Posted on 10/10/2005 10:41:11 AM PDT by BulletBobCo
Two years after relations between the US and France soured over the Iraq war, French-bashing in America appears alive and well in light of a recent ad campaign by a fast-food chain linking France and cowardice.
The ad by the Subway chain touted a cordon bleu chicken sandwich with the words “France and chicken, somehow it just goes together”. A photo of a chicken dressed like Napoleon accompanied the advertisement.
Subway ran the ads in about 10 US states for nearly a month and pulled them in September following an outcry by members of the French expatriate community and other customers offended by the racist undertone.
Mark Bridenbaker, a spokesman for Subway, which has outlets in France, defended the campaign telling AFP it was aimed at lauding French cuisine.
“The perfect match of French cuisine and the Subway chicken... that was the intent of this advertising,” he said. “But once we realized that people were taking offense, we removed everything from stores right away.”
Others, however, say the ads are evidence French bashing has become well-ingrained and perfectly acceptable among a segment of the American population.
They say that though diplomatic relations are on the mend following the spat over Iraq, and French fries, rather than “freedom fries”, are back on restaurant menus, anti-French sentiment still runs high in parts of the country.
“Saying that the French are dirty or cowards is a little bit like saying the sky is blue. Nobody is going to contest it,” said Denis Chazelle, a long-time French resident of the Washington area who created a web site in March to try and dispell misconceptions about his native country and who led the campaign against the Subway ads.
“I think (French bashing) is worse now than it was two years ago because, although it’s not as relentless as it was, it has become a lot more accepted and part of the landscape,” he added.
Chazelle said had Subway run an ad campagin targetting Mexicans, Israelis or Italians, it would have faced a boycott and management heads would have rolled.
“But if it concerns the French, it’s no big deal,” he said. “People here can say they hate the French without blinking an eye or an afterthought.”
Marc Saint-Aubin du Cormier, another French native who created a website to monitor anti-French sentiment in the United States and Canada, agrees.
“There is a kind of anti-French streak in the background of the culture of America,” he told AFP.
He pointed to several recent examples including comments by a talk show host for the Fox news channel who derided French aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Another Fox commentator lamented a day before the July 7 terrorist attacks in London that the International Olympic Committee had “missed a golden opportunity” because, if France had been selected to host the 2012 Olympics, terrorists would “blow up Paris, and who cares?”
Chazelle and Cormier said one reason such comments largely go unnoticed is because the French expatriate community in the United States is fairly small and has no active lobby groups.
They said though they were heartened by the fact their action against the Subway ads paid off, although they believe they face an uphill battle in changing negative public opinion about France.
“I am not very optimistic,” Chazelle said. “I think French bashing is here to stay.” afp
Euroweenie
I don't insist but it would be nice to get credit.
About a month ago I got through to Mark Levin when he was doing "Maurice the Liberal." After a "Bon jour Maurice, come va tu?" I told him I had a French phrase for him that I would translate for his non-French speaking listerners. I then gave him this tag line. I got a huge laugh and a take care my friend.
Il n'y a pas d'honte être français. Il y a seulement l'honte dans rester de français.
(There is no shame in being French. There is only shame in staying French.)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Seems to me that the French expatriates overreacted here. Although they associate chickens with cowards and being French, I don't think anyone would describe Napoleon as a coward (he was a lot of things, but not a coward).
More a case of the guilty dogs yelping the loudest.
I don't even mind snobs too much but what I really hate are COWARDS!
Pauvre petite bébé
Done.
I, on the other hand, am optimistic, for the same reason.
French buy into 9/11 conspiracy
PARIS, France (CNN) -- Throughout the spring, and into this summer, a leading bestseller in France has not been some great work of French literature but a $17-dollar paperback called the "Horrifying Fraud."
The book casts doubt on the official version of the events of September 11, substituting an elaborate conspiracy concocted by America's military-industrial complex in order to increase U.S. military budgets.
It has sold more than 200,000 copies here -- a huge success in French terms --attracting interest from readers like Eduard Chabanon and Naoufal Lahlou who are sceptical about much of what they are learn from the news.
Lahlou said: "There is always doubt. I haven't seen any proof that shows that man walked on the moon."
What's the big deal? The French have hated and discriminated against Americans for at least a generation and no one ever made that a big issue. My revenge? Spend my American dollars at home.
Quote of the Day
If you need another reason to hate France, read:
Vile France: Fear, Duplicity, Cowardice and Cheese
by Denis Boyles
Great book.
And the French and their defenders thus prove themselves not only cowardly, but stupid, to boot. It "might" be offensive (to the French, if no one else), but it certainly isn't "racist".
Another good reason to support Subway.
France, chickens and surrender monkeys go together so well.
Thank you. Thank you. I posted about this last week, without providing links.
I haven't eaten at a Subway since that story broke, which means that I have to go over 6 miles, and pass two Subway stores, to get to the little pizza joint owned by the Greek guy who hasn't had a day off in 19 yrs., but has a Ph.D son and a West Point grad son. I'm proud to do it.
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