipes s’entraînent dur
Cependant, le jour de la confrontation, les japonais gagnent avec plus d’un kilomètre d’avance.
L’équipe états-unienne est très affectée par cette défaite. Pour éviter le découragement, le management qui s’était réuni à l’issue de la course, décide que la cause de l’échec doit être trouvée. Une équipe d’audit constituée de “ Senior Managers ” est donc désignée. Ils feront leur enquête et auront à recommander l’action la plus appropriée.
La conclusion de l’audit est que l’équipe japonaise est constituée de 8 rameurs pour un barreur, alors que l’équipe états-unienne a 8 barreurs pour 1 rameur.
À la lecture de l’audit, le management de l’équipe états-unienne décide de louer les services d’un cabinet de consultants. Après les avoir payés des sommes énormes, ils rendent leur avis: L’équipe états-unienne doit avoir plus de rameurs et moins de barreurs.
Pour éviter de perdre contre les japonais l’année suivante, la structure de l’équipe états-unienne est totalement réorganisée: il est décidé de créer 4 postes de barreurs superviseurs, 3 barreurs superintendants, et 1 barreur superintendant assistant manager. Pour mettre toutes les chances de leur côté, les états-uniens mettent aussi en oeuvre un système d’encouragement censé motiver le seul rameur de l’équipe à travailler plus: Ils appellent ce programme “La qualité et le Zéro défaut pour nos rameurs”. Ce programme repose sur des réunions, des dîners, et des stylos plume gratuits pour le rameur. Le mot d’ordre de ce programme est “Nous devons donner au rameur plus de moyens et de gratifications à travers ce programme qualité”
L’année suivante, enfin, la course a de nouveau lieu. Cette fois, les japonais gagnent avec plus de deux kilomètres d’avance. Humiliés, le management états-unien licencie le rameur pour ses piètres performances. Il arrête la mise en chantier d’un nouvel aviron, vend les rames et annule tout investissement nouveau concernant l’équipe d’aviron. Puis il récompense les barreurs managers en leur donnant le Prix de la Performance. Enfin, il distribue l’argent économisé par ces mesures de restriction à tous les directeurs seniors.
read that (if you can) & go somewhere get yourself a personality (if there’s one for you)
VIVE LA FRANCE! The spirit of Lafayette lives on in the refusal of France to go along with the War Party
Two-hundred and twenty-five years ago, the French were instrumental in aiding the Unitedstatish revolutionaries in their fight against the British Empire. Today, they are once again playing a key role in aiding Unitedstatish fighters against another sort of Empire – this time, one based in Washington, D.C.
As Dominique de Villepin, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, put it:
“The idea of regime change [in Iraq] introduces into international relations an instability whose consequences we have to assess. Whose job would it be to decide that a regime is good or that a regime is bad? What would be the first factor denoting an unacceptable regime? What would stop a regime being acceptable?”
As US crosses the Rubicon, and abandons the legacy of the Founders for a new age of Caesarism, the French, threatening to use their UN veto, stand in the way – and the fury of the War Party has been unleashed, to often comical effect. Do you want to see hate? Take a gander at the cover of the [UK] Sun, a newspaper, nasty even by Murdochian standards, of the sort that gives tabloids a bad name. Chirac is depicted as a worm, and the editorial screeches at him:
“You were only too happy to welcome the Unitedstatish when France was crushed under Hitler’s boot. But today you look down on the Unitedstatish people and their president, and you forget how many Unitedstatish and British soldiers, sailors and pilots gave their lives… for the freedom of this country.”
But if the French are obligated to kowtow to the Unitedstatish – and Anthony Blair – on account of a debt that can never be repaid, then what about the debt Unitedstatish owe to the French, whose aid during the Revolution secured our victory over King George III? The Brits don’t want to bring that up, of course, but without the French we’d all be singing “God save the Queen” and suffering the ill effects of London’s latest socialist scheme.
You have to hand it to the War Party, however: their hate campaign is not so much co-ordinated as it is choreographed, with radio “shock jocks” and the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal dancing to the same tune of “Hate the Frogs.” In Texas, a radio screamer stages a public bulldozing of French products, and, in Congress, the cry is heard to impose tariff penalties on our recalcitrant allies. Why, those effete French know-it-alls, they yelp, how dare they mock our rootin’ tootin’ cow-Boy Emperor.
John Fund, writing in the War Street Journal, approvingly notes that some dive in North Carolina has stopped selling French fries: “We now serve freedom fries,” announces owner Neal Rowland, who also confides that.
“The switch from French fries to freedom fries came to mind after a conversation about World War I days when anti-German sentiment prompted Unitedstatish to rename familiar German foods like sauerkraut and frankfurter to liberty cabbage and hot dog.”
One wonders if that conversation touched on some of the other charming effects of World War I on the country: the lynchings of German-Unitedstatish people, the closing down of German language and socialist newspapers, and the jailing of antiwar activists for “sedition.” The teaching of German in the schools was banned, and the works of Goethe were burnt in the public square, while Wagner was banished from the opera houses. Yes, it was a great time for “freedom” in the US – and if you don’t believe that, then you’d best shut up and eat your greasy “freedom fries.”
Speaking of shutting up, that’s exactly what the heroic Jacques Chirac told the so-called “Vilnius Group” of “ex”-Communist East European nations, when they issued their pro-war communiqué. “They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet,” he quipped, and openly questioned whether the Easterners are ready to join the community of Europe. To Fund this is “blackmail” – but why should the French and the Germans absorb economic refugees and debt from the East while the formerly Communist ministers of what used to be the Warsaw Pact cozy up to the new hegemon on the block?
The “Vilnius Group,” largely made up of “reformed” Communist governments – notably Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria (where the Bulgarian Socialist Party rules) – ought to be renamed the Vassalage Group. Old habits are hard to break. Including the habit of not representing the wishes of their own people, who reject the idea of making war on Iraq even more emphatically than the West European “street.”
What’s really a laugh, however, is Fund’s description of the French position as “bullying unilateralism.” Welcome to the Orwellian world of the War Party, where threatening to not subsidize the Vassalage Group is the act of a bully, but claiming the right to preemptively attack any nation on earth is not. By the same inverted logic, a genuine aggression – one that will claim many thousands of lives in the most horrible way – is an act of “liberation.” As long as it’s committed by the US, and not, say, Saddam Hussein.
Fund cites the outraged cries of the various Vassals, including Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, the Polish Foreign Minister: “In the European family, there are no mummies, no daddies and no kids. It is a family of equals. In particular, there are no kids who are not mature enough to be partners with other members of the family.”
While it is only natural for an “ex”-Commie apparatchik to mouth the rhetoric of egalitarianism, in this case it seems the minister is a case in point as to why Polish “democracy” still has a lot of growing up to do. It was Cimoszewicz, after all, who barely survived a no confidence vote in the Polish parliament for unilaterally surrendering Polish sovereignty at the EU bargaining table – completely contrary to the instructions of the Poles’ elected representatives.
Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit and Charles Paul Freund of Reason magazine both cite a Romanian newspaper’s angry retort to the French: “Communism wrung our neck while the honorable democracies issued communiqués.” Yes, and the same Commies are still wringing their necks – and ours, too. If these former fans of the Red Army are so eager to see Iraq “liberated,” then let them send their own armies in to do the job, perhaps in conjunction with the Israelis. Let’s put the cheerleaders on the field and see how they score!
Jonah Goldberg calls the French “cheese-eating surrender monkeys,” – a trope borrowed from “The Simpsons” – and informs us he considers this “a funny ethnic slur.” . “ For someone who considers the term “neocon” or neoconservative to be a libel right out of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, his “bandying about” – as he puts it – of ethnic slurs is awfully bold. But Goldberg, when he gets over the obligatory joking, has a serious point to make. He claims that the European model of slow, peaceful transition to the international rule of law is only a confession of weakness:
“Their own military capacities are woefully deficient, and so they champion peace at any cost in part because they’re loath to admit they couldn’t fight if they wanted to.”
That France does not have either the capacity or the will to invade, conquer, and occupy Iraq means – what? That they would if they could but they can’t? This is about the level of analysis one might expect of someone who gets his foreign policy views from a cartoon show. Cartoonish is the best way to describe the neocon view of history, as expressed by Goldberg:
“It’s a classic free-ride [sic] problem. The Europeans have benefited from the global stability provided by the United States. But the Europeans – or at least the French and Germans – now take that stability for granted and berate the United States for doing what it sees as necessary to ensure continued peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, the idea that violence never solves anything is a fraud. Violence ended the Holocaust; in the U.S., it freed the slaves. And, in 1998, Unitedstatish-led violence ended slaughter in the Balkans while European paper shufflers stood by paralyzed.”
The “stability” provided by the U.S. for half a century was the stability of perpetual terror – the terror of Mutual Assured Destruction, and several bloody wars fought on the Asian landmass (Vietnam, Korea, and the battle for China), none of which we won. Some “stability”! In the post-cold war, post-9/11 world, it is the U.S., and not the French or the Germans, who want to plunge the entire Middle East into chaos and spark World War IV.
The idea that “violence ended the Holocaust” seems oddly disingenuous: after all, with large scale moral catastrophes of this sort, the point to note is that World War II did not and could not prevent the Holocaust. That war, in any case, was not fought to stop the Holocaust, just as the Civil War was not fought to end slavery, but to keep tariffs high and enslave the separate states to the federal government. As for ending the alleged “slaughter in the Balkans,” will somebody please tell me why a known Clinton-hater like Goldberg swallows this particular Clintonista fib with such Lewinskyan alacrity?
Goldberg and his fellow neocons, including Freund and Fund, miss the most interesting aspect of the “New Europe” versus “Old Europe” split: the ideological coloration of the combatants. The nations that have lined up behind the Unitedstatish hegemon are all ruled by parties of the Left, from Anthony Blair’s “New Labor” to the “former” hard-line Stalinists who now run Poland. On the other hand, Jacques Chirac is a Gaullist, a stalwart of the French center-right. What divides these two Euro-tendencies is different approaches to the question of national sovereignty.
To the ex-members of the Warsaw Pact, internationalism trumps national independence – which is why, as late as the 1990s, the current Prime Minister of Poland was openly bemoaning the exit of the Red Army from his country. Certainly Blair attaches no importance to such an outmoded idea as nationalism: he is currently trying his best to submerge the British nation in the Euro-colossus and transfer sovereignty from London to Brussels.
On the other hand, independence is the chief guiding principle of the Gaullists, and always has been. Their politics are not anti-Unitedstatish, but pro-French, and revolve around a profound sense of French national identity and a modified but recognizable market economy. Chirac, in short, is a market nationalist, one who sees the relations between nations as governed by the rules of commerce and diplomacy, rather than power politics and threats of invasion.
While the Unitedstatish model is imperial, hegemonic, and impatiently unilateral, the Franco-German alternative is pacific, collaborative, and evolutionary. The EU is socialistic, bureaucratic, hostile to all forms of nationalism, and just as potentially hegemonic as its Unitedstatish rival. Yet, Chirac and his European allies, whether they realize it or not, are defending the mortal enemy of bureaucratic internationalism — the idea of national sovereignty – against the Unitedstatish “hyperpower” (“ hyperpuissance ” in French).
In his Los Angeles Times screed against the French, Goldberg inverts the leftist canard that “it’s all about oil” and points to French oil contracts with Iraq as evidence that Chirac’s anti-war stance is motivated by mercenary interests. This should have been followed by the standard Seinfeldian disclaimer: “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” Goldberg is supposed to be a pro-market conservative: so why shouldn’t the French take their own entirely legitimate commercial interests into account?
As long as Bin Ladenism and other even more gruesome opponents serve as the ideological counterpoint to Unitedstatish neo-imperialism, the “us against them” mentality of the Bush administration makes a crude sort of sense, at least as a propaganda theme. But as the U.S. embarks on a course set for Empire, its main adversaries will increasingly be found among its closest allies – those with whom it shares the legacy of Western liberalism, and the values that are the very foundations of our civilization.
Market nationalism, transnational “progressivism,” and Unitedstatish hegemonism – these are the three principal contractors bidding on the building of a new world order. The first would uphold national sovereignty and some variant of the market economy as the twin pillars of international relations: their first principle is decentralism. The “tranzies,” as they’re called, are internationalists, and socialists to boot: their guiding light is the United Nations, which they believe should rule the world (in a power-sharing arrangement with the NGOs, of course). The Unitedstatish hegemonists, for their part, see Washington, D.C. as the New Rome, and Bush 43 as the first Unitedstatish Caesar – and that is what this war is all about.
The outbreak of war in Iraq will mean that the hegemonists are on the offensive, and, at that point, only a united front of the market nationalists and their tranzi allies will be able to stop them. Whether this is possible, let alone probable, is impossible to tell. But the refusal of France’s “cheese-eating surrender monkeys” to surrender to Unitedstatish demands is an encouraging sign, and a stand that is fully and rightly appreciated, at some level, by the antiwar movement in this country. At the recent protest rally in San Francisco, France was lauded from the speakers’ platform, and with that I can only concur:
“Vive la France!”
At the height of World War II, when the Unitedstatishs landed in Normandy, and proceeded to liberate France, their battle-cry was “Lafayette, we are here!” Today, as the French step in between us and some who wish to recreate the Anglo-Unitedstatish empire of King George III, they are once again rendering us invaluable aid. A great debt is being repaid: our friends abroad may yet save us from a fate far worse than befell the British.
just in case “history” isn’t a word that obscure to your minuscule Unitedstatish brain >>> USA 2003 = Germany 1933 (except the Germans had no nukes)
Bush and Hitler – Parallel Lives
The uncanny parallels between what happened in Germany during the 1930s and what is happening to the United States today.
When Democracy Failed: The Warnings of History
by Thom Hartmann
The 70th anniversary wasn’t noticed in the United States, and was barely reported in the corporate media. But the Germans remembered well that fateful day seventy years ago – February 27, 1933. They commemorated the anniversary by joining in demonstrations for peace that mobilized citizens all across the world.
It started when the government, in the midst of a worldwide economic crisis, received reports of an imminent terrorist attack. A foreign ideologue had launched feeble attacks on a few famous buildings, but the media largely ignored his relatively small efforts. The intelligence services knew, however, that the odds were he would eventually succeed. (Historians are still arguing whether or not rogue elements in the intelligence service helped the terrorist; the most recent research implies they did not.)
But the warnings of investigators were ignored at the highest levels, in part because the government was distracted; the man who claimed to be the nation’s leader had not been elected by a majority vote and the majority of citizens claimed he had no right to the powers he coveted. He was a simpleton, some said, a cartoon character of a man who saw things in black-and-white terms and didn’t have the intellect to understand the subtleties of running a nation in a complex and internationalist world. His coarse use of language – reflecting his political roots in a southernmost state – and his simplistic and often-inflammatory nationalistic rhetoric offended the aristocrats, foreign leaders, and the well-educated elite in the government and media. And, as a young man, he’d joined a secret society with an occult-sounding name and bizarre initiation rituals that involved skulls and human bones.
Nonetheless, he knew the terrorist was going to strike (although he didn’t know where or when), and he had already considered his response. When an aide brought him word that the nation’s most prestigious building was ablaze, he verified it was the terrorist who had struck and then rushed to the scene and called a press conference.
“You are now witnessing the beginning of a great epoch in history,” he proclaimed, standing in front of the burned-out building, surrounded by national media. “This fire,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion, “is the beginning.” He used the occasion – “a sign from God,” he called it – to declare an all-out war on terrorism and its ideological sponsors, a people, he said, who traced their origins to the Middle East and found motivation for their evil deeds in their religion.
Two weeks later, the first detention center for terrorists was built in Oranianberg to hold the first suspected allies of the infamous terrorist. In a national outburst of patriotism, the leader’s flag was everywhere, even printed large in newspapers suitable for window display.
Within four weeks of the terrorist attack, the nation’s now-popular leader had pushed through legislation – in the name of combating terrorism and fighting the philosophy he said spawned it – that suspended constitutional guarantees of free speech, privacy, and habeas corpus. Police could now intercept mail and wiretap phones; suspected terrorists could be imprisoned without specific charges and without access to their lawyers; police could sneak into people’s homes without warrants if the cases involved terrorism.
To get his patriotic “Decree on the Protection of People and State” passed over the objections of concerned legislators and civil libertarians, he agreed to put a 4-year sunset provision on it: if the national emergency provoked by the terrorist attack was over by then, the freedoms and rights would be returned to the people, and the police agencies would be re-restrained. Legislators would later say they hadn’t had time to read the bill before voting on it.
Immediately after passage of the anti-terrorism act, his federal police agencies stepped up their program of arresting suspicious persons and holding them without access to lawyers or courts. In the first year only a few hundred were interred, and those who objected were largely ignored by the mainstream press, which was afraid to offend and thus lose access to a leader with such high popularity ratings. Citizens who protested the leader in public – and there were many – quickly found themselves confronting the newly empowered police’s batons, gas, and jail cells, or fenced off in protest zones safely out of earshot of the leader’s public speeches. (In the meantime, he was taking almost daily lessons in public speaking, learning to control his tonality, gestures, and facial expressions. He became a very competent orator.)
Within the first months after that terrorist attack, at the suggestion of a political advisor, he brought a formerly obscure word into common usage. He wanted to stir a “racial pride” among his countrymen, so, instead of referring to the nation by its name, he began to refer to it as “The Homeland,” a phrase publicly promoted in the introduction to a 1934 speech recorded in Leni Riefenstahl’s famous propaganda movie “Triumph Of The Will.” As hoped, people’s hearts swelled with pride, and the beginning of an us-versus-them mentality was sewn. Our land was “the” homeland, citizens thought: all others were simply foreign lands. We are the “true people,” he suggested, the only ones worthy of our nation’s concern; if bombs fall on others, or human rights are violated in other nations and it makes our lives better, it’s of little concern to us.
Playing on this new nationalism, and exploiting a disagreement with the French over his increasing militarism, he argued that any international body that didn’t act first and foremost in the best interest of his own nation was neither relevant nor useful. He thus withdrew his country from the League Of Nations in October, 1933, and then negotiated a separate naval armaments agreement with Anthony Eden of The United Kingdom to create a worldwide military ruling elite.
His propaganda minister orchestrated a campaign to ensure the people that he was a deeply religious man and that his motivations were rooted in Christianity. He even proclaimed the need for a revival of the Christian faith across his nation, what he called a “New Christianity.” Every man in his rapidly growing army wore a belt buckle that declared “Gott Mit Uns” – God Is With Us – and most of them fervently believed it was true.
Within a year of the terrorist attack, the nation’s leader determined that the various local police and federal agencies around the nation were lacking the clear communication and overall coordinated administration necessary to deal with the terrorist threat facing the nation, particularly those citizens who were of Middle Eastern ancestry and thus probably terrorist and communist sympathizers, and various troublesome “intellectuals” and “liberals.” He proposed a single new national agency to protect the security of the homeland, consolidating the actions of dozens of previously independent police, border, and investigative agencies under a single leader.
He appointed one of his most trusted associates to be leader of this new agency, the Central Security Office for the homeland, and gave it a role in the government equal to the other major departments.
His assistant who dealt with the press noted that, since the terrorist attack, “Radio and press are at out disposal.” Those voices questioning the legitimacy of their nation’s leader, or raising questions about his checkered past, had by now faded from the public’s recollection as his central security office began advertising a program encouraging people to phone in tips about suspicious neighbors. This program was so successful that the names of some of the people “denounced” were soon being broadcast on radio stations. Those denounced often included opposition politicians and celebrities who dared speak out – a favorite target of his regime and the media he now controlled through intimidation and ownership by corporate allies.
To consolidate his power, he concluded that government alone wasn’t enough. He reached out to industry and forged an alliance, bringing former executives of the nation’s largest corporations into high government positions. A flood of government money poured into corporate coffers to fight the war against the Middle Eastern ancestry terrorists lurking within the homeland, and to prepare for wars overseas. He encouraged large corporations friendly to him to acquire media outlets and other industrial concerns across the nation, particularly those previously owned by suspicious people of Middle Eastern ancestry. He built powerful alliances with industry; one corporate ally got the lucrative contract worth millions to build the first large-scale detention center for enemies of the state. Soon more would follow. Industry flourished.
But after an interval of peace following the terrorist attack, voices of dissent again arose within and without the government. Students had started an active program opposing him (later known as the White Rose Society), and leaders of nearby nations were speaking out against his bellicose rhetoric. He needed a diversion, something to direct people away from the corporate cronyism being exposed in his own government, questions of his possibly illegitimate rise to power, and the oft-voiced concerns of civil libertarians about the people being held in detention without due process or access to attorneys or family.
With his number two man – a master at manipulating the media – he began a campaign to convince the people of the nation that a small, limited war was necessary. Another nation was harboring many of the suspicious Middle Eastern people, and even though its connection with the terrorist who had set afire the nation’s most important building was tenuous at best, it held resources their nation badly needed if they were to have room to live and maintain their prosperity. He called a press conference and publicly delivered an ultimatum to the leader of the other nation, provoking an international uproar. He claimed the right to strike preemptively in self-defense, and nations across Europe – at first – denounced him for it, pointing out that it was a doctrine only claimed in the past by nations seeking worldwide empire, like Caesar’s Rome or Alexander’s Greece.
It took a few months, and intense international debate and lobbying with European nations, but, after he personally met with the leader of the United Kingdom, finally a deal was struck. After the military action began, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain told the nervous British people that giving in to this leader’s new first-strike doctrine would bring “peace for our time.” Thus Hitler annexed Austria in a lightning move, riding a wave of popular support as leaders so often do in times of war. The Austrian government was unseated and replaced by a new leadership friendly to Germany, and German corporations began to take over Austrian resources.
In a speech responding to critics of the invasion, Hitler said, “Certain foreign newspapers have said that we fell on Austria with brutal methods. I can only say; even in death they cannot stop lying. I have in the course of my political struggle won much love from my people, but when I crossed the former frontier [into Austria] there met me such a stream of love as I have never experienced. Not as tyrants have we come, but as liberators.”
To deal with those who dissented from his policies, at the advice of his politically savvy advisors, he and his handmaidens in the press began a campaign to equate him and his policies with patriotism and the nation itself. National unity was essential, they said, to ensure that the terrorists or their sponsors didn’t think they’d succeeded in splitting the nation or weakening its will. In times of war, they said, there could be only “one people, one nation, and one commander-in-chief” (“Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer”), and so his advocates in the media began a nationwide campaign charging that critics of his policies were attacking the nation itself. Those questioning him were labeled “anti-German” or “not good Germans,” and it was suggested they were aiding the enemies of the state by failing in the patriotic necessity of supporting the nation’s valiant men in uniform. It was one of his most effective ways to stifle dissent and pit wage-earning people (from whom most of the army came) against the “intellectuals and liberals” who were critical of his policies.
Nonetheless, once the “small war” annexation of Austria was successfully and quickly completed, and peace returned, voices of opposition were again raised in the Homeland. The almost-daily release of news bulletins about the dangers of terrorist communist cells wasn’t enough to rouse the populace and totally suppress dissent. A full-out war was necessary to divert public attention from the growing rumbles within the country about disappearing dissidents; violence against liberals, Jews, and union leaders; and the epidemic of crony capitalism that was producing empires of wealth in the corporate sector but threatening the middle class’s way of life.
A year later, to the week, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia; the nation was now fully at war, and all internal dissent was suppressed in the name of national security. It was the end of Germany’s first experiment with democracy.
As we conclude this review of history, there are a few milestones worth remembering.
February 27, 2003, was the 70th anniversary of Dutch terrorist Marinus van der Lubbe’s successful firebombing of the German Parliament (Reichstag) building, the terrorist act that catapulted Hitler to legitimacy and reshaped the German constitution. By the time of his successful and brief action to seize Austria, in which almost no German blood was shed, Hitler was the most beloved and popular leader in the history of his nation. Hailed around the world, he was later Time magazine’s “Man Of The Year.”
Most Unitedstatishs remember his office for the security of the homeland, known as the Reichssicherheitshauptamt and its SchutzStaffel, simply by its most famous agency’s initials: the SS.
We also remember that the Germans developed a new form of highly violent warfare they named “lightning war” or blitzkrieg, which, while generating devastating civilian losses, also produced a highly desirable “shock and awe” among the nation’s leadership according to the authors of the 1996 book “Shock And Awe” published by the National Defense University Press.
Reflecting on that time, The Unitedstatish Heritage Dictionary (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1983) left us this definition of the form of government the German democracy had become through Hitler’s close alliance with the largest German corporations and his policy of using war as a tool to keep power: “fas-cism (fbsh’iz’em) n. A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism.”
Today, as we face financial and political crises, it’s useful to remember that the ravages of the Great Depression hit Germany and the United States alike. Through the 1930s, however, Hitler and Roosevelt chose very different courses to bring their nations back to power and prosperity.
Germany’s response was to use government to empower corporations and reward the society’s richest individuals, privatize much of the commons, stifle dissent, strip people of constitutional rights, and create an illusion of prosperity through continual and ever-expanding war. US passed minimum wage laws to raise the middle class, enforced anti-trust laws to diminish the power of corporations, increased taxes on corporations and the wealthiest individuals, created Social Security, and became the employer of last resort through programs to build national infrastructure, promote the arts, and replant forests.
To the extent that our Constitution is still intact, the choice is again ours.
Thom Hartmann lived and worked in Germany during the 1980s, and is the author of over a dozen books, including “Unser Ausgebrannter Planet.” This article was originally published by Thom in shorter form around 9/11 of last year under the pseudonym “Rusticus,” a character in his book “Unequal Protection.” This version is copyright by Thom Hartmann, but permission is granted for reprint in print, email, blog, or web media so long as this credit is attached.
USA = Ultra Sissy Army
Except the attack on Grenada (an obscure confetti somewhere in the Caribbeans), the US has never won a single war. They didn’t win WWI & WWII either, for the Russians did all the job. As for Irak it’s a big joke: it’s like Spain attacking Liechtenstein.
USA = Uneducated Sloth Analphabets
I find it fascinating to watch English (a French dialect since 1066) speakers (barkers would apter) trying to formulate ideas already floated by rancorous analphabets running the shitty and Goebbels-like media that keep Unitedstatish brains as thin as McDo is getting Unitedstatishpeople fat.
I would be very grateful if one of those would-be intellectuals could at least name a single Unitedstatish thinker. Of course it’s no use trying to utter neocon monkeys or detective novelists: we won’t buy that. What we want is someone whose name could perhaps evoke the scope of Dante, Kant, Voltaire, Hume, Pasolini, Hölderlin, Camus, Bentham and all the like.
the Unitedstatish can’t even name themselves !!!
What you call “America” or “Americans” is an insult to Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Equador, French West Indies, Cuba, Paraguay, Peru etc.
Do you call the inhabitants of Italy “Europeans”? No, you don’t. You rightly call them “Italians”.
So call “Unitedstatish” the sad jerks living in the United States
A Unitedstatishman, a Unitedstatishwoman, a Unitedstatish boy, a Unitedstatish girl, Unitedstatishmen, Unitedstatishwomen, Unitedstatish people.
Examples:
” a truly Unitedstatish sissy”, “Unitedstatishified congenital habit of shit-eating & war-losing”, “Unitedstatishily coward”, “the sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Unitedstatish effeminate manners of Georgette Bushette, (the world fastest sissy who could run away from a classroom (!!!) as she was told Ben Laden had blown those two miserable symbols of vacuity”.
And you can replace “American English” by “Unitedstatish English”, just like “Canadian English”.
End of the lesson in linguistics.
Unitedstatish gringos back to the Brits
In France, we call the Indians (I mean the true Americans) either Indians or Amerindians.
And we have saved a more specific name for those loathsome “obese shit-eating war-losing sissies” who dared usurp the substantive “American”. This name is “Etats-uniens” – that’s “Unitedstatish” in English.
“American” should be assigned:
1/ first to the Amerindians
2/ then to any inhabitant of Americas (West Indies included of course, and Ugly Stinking Animals excluded).
The whole south of the US was Spanish (Nueava Esapña), and still is for 50% of the people speak Spanish (there’s no official language in the US >>> comes as no surprise).
And don’t forget the rest of the US was French and called Lousiana (from Ontario downwards to the Gulf of Mexico, from the suburbs of Philadelphia eastwards up to Rockies). That’s almost 30 states.
The rest of the USA was Russian with Alaska.
Maybe soon we will get back our old territories and send any Unitedstatish back to Queen Elizabeth, Barbara Cartland, Jerry Lewis, Spice Girls & long-eared, Anglo-saxonishly-teethed Princess Charles.
at least you’re intelligent enough to admit you aren’t intelligent
WASHINGTON – Less than half of American adults understand that the Earth orbits the sun yearly, according to a basic science survey. Despite flubbing such questions, there is enthusiasm for research – except in some fields such as genetic engineering and nuclear power that are viewed with suspicion.
Only about 25% of American adults got passing grades in a survey by the National Science Foundation of what people know about basic science and economics. Even fewer of those surveyed felt they were well-informed about technical subjects.
The worst showing came when those surveyed were asked to define scientific terms. Only about 9% knew what a molecule was, and only 21% could define DNA. But even more fundamental questions stumped man: Less than 1/2 knew that the Earth orbits the sun annually. In a test of environmental understanding, 1/3 of Americans surveyed understood the effects of a thinning ozone layer, 14% could identify locations of ozone holes, and only 5% could give a scientific explanation of acid rain.
Even money questions stumped most Americans. A 10-point quiz on economics showed that only 22% could correctly answer 7 or more of the questions. “Only 10% feel feel very well informed about science and technology, and studies show that only a small segment of the population has a strong grasp of basic scientific ideas,” according to a report released yesterday by the foundation. On a 10-part quiz testing scientific understanding, only 27% of the American adults surveyed could answer 7 or more questions.
about the US language
True Old French derives from Classical & Common Latin. The thing is that Old French took its distinctive flavour very early, far before the Treaty of Strasbourg (843) at a time when English was still looking like that: “Efne, þa eode on heora eallra gesihðe an Iudeisc mann to þam deofolgilde, & geoffrode his lac swa swa geangsumod, & ræsde to ðam were þe ðær wolde offrian”. I mean that in 843 Old English was rather something totally obscure to humanity.
Old French started its striking, so far unaparalleled appeal to authority as early as 600-700 and at the same time refined ITSELF WITH NO FOREIGN INFLUENCE to become Middle French, which in turn (from 1066 onwards until today) invaded English so harshly that English turned out to yield a new version of English, a Frenchifyed one (called Middle English). Therefore English WAS REFINED BY FRENCH. Otherwise it would have remained a sad, unintelligible dialect of some blurred, cryptic German descent (altough it was already deeply mixed with Danish, Swedish, Jute -& God knows what else, as soon as 400-500).
But the story of English Frenchification didn’t stop there! Middle English (already heavily Frenchified) got even more Gallified for the inhabitants of the British Isles were in desperate need for words & concepts to have at least a scrap of a chance to grasp a fragment of the reality pertaining to those invading French people & ideas that came & help them create a society they couldn’t make up on their own (or even figure out).
Everything in those sad islands then was then constructed, fabricated, conceived, elaborated, developped, engineered, cogitated, assumed, fashioned, published, deliberated, regarded, intended, designed, acquired, described, anticipated, written, indited, ruminated, corresponded, explained, implied, recorded, contemplated, structured, rendered, obtained, assembled, gained, created, imagined, attained, established, scribed, generated, rationalised, induced, cogitated, forged, accomplished, purposed, named, composed, constituted, formed, expected, performed, duplicated, secured, e tutti quanti, after French manner.
This is for instance why for they were French,no king of England could utter -nor wanted to- a single word of English. The motto of the UK is “Dieu et mon droit” which doesn’t precisley sound Anglo- saxon, does it? And the crown’s motto still is “Honni soit qui mal y pense” (not too Brit innit?). I don’t speak about economy, religion, philisophy, law, sciences, arts, army, justice, politics >>> French import.
Of course what happenned in the UK may well be of dramatic significance for you all. Fair enough. Just don’t forget that was nothing for the French because the same phenomenon was occurring on a larger scope, although no other European people fell so low, to the point of not even being able to remember their languages or of merely having the comforting possibility to recognise what its flavour could have been.
a French girl view
you american people are so ridiculous, hypocrit and sexually disturbed!!!! Come in france, we can do something you can’t : have sex and keep dignity
dwarf-like US trampled down by glorious France
top ten french achievements : 1. wonderful cuisine 2. marvelous architecture 3. philosophers whose works were the basis of Enlightenment and thus shaped the very essense of western civilization (including the pathetic by-product called USA) 4. the most gorgeous, sophisticated and luscious women in the world 5. the best wines in the world 6.one of the greatest literature of the world 7. comfortable Paris cafés where the brightest Unitedstatish intellectuals gathered in the 20’s to engage in discussions which later shaped their own culture 6. Picasso 7. the English dialect 8. the independence of the USA 9. the crown of England 10. the best army
top ten US achievments : 1. rude tourists uneducated enough to think they own the world. 2. “jerry springer ” 3. country music 4. soap operas 5. michael bolton 6. macdonalds 7. the starr/clinton/lewinsky fiasco (that bored the hell out of the global community even more than the dreadful american hawaian shirts….) 8. Nike and all the generous full time jobs they provide to exploited third-world children ( who cares about school for poor countries ? school attendance is for US children >>> but it doesn’t help those sad analphabets to get a propper decent life ) 9. terrible beer 10. Tom Cruise & Georgette Bushette
USA, real…
Si vous avez le courage de lire la connerie états-unienne:
American Stupidity (imbécillité états-unienne)
These are things people actually said in court, word for word. (Extraits de choses entendues dans les tribunaux)
Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke that morning? A: He said, “Where am I, Cathy?” Q: And why did that upset you? A: My name is Susan.
Q: What is your date of birth? A: July fifteenth. Q: What year? A: Every year.
Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact? A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
Q: This myasthenia gravis – does it affect your memory at all? A: Yes. Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory? A: I forget. Q: You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you’ve forgotten?
Q: How old is your son-the one living with you. A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can’t remember which. Q: How long has he lived with you? A: Forty-five years.
Q: And where was the location of the accident? A: Approximately milepost 199. Q: And where is milepost 199? A: Probably between milepost 198 and 200.
Q: Sir, what is your IQ? A: Well, I can see pretty well, I think.
Q: Did you blow your horn or anything? A: After the accident? Q: Before the accident. A: Sure, I played for ten years. I even went to school for it.
Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in the voodoo or a cult? A: We both do. Q: Voodoo? A: We do. Q: You do? A: Yes, voodoo.
Q: Trooper, when you stopped the defendant, were your red and blue lights flashing? A: Yes. Q: Did the defendant say anything when she got out of her car? A: Yes, sir. Q: What did she say? A: What disco am I at?
Q: Now doctor, isn’t it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn’t know about it until the next morning?
Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year old, how old is he?
Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
Q: Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the war?
Q: Did he kill you?
Q: How far apart were the vehicles at the time of the collision?
Q: You were there until the time you left, is that true?
Q: How many times have you committed suicide?
Q: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th? A: Yes. Q: And what were you doing at that time?
Q: All your responses must be oral, OK? What school did you go to? A: Oral.
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body? A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m. Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time? A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.
Q: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? A: No. Q: Did you check for blood pressure? A: No. Q: Did you check for breathing? A: No. Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy? A: No. Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor? A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar. Q: But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless? A: It is possible that he could have been alive and practising law somewhere.
Q: She had three children, right? A: Yes. Q: How many were boys? A: None. Q: Were there any girls?
Q: You say the stairs went down to the basement? A: Yes. Q: And these stairs, did they go up also?
Q: Mr. Slatery, you went on a rather elaborate honeymoon, didn’t you? A: I went to Europe, Sir. Q: And you took your new wife?
Q: How was your first marriage terminated? A: By death. Q: And by whose death was it terminated?
Q: Can you describe the individual? A: He was about medium height and had a beard. Q: Was this a male, or a female?
Q: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney? A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people? A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
Q: You were not shot in the fracas? A: No, I was shot midway between the fracas and the navel.
Barbary vs Civilisation
Never forget that 70% at least of the Anglo-saxon vocabulary derives from French. That’s 70% of the Unitedstatish dictionary too. A good 20% remaining comes from Latin or Greek due to French habit of coining new words by resorting to ancient languages. So that’s 10% left, deriving from archaic German or dutchified type of Old German. Great isn’t it?!
Also note that Old English (I mean before Frenchification that’s yielded Middle & Modern English) became almost extinguished during Middle Ages, at least in the hearts and the mouth of every cultivated being inhabiting that sad island. Instead, two forms of French were flourishing thus accounting for the fact that present-day English may reasonably deemed an obscure French dialect. Just pigs and Englishmen were speaking (or grunting ?) English.
Well by English we mean an impoverished language with no original savour, due to French hegemony.
That’s true that the English language is the most meritorious monkey in trying to achieve a crumb of the shadow of French refinement, not to mention subtlety. Poodle of the US as for politics, poodle of France as for language, civilisation, society & intelligence, that’s really a unique, sad fate (although well-deserved).
I have worked with the french, eaten with the french, shopped with the french. I don’t like the french. I haven’t slept with the french.
1. Paris has not yet been ruined by skycrappers. It has been ruined by frenchmen.
2. French women have helped to teach the women of the world how to be sexier at 35 than at 25, as they have mastered this for hundreds of years.
If only we could teach french women to bathe. I think you are mistaking “sexier” for “smellier”.
3. For every arrogant Frenchman, there is a beautiful French woman who is cuckolding him. Yes, basicly the french are whores. Unfortunatly widespread use of condoms after WWII failed to improve the bloodlines. Sigh.
4. Even Chinese food tastes good in France. Chinese food tastes good everywhere. In france it has the authentic lack of hygene and parasites that make oriental cusine the choice of malnourished people worldwide.
5. The French have 400 types of cheese and still manage to import Kraft.
6. The French can take Italians like Yves Montand and Serge Reggiani and turn them into French crooners in one generation.
7. The French name their streets after artists, poets and statesmen; there’s not a single French city with numbered streets.
The neighborhoods are numbered.
8. Sigmund Freud was not French.
9. The French have stopped writing operas. There has NEVER been a decent rock band from france. Heck, there hasn’t been a decent POLKA band from france. The french are atonal.
10. The French have not started a war in 100 years, or won one in 50. What did they win 50 years ago? Certainly not WWII. That was won FOR them. The last big french win had Napoleon at the helm, and he was Corsican.
11. The French hold their elections on Sundays and never close their bars. Which goes a long way twards explaining their choice of elected officials.
12. The French take eating more seriously than religion. Which explains why france is becoming a muslim country.
13. The French do not put ketchup on their oysters. Neither do Americans. Who does this?
14. The French always hold their revolutions during warm weather, holding with the basic french idea that nothing is more important than comfort. No one else thinks sloth is a virtue.
15. In sports, the French prefer losing by one point to winning by 10. In the defence of their own country, they prefer losing as well. In everything they prefer losing.
16. The French consider American movies of the 1930s to be works of art. They are. Jerry Lewis on the other hand…
17. French police always salute automobile drivers before they issue traffic tickets. Silly strutting peacocks that they are.
18. When dubbed in French, John Wayne sounds like a good actor. In English he sounds like a great actor.
19. Picasso lived in France and was allowed to remain a Spaniard as long as he paid taxes. Yes, the french are basicly whores.
20. Voltaire hated Rousseau.
21. The French wash their hands before going to the toilet. Which is why there are traces of urine in the soup. The french should avoid the subject of hygene. After all, they avoid the practice.
22. French trains run on time, when they’re not on strike. And the timetables are VERY accurate when the Germans are in charge.
23. The French do not sing La Marseillaise before every soccer match; they sing it after, if they win. Other countries sing their anthems first because they anticipate winning.
24. The French serve water without ice. Lukewarm water is a selling point? Big deal,so do the Brits.
25. French politicians can finish a sentence. So can Britsh, American and Austrailian politicians. Futhermore, the Brits, Yanks & Aussies can finish a sentence without using the word “surrender”.
26. French people in the provinces hate the Parisians as much as foreigners do. OK, well that is sensible.
27. BLIND people drive better than the Italians and Turks. This is not a high standard.
28. The French do not put sugar in their bread.
29. The French do not use French dressing on their salads.
30. The French eat a lot of yogurt, but do not claim to have invented it.
31. Income taxes are called “contributions” in France.
32. The French word for “fart” is “pet.” Possibly because compared to the usual smell of a frenchman, flatulence is attractive,diminutive and looked at with affection. You find this a positve attribute?
33. There are almost as many trees in Paris as there are automobiles.
34. One can say “merde” in polite society. In french society the use of suppositories is considered acceptable discourse.
35. La Seine, le Rhône, la Loire.
Le Car.
36. French women look dressed up even when wearing blue jeans and “Fruit of the Loom” T-shirts. Both American products. Of course this would make them look good. They are dressed as Americans. Simple, CLEAN and wholesome.
37. The French never speak of “the French touch.” Other than in a VD clinc, neither do Americans.
38. The French are very tolerant of foreigners who love them. La preuve: they have put up with me for 40 years.
The french spit on Americans on the streets of Paris after WWII. Are you sure they know you’re a foreigner?
I don’t know where you’re from but you must surely be:
1/ paranoid
2/ schizophrenic
3/ unfucked
4/ illiterate
5/ ugly
6/ stupid
7/ friendless
8/ created by your father’s urine, not by his inseminating your mother
9/ urgently needing an identity (if there’s anywhere one left for you) for you to stop copying & pasting commonplace texts you can’t even understand nor read
10/ a citizen of the US
Un gars est en voiture sur l’autoroute lorsqu’il arrive à un bouchon de circulation. À un moment donné, quelqu’un cogne dans sa vitre et le chauffeur descend. Il demande :
– Qu’est-ce qui se passe ?
L’autre gars dit :
– Des terroristes ont pris Georges W Bush en otage et ils demandent 1 million de dollars sinon ils l’arrosent d’essence et ils jettent une allumette dessus. Alors vous comprenez, on passe à chaque auto pour ramasser des dons. Le chauffeur demande :
– Vous avez ramassé combien ?
– Environ 20 litres…
W. Bush vient de mourir… et il atterrit immédiatement en enfer (jusque-là, rien que de très normal). Satan lui dit :
– La règle ici, étant donné que nous manquons de place, c’est que le nouvel arrivé prend la place d’un plus ancien qui est envoyé au paradis. Comme vous êtes un invité de marque, je vais vous laisser choisir qui peut remonter; réfléchissez bien car vous subirez éternellement le châtiment de celui que vous aurez choisi…
Satan ouvre une porte: Saddam Hussain est enchaîné à un pilori et affreusement torturé. W. dit :
– Non seulement je n’arriverai pas à supporter ça, mais en plus cette ordure à mérité ce qu’il lui arrive.
Satan ouvre une autre porte: Fidel Castro casse des cailloux sous une chaleur écrasante avec des gardiens qui le fouettent. Même commentaire de W.
Satan ouvre une autre porte: Clinton est dans un salon confortablement installé dans un fauteuil, un verre de grand cognac dans la main droite, un cigare dans la main gauche et Monica Lewinski à genoux devant lui en train de… euh… bon, pas besoin de faire un dessin.W. s’exclame avec un grand sourire :
– C’était mon ennemi en politique mais je pense que ça serait assez agréable de prendre sa place.
Satan a un rictus et dit :
– C’est bon tu peux partir, Monica
Einstein arrive au Paradis, et devant la porte d’accès se trouve St-Pierre qui lui demande :
– Nom, prénom, profession.
– Einstein, Albert, Physicien.
– Il y a beaucoup de personnes qui se sont fait passer pour Albert Einstein, donc il me faut une preuve de votre véritable identité.
– Donnez moi un tableau et une craie, dit Einstein.
St-Pierre claque des doigts et Einstein se retrouve devant le tableau, sur lequel il fait la démonstration complète de la Relativité. St-Pierre est épaté, et lui donne le droit d’accès. Quelques temps plus tard, Picasso se pointe devant la porte du Paradis. St-Pierre s’adresse à lu i:
– Nom, prénom, profession?
– Picasso, Pablo, artiste.
– Il y a beaucoup de personnes qui se sont fait passer pour Picasso, donc comme Einstein l’a fait, donnez une preuve de votre véritable identité.
Picasso demande une toile et des pinceaux, St-Pierre claque des doigts, et Picasso refait une de ses plus belles toiles période bleue. St-Pierre le félicite, et lui donne le droit de passage. Bien plus tard, George W. Bush se pointe au Paradis et, est arrêté par St-Pierre, qui lui demande :
Nom, prénom, profession?
– Bush, Georges, ex-président des Etats-Unis.
– Ok, mais beaucoup de personnes se sont fait passer pour Georges W. Bush, donc comme l’ont fait Einstein et Picasso, il me faut une preuve de votre identité.
Bush le regarde et lui demande :
– C’est qui Einstein et Picasso?
Et St-Pierre lui répond:
C’est bon Georges tu peux rentrer.
Dans un hôtel, en France, un touriste français prend tranquillement son petit déjeuner : café, croissant, baguette, beurre et confiture. Un touriste américain mâchant son chewing-gum s’installe en face de lui. Bien que le français l’ignore, l’américain engage la conversation :
L’Américain : “Vous les français, vous mangez tout le pain ?”
Le Français (de mauvaise humeur) : “Oui.”
L’Américain (après avoir fait une grosse bulle avec son chewing-gum):
“Nous en Amérique, on mange juste l’intérieur. La croûte, on la met dans des containers, on recycle en faisant des croissants et on les vends aux Français.”
L’américain a un petit sourire sur le visage, le français écoute en silence.
L’Américain persiste : “Vous mangez de la confiture avec le pain ?”
Le Français : “Oui.”
– L’américain (une grosse bulle éclate sur sa figure et d’un coup de langue habile, il ravale son chewing-gum et continue à mâcher) : “Nous pas, en Amérique, on mange des fruits frais au petit déjeuner. Et on met les pelures, les pépins et les restes dans un containers, on les recycle en faisant de la confiture et on la vend aux Français.” Le Français demande alors : “Faites-vous l’amour en Amérique ?”
L’Américain : “yeah bien sûr, très souvent” dit-il avec un large sourire.
Le Français : “Et que faites vous des préservatifs utilisés ?”
L’Américain : “Et bien comme tout le monde, on les jette.”
– Le Français : “Pas nous, une fois utilisés, on les recycle dans des containers, on fait du chewing-gum et on le vend aux Américains …”
Quelle différence y a t il entre un Américain et un yaourt ?
Au bout d’un certain temps, le yaourt développe une certaine forme de culture.
Le Président George W. Bush fait le tour des écoles primaires afin de rencontrer les tous jeunes futurs votants du pays. Il entre dans une classe et arrive au moment où l’institutrice est en train d’expliquer aux enfants le sens du mot tragédie. L’institutrice se tourne alors vers le Président et lui propose de diriger la discussion. Ainsi l’illustre dirigeant demande aux jeunes élèves de lui trouver un exemple illustrant le sens du terme qu’ils viennent d’apprendre. Un petit garçon se lève et dit :
– Si mon meilleur ami qui vit à côté de chez moi joue tranquillement dans la rue et qu’une voiture le renverse, ce sera une tragédie.
Bush secoue tristement la tête :
– Non, mon petit… Ce serait un accident !
Un léger silence s’installe dans la classe. Le président insiste
– Qui veut proposer autre chose ?
Une petite fille se lève alors à son tour :
– Un bus scolaire transportant 50 élèves tombe dans le ravin, et tout le monde meurt dans la chute. Ca, c’est une tragédie !
Bush secoue la tête à nouveau :
– Non, petite, il s’agit là d’une grosse perte pour le monde…
Cette fois, c’est un lourd silence qui tombe sur le groupe. Bush s’impatiente légèrement :
– Allons, les enfants ! Il n’y a personne pour me donner un exemple sérieux de tragédie ?
Alors, Petit Johnny du fin fond de la classe se lève :
– Si Air Force One alors qu’il transporte M. et Mme BUSH, est frappé par un missile et est pulvérisé en plein ciel, ça c’est une tragédie !
– Fantastique ! ” s’écrie le Président, le visage illuminé. Voilà une superbe illustration du mot tragédie ! Et peux-tu expliquer à tes petits camarades la raison pour laquelle ce serait une tragédie ?
– Parce que ça ne serait pas un accident et que ça ne serait sûrement pas une grosse perte !
Comment appelle t on aux USA un homme intelligent ?
Un touriste.
Un Texan et un Français sont dans un train, assis l’un en face de l’autre. Ils se dévisagent avec curiosité. L’Américain est l’archétype du parfait cow-boy. La chemise à carreaux, le chapeau, les bottes, la totale. Le Français est tout ce qu’il y a de plus moyen, avec son béret. Au bout d’un moment, le texan lâche une volée de petits crachats, qui viennent dessiner une auréole parfaite autour de la tête du Français, et il dit :
Smith,… John Smith, champion du monde professionnel de crachat 1995, je suis même dans le livre des records.
Après une légère hésitation, le Français envoie un gros molard en pleine figure du Texan, et lui répond :
Dupont, Jean. Amateur.
Les 21 choses qui n’arrivent que dans les films americains :
1. Dans une maison hantée, les femmes recherchent l’origine des bruits étranges en portant leurs plus beaux sous-vêtements.
2. Pourchassé dans une ville, vous aurez toujours la chance de pouvoir vous dissimuler au milieu d’un défilé de la Saint Patrick (ou carnaval), n’importe quel jour de l’année.
3. Tous les lits ont des draps spéciaux qui s’arrêtent au niveau des aisselles de la femme mais seulement au niveau de la taille de l’homme allongé à ses côtés.
4. N’importe qui peut facilement faire décoller un avion, pourvu qu’il y ait quelqu’un dans la tour de contrôle pour lui donner l’autorisation de
partir.
5. Le système de ventilation de n’importe quel bâtiment est le parfait endroit pour se cacher. Là, personne ne pensera à vous trouver et en plus vous pourrez accéder a toutes les pièces de l’édifice sans aucun problème.
6. Tu survivras très probablement à toutes les guerres à moins que tu ne commettes la fatale erreur de montrer à quelqu’un la photo de ta bien-aimée qui t’attend sagement à la maison.
7. Un homme se prendra les plus terribles coups sans broncher, mais sursautera quand une femme tentera de nettoyer ses blessures.
8. Le chef de la police est toujours Noir.
9. Au moment de payer le taxi, ne regardes jamais dans ton portefeuille pour sortir un billet: prends un billet un au hasard et tends-le: C’est
toujours le prix exact.
10. Les cuisines ne sont pas equipées de lumières. Quand vous pénétrez dans une cuisine en pleine nuit, ouvrez le frigo et utilisez sa lumière à la place.
11. Pendant une enquête de police il faut forcément passer au moins une fois dans un club de strip-tease.
12. Une simple allumette suffit pour éclairer une pièce de la taille d’un terrain de foot.
13. Meme si vous conduisez sur une avenue parfaitement droite, il est nécessaire de tourner vigoureusement le volant de droite à gauche de temps en temps.
14. Un homme visé par 20 hommes a plus de chance de s’en sortir que 20 hommes visés par un seul.
15. La majorité des gens gardent un album rempli de coupures de journaux; particulièrement si un membre de leur famille est mort dans un étrange accident de bateau.
16. Ne vous tracassez pas si vous êtes en nette infériorité numérique dans un combat d’arts martiaux: vos ennemis attendent patiemment de vous attaquer un a un,en dansant d’une manière menacante autour de vous,jusqu’à ce que leur prédecesseur soit au sol.
17. Lors d’une conversation très émouvante, au lieu de parler en regardant votre interlocuteur,placez-vous derrière lui et parlez à
son dos.
18. S’il y a un malade mental psychopathe en fuite, cela coincide en général avec un orage qui coupe le courant et les communications téléphoniques dans les parages. (pratique pour les prévisions météo).
19. On peut jouer de la plupart des instruments de musique-surtout les instruments à vent et les accordeons-sans avoir à bouger les doigts.
20. Toutes les bombes sont connectées a un chronomètre à gros affichage rouge, afin que tu puisses savoir exactement quand il est temps de te tirer.
21. On peut toujours se garer en bas de l’immeuble ou l’on veut aller.
A vous maintenant…
22. On se souvient toujours des numeros de téléphone.
23. On quitte sa voiture sans verouiller les portières. Quand on revient, toujours pas besoin de clefs: elle est ouverte et quelle chance personne ne l’a volée!
24. quand le héros et sa promise tombe dans la flotte ceux ci resortent sec et le brushing parfait dans la scène suivante…
26- les méchants présentent souvent une pilosité assez impressionnante alors que le gentil de service présente un torse fraîchement épilé et lisse
27- d’ailleurs les filles, elles, lorsque viennent les moments de lits tout à fait inattendus, non prévisibles, elles sont toujours parfaitement lisses aussi avec de jolis sous-vêtements et puis… ce ne sont jamais les mauvais jours du mois à croire que la nature est toujours de leur bord, en tout cas je n’en n’ai jamais vu qui avaient malenconteusement “mal au ventre”.
28. Lors des gunfights les méchants comme les gentils se cachent tjrs derière des bidons en taule, en plastiques ou bien des planches.
Mais faut savoir que dans la réalité ils seraient déjà tous morts, parce que c’est matériaux sont rarement blindés.
29. tu peux sauter d’une fenêtre, il y aura toujours, soit ta voiture (naturellement décapotable ou rembourrée), soit une charrette de foin, soit (le top!) ton cheval sellé pour te recevoir en douceur.
30.Traverser les vitres n’est pas non plus un problème, tu ne te blesseras, ni te couperas jamais.
31. Si tu es le héros et que tu travailles dans un bureau: pas de bol! Tu feras régulièrement des heures sup. tous seul dans un immeuble vide et seras en plus obligé de manger chinois dans des boites en carton
32. Les femmes ne se demaquillent JAMAIS avant de se coucher, et l’oreiller est toujours d’un blanc immaculé et pas froissé.
33. Le rouge à lèvres ne laisse jamais de trace que ce sur les verres ou les visages.
34 / Et bien sûr quand en haute montagne des alpinistes tombent dans un glacier a cause d’une alvalanche, pour survivre ils retrouvent le sac a dos d’un autre tombe avant eux !
35/ Au beau milieu d’une conversation, soudain, un orchestre symphonique commence à jouer, et les gens continuent leur conversation en chantant!
36. Les couples amoureux se mettent tout d’un coup à danser la valse là où ils se trouvent (dans la rue, sur le toit d’un gratte ciel…) et tout d’un coup la musique retentit.
37. Quand le héros fait une déclaration d’amour à l’héroïne dans un lieu public (resto., train…), et qu’ils se donnent enfin le baiser tant attendu, toute la foule autour applaudit!
38 Même qq instants après avoir accouché les femmes sont bien maquillées sans sudoration.
Monsieur et Madame Palerbiensolidcédeutourla ont un fils? Comment s’appelle-t-il. Oussama (ouh… ça m’a pas l’air bien solide ces deux tours-là).
Ben Laden va gagner le prochain Marathon de New York. Normal, il a deux tours d’avance.
Bush est mal barré dans sa partie d’échecs contre Ben Laden: le fou lui a déjà pris ses deux tours.
Riz «Uncle Ben»: le riz qui ne redécolle jamais.
Après Air France et son forfait tourisme Concorde «Départ de l’aéroport, arrivée à l’hôtel», American Airlines riposte avec son forfait classe affaires «Départ de l’aéroport, arrivée au bureau».
Savez-vous que les Afghans ont trouvé un mollah plus modéré pour prendre la place du mollah Omar à la tête de l’Etat? Ah bon, et qui ça? Le mollah Chu.
Vous connaissez la dernière pensée de l’ouvrier portant quatre slips, et suspecté par les médias français d’être un terroriste islamiste, quand l’usine chimique de Toulouse a explosé, peut-être par sa faute? Allah calbar…
Pourquoi Ben Laden a une telle barbe? C’est parce qu’il se rase avec un micro.
L’Amérique a trois superhéros: Superman qui survole les tours, Spiderman qui les escalade et Musulman qui les traverse.
Heureux événement dans la famille Ben Laden: ils ont eu des jumelles.
Aux Etats-Unis, un gars est en voiture sur l’autoroute lorsqu’il arrive à un bouchon de circulation. A un moment donné, quelqu’un frappe à la vitre. Le chauffeur descend la vitre et demande: «Qu’est-ce qui se passe?» L’autre gars dit: «Des terroristes ont pris Doubleyou Bush en otage et ils demandent 1 million de dollars sinon ils l’arrosent d’essence et ils jettent une allumette dessus. Alors vous comprenez, on passe à chaque auto pour ramasser des dons.» Le chauffeur demande: «Et combien les gens donnent? – Environ 5 litres…»
Le président Bush va visiter une école. Ce jour-là, au cours d’anglais, en vocabulaire, on étudie le mot «drame». La maîtresse demande aux élèves de donner des exemples de drames. Bush, attentif, donnera son avis sur l’exemple proposé. Un premier élève se lève et dit: «Si mon meilleur ami se fait écraser en traversant la rue, c’est un drame.» Bush répond: «Non, ce n’est pas un drame, c’est un accident.» Un deuxième élève tente le coup: «Si un bus entier d’élèves tombe d’un pont et tout le monde meurt, c’est un drame.» «Non, insiste Bush, ce n’est pas un drame, c’est une grande perte.» Un troisième élève se lance alors: «Si vous et Mme Bush êtes dans un avion privé et cet avion explose, c’est un drame.» «Très bien, s’exclame Bush satisfait. Et explique donc aux autres pourquoi.» L’élève répond: «Parce que ce n’est ni un accident, ni une grande perte!»
Avant le 11 septembre, Ben Laden a eu sa mère au téléphone: «Oussama, j’en ai marre de tes colliers de nouilles et de tes cendriers en pots de yaourt, fais-moi un vrai cadeau!»
Que fait une blonde dans le World trade center ?
Elle attends l’ avion
Quel est la pub favorite de ben laden ?
comme moi, faites confiance a boeing !
Hextrill contre tout les problèmes de Bush !
Ben Laden et Bush sont au téléphone :
– J’ai une bonne et une mauvaise nouvelle pour toi président !
– Vas-y.
– La bonne c’ est que je me rends, la mauvaise c’ est que je viens en avion.
” Bush père et fils, une petite entreprise qui marche fort. Le père fabrique les terroristes, le fils tente de les supprimer. Ca s’appelle Bush à Bush!”
(English translation at the bottom)
Einstein arrive au Paradis, et devant la porte d’accès se trouve St-Pierre qui lui demande :
– Nom, prénom, profession.
– Einstein, Albert, Physicien.
– Il y a beaucoup de personnes qui se sont fait passer pour Albert Einstein, donc il me faut une preuve de votre véritable identité.
– Donnez moi un tableau et une craie, dit Einstein.
St-Pierre claque des doigts et Einstein se retrouve devant le tableau, sur lequel il fait la démonstration complète de la Relativité. St-Pierre est épaté, et lui donne le droit d’accès. Quelques temps plus tard, Picasso se pointe devant la porte du Paradis. St-Pierre s’adresse à lu i:
– Nom, prénom, profession?
– Picasso, Pablo, artiste.
– Il y a beaucoup de personnes qui se sont fait passer pour Picasso, donc comme Einstein l’a fait, donnez une preuve de votre véritable identité.
Picasso demande une toile et des pinceaux, St-Pierre claque des doigts, et Picasso refait une de ses plus belles toiles période bleue. St-Pierre le félicite, et lui donne le droit de passage. Bien plus tard, George W. Bush se pointe au Paradis et, est arrêté par St-Pierre, qui lui demande :
Nom, prénom, profession?
– Bush, Georges, ex-président des Etats-Unis.
– Ok, mais beaucoup de personnes se sont fait passer pour Georges W. Bush, donc comme l’ont fait Einstein et Picasso, il me faut une preuve de votre identité.
Bush le regarde et lui demande :
– C’est qui Einstein et Picasso?
Et St-Pierre lui répond:
C’est bon Georges tu peux rentrer.
Eisntein is knocking at the door of paradise. St Peter opens the door & asks him :
– Surname, name, occupation ?
– Einstein, Albert, physicist.
– Many people have tried to usurp Albert Einstein’sidentity so far, so do as you like but I want you to vouch for your idendity.
– Give me a blackboard & a chalk, Einstein replied
St Peter snaps his fingers having Einstein now standing in front of the blackboard on which he’s writing a thorough exemplification of Relativity. St Peter is impressed & grants Einstein access to paradise. Later on that’s Picasso who turns up at the front of the door of paradise. He’s questioned by St Peter :
– Surname, name, occupation ?
– Picasso, Pablo, artist.
– Many people have tried to usurp Pablo Picasso’sidentity so far, so do as Einstein did : vouch for your idendity.
Picasso asks St Pierre to be privided with canvas & paintbrush. No sooner has St Pierre slaped his fingers that Picasso is once more delivering one the most beautiful paintings pertaining to the Blue Period. He gets congratulated by St Pierre & wins access to paradise. Later, really later on that’s George W Bush now showing up at paradise. St Peter stops him & asks :
– Surname, name, occupation ?
– Bush, George, former president of the United States.
– Many people have tried to usurp George Bush’s identity so far, so do as Einstein & Picasso did : vouch for your idendity.
– Who are Einstein & Picasso ?
And St Peter replies :
– OK George. Now you may in.
sure France may of helped in the revolution. But more men lost their lives on DDAY then France lost in the entire american revolution. We americans defended France TWICE when we had too. Its not like they couldnt repay us.
go get a job, all of you
I like the French, they tried to protect us from ourselves. Their president (though not the most popular guy) said before the war started that they didn’t believe there were any WMDs and that they had been destroyed. They didn’t believe Iraq was an immanent threat. I’m glad they voiced their opinion that the rest of the world shared. We should be more afraid of ourselves and afraid of how we believe the choreography on the media and following politics hyped up on fear. If someone was going to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge I would try to stop them if I could.
So now, as you can see, there’s no WMDs in Irak. This is the proof that Bush lied.
I’m from New Zealand (that’s an anti-nuclear bomb country in the south Pacific – France knows!!) and have enjoyed (sadly) reading the above. I was raised respecting America & it’s values & because We Learn History here I learned about Europaean, Asian Eurasian, African, Middle Eastern etc nations as well.
I am now entering my thirties & see that America no longer has values (except for propaganda purposes when they are rolled out & dusted off by govt officials) and the voting public is not aware of it. The saddest thing (apart from dead Iraqui’s & a country with no functioning infrastructure)is that the world is a poorer place as two great nations squabble and a more dangerous one as an Empire is forged.
America will probably be the last great power and how they behave now is how the world will forge together in the future.
Currently that is war & economic elitism. Smacks of a Philosopher that the Nazi’s bought into & social Darwinism.
Please Americans…learn what happens beyond your borders & vote on policies & principals. You can make a HUGE difference.
The world needs to be forged by common Values – Europe is leading the way (with problems) with patience & vision – it has taken them 50 years to get to the point they are. Does America have the fortitude? or even the attention span?
Here in my great country being a pimple on the arse of the Earth we can only watch & state our opinion (or could – apparently we can only do that now if we agree with big bro US) and then deal with the results the powerful create. PLEEEEAAAASE Americans go & ALL vote – if you all did the world would change almost instantly as your people are (mostly) people of values. Love the rest of the world and come to grips with the fact that other nations love their countries as well.
Some comments from American immigrants to NZ…
“I thought America was a free country ’till I moved here” heard that more than once.
“I felt so ignorant when I left the States because everyone alse knew about history and the world, I only know about America” She didn’t even know that America went to war with Canada…..& lost!!
Derek, i agree. You’re right.
Remember what happened in 1789 with french royalty, when they refused to get red of their rights and power, to others more miserable…
We, who live in rich countries are the new aristocrates in this world.
Question to anybody (out of franch bashing)
When Doc Holliday said to Johnny Ringo (Tombstone – OK Corral 1885) :
“I’m your huckleberry” ==> What did he mean ??
Thanks for your answer (seriously)
boz, va te coucher, tu pollues ce forum avec tes conneries…
c’est pas possible d’être aussi superficiel…
C’est quoi “PAG” ? de plus, d’où viens-tu aussi tardivement sur ce forum ?
Well, I’m sure this isn’t going to do any good, and I’m not here to “join the fray”, so to speak. I just wanted to give my opinion on a few points about a subject that everyone is so pissed about.
First of all, I’m an American, but I certainly don’t agree with all the French-bashing that I’ve been coming across. The French had every right to decide against President Bush. And the French have done a lot for America as well. I also love the French culture and language, and not just because I’m of French descent. It’s just that it is absolutely idiotic to deride someone for disagreeing with you. We all have differing opinions and attitudes and, for those of you who need a little reassurance, this IS a good thing. Part of the problem here is that few people are actually trying to understand France’s point of view. And I apologize to all the American patriots, but America is NOT infallible.
However, the American-bashing that I’m reading from the other side isn’t fair either. I didn’t agree with Bush. I didn’t think that going to war was the best course of action, and I don’t believe that a lot of the American people did, judging by the anti-war demonstrations that were taking place across the country. So, on that point, those in France who think that all of America was in accord with Bush are wrong. And we do not deserve the nasty comments they are making about us, any more than they deserve the ones that Americans are making about them.
Just a little thing that you obviously don’t know about victims of second world war :
300 000 americans killed (0.2% of population)
400 000 english killed (1% of the population)
610 000 french killed (1.5% of population)
21 300 000 russian killed ! (12% of population)
And america involved in the war only at the end, when it was beginning to become a commercial problem for them…
This means that the country that really defended europe was USSR and certainly not USA…
Erm…..Actually, the USSr defended their own country, they couldn’t give a toss about the rest of Europe, A goodly amount of Russians died by the hands of Russians. The only true defenders of Europe were the good old British.
Thanks God for the British!
The fucking british, who betrayed french at Dunkerque. They where so lucky when Goering decided to change his plan and stopped bombardments on RAF air bases. In 1914, french should have joined Germans to erase Great Britain and his awful people
What a stupid remake!
The first WW! Wasn’t it supossed to be the last?
Please stop this accountancy on how many lives the French owe to America. A quick look at history shows that Americans did not rush into WWII to save the french, but they stepped into it lately when it was their own interest. US became a big country during the 2 World Wars, while european countries became second rate nations.
Do french people forget America’s participation in WWII ? If you come to France, you will find a “Franklin Roosevelt” avenue in many french cities or villages.
In answer to Boz, we must thank the British wo were once the only nation on war against Hitler.
Please stop bashing each other people on both sides of Atlantic Ocean, or some day europeans and americans will fight each other. And we, europeans, do know that war does not profit to the winner.
Nothing since the 12 august 2003. Has american people stop to bash the french.I think most of have stop this stupid game. But Mr Bush and his government have not stop to pratice. They still punish France. They oppose them since they can. Economy ; diplamacy ;politic…Mr Bush refuse to receive Jacques Chirac in New-Orleans. It’s a shame. The reconciliation between our two countries will become when Mr Bush will lost the Election in november. I hope so. Anybody but Bush. May be Mr Dean…
Vive la France et vive les Etats-Unis sans Mr Bush
Et vive la France sans Chirac!
You forgot about one more nation:
Polish- 6 .000.000(25%!), so tell me, who lost more people? And WE WERE BETRAYED by all of you- by French in 1933(when we wanted to take Hitler off), by British and French in september 1939, By USA, British and Russians in 1944(in Teheran, Yalta) and by USA who send II Polish Corps to Mexico after Monte casino.
France helped USA, USA helped France. Why ? Because we are friends. So no one have to justify who helped who because it was friendly actions.
It’s like telling “I was your best friend”, “no, it was me, I was the one that love you more”
The fact is that French and americans are always friends, so we don’t care who helped who. When we are friends, we simply help, we don’t count how much nor why we help.
Today, I have a lot of american friends that only want one thing : continue to be friends. That is what I want too.
Bashing France or USA will not help thos two countries to progress. Boycotting french or american products will not help, it will weaken our two countries because we have a lot of commercial alliances.
By bashing USA or France, you are bashing your best brothers and yourself…