It seems that no matter what it does, France is destined to forever be the worlds whipping boy.
The country has had had more boots stuck in it than Imedla Marcos's shoe cupboard and even the Chinese are joining in now with calls to blacklist French goods over its treatment of the Olympic torch last week.
Some of the incidents in the French capital, especially an attempt by a demonstrator to seize the flame from a Chinese woman in a wheelchair, have been shown repeatedly on Chinese TV and the tabloid Global Times is leading protests to boycott French luxury goods, such as cognac, wine and perfumes, whose sales are booming in China.
Ignoring events in London and San Francisco, it seems the Chinese want to punish the French but that won't be anything new to our Channel Tunnel sharing partners, it seems that everyone wants to have a pop at them regardless.
Pretty much all the nations in Europe have taken a swipe at them at some point and even after helping a young and tottering America beat the British in the battle of Independence and giving it a big concrete woman to stand in New York Harbour, the yanks still deliver a swift kick to it's Gallics whenever possible.
The Simpson's coined a new derogatory term with the 'Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys' jibe and the abuse hit new levels when France refused to support the Iraq War in the UN along with Germany, Russia and China but it was the French and most notably their fries, that got the critical treatment.
France has a bit of respite With George Bush in the White House and America on the end of a global shoeing but with him on the way out and no other obvious candidate, it is going to be back to fulfilling the Duke of Wellington dream that: "We always have been, we are, and I hope that we always shall be, detested in France.'
Yep, i think we probably shall be.
14 comments:
It's a shame that France wasn't the only bad boy on the block! I'd be happy with that.
At least it's not threatening to drag the world into WW3 and neither does it have deranged ambitions to rule the world like a certain other militaristic country that we could all name.
No, France is a good neighbor and it actually stands for something decent. Viva La France!
There's nothing more pleasant than visiting Paris in the Springtime... walking around the 'jardins', and the galleries, and the markets of Montmartre... and eventually taking a seat in a beautiful cafe to watch the world go by... where you are rudely condescended to by a "tut-tutting" Parisian waiter for not being able to pronounce items on the menu to his satisfaction... (or possibly for just 'being English' without good reason).
Without such hostility you might forget where you were! :)
(Actually on my visits to France I've found the vast majority of people have been fine... but the waiters in Paris are all arseholes! I think they must get a bonus to be bastards!).
The Chinese need to express their indignation and outrage at anyone who dares to protest against their human rights record - it gives you an idea of how they deal with dissent in their own country.
Who to pin the blame on, though? Not the UK as China has to smile and pass the Olympic baton on to Gordon at the end of the Games; it wouldn't do to create a stink there. Not the US; their weapons are far too big and scary. But the French, "le garcon de foet" of the world; perfect.
This is nose-thumbing politics at its most shallow.
Maybe the protesters should conduct an alternative relay, carrying a stick of French bread around the world in the name of peace and harmony.
So Danny, my open invitation to you to come spend the 4th of July at my place, and to march in the parade is being turned down?
Lucy,
Other than recognizing that things would be different today (but we can only imagine possibilities), modern day Americans don't owe anything to the French for what they did in the 1700's. Especially since the French action was self-serving and not completely unselfish.
Likewise, modern day French do not owe Americans anything, other than the recognition that they would likely be speaking German today (or maybe Russian), for what the U.S. did circa 1920 and circa 1940. Especially since the American action was self-serving and not completely unselfish.
Also, with the exception of some very old and very courageous people still alive today, it is all ancient history.
Steve, while the U.S. has big, scary weapons (which the French also have) the primary reasons the Chinese aren't jacking with the U.S. are more likely economic... they own a lot of U.S. currency, we are their biggest customer, and U.S. companies like Bank of America, Citibank, Fidelity Investments, Charles Schwab, J.P. Morgan Chase, E-trade, Wells Fargo, Coke, IBM, GM, GE, and many others have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in China.
Q
Yea, but they do have brie.
and socialized medicine. 25 years back, we met some visiting french deadheads. one of them hurt her wrist, and i still remember how amazed i was that she could return to
dijon with the doctor's bill, and it would be paid in full by her government. freedom fries indeed.
Because of America, the world may not exist on the 4th of July, Cody!
P.S. But thanks for the invite anyway.
I'm willing to bet we will be here, and the brats are on me Danny boy.
And they gave use the good kissing.
You've got to at least give the French credit for having the foresight to free us up over here so we could come save them from ruin for the rest of time.
If it wasn't for them effay you would all be speaking English now.
Touché.
I read that back and thought, nah, nobody will get that. Well done.
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