No merci in US for thankless French

Daily Mirror (U.K.) ^ | 04/28/03 | Tony Parsons

[Pokey78]

I DON'T think the British have it in them to truly hate the French.

Despite our jocular outpourings of hop-off-you-Frogs banter, despite being frequently messed around by their surly air traffic controllers, despite having often seen their bullying unions intimidate British lorry drivers and burn British products, and despite having fought numerous wars against them, I think the British quite like the French.

Maybe "like" is putting it too highly. But the British admire a certain je ne sais quoi about French life.

If a Brit is in any part of France from Paris to Provence, he or she is likely to think - ah, this is the way life should be lived.

It's not the food. It's not the sun sinking over the Med. It's not the more-wine-my-dear sophistication, or the Brigitte Bardot/Sacha Distel sexiness. It's not the art, the architecture or the sound of that beautiful language. It is all of these things.

But it is different for Americans.

America has always distrusted France. Americans have found the French arrogant - which is a lot like George Best disapproving of someone because of their drinking habits.

After the war with Iraq, that distrust has curdled into something much more vehement. In America today, there is a genuine hatred of France and the French, and it means that the Western alliance will never be the same again.

Americans feel that, only a generation ago, they set France free. This is true, of course - there are 75,000 American men and boys buried in European graves, and they are never given the respect they deserve. The French were also set free by the Russians destroying the German Sixth Army in the ruins of Stalingrad, and by the British, who faced down Nazism alone.

But the British and the Russians were fighting for their national survival. The liberation of France was a happy by-product of that battle. To Americans, who never had German bombs dropping on their cities, or German troops swaggering through their streets, the liberation of France looks more like a hugely costly act of charity. And are les bastards grateful? Non, monsieur.

"Why should we expect the French to help us get Saddam out of Iraq?" asked one American. "They didn't even help us to get Hitler out of France."

In America there is a massively popular website called Francestinks. com. As you would expect, it contains plenty of French jokes - "the only way the French were going in was if we told them we'd discovered truffles in Iraq" - but the overall tone is deadly serious.

AMERICANS died for a country that is ungrateful, decadent and yellow to the core.

"Going to war without the French is like going hunting without your accordion," says one commentator. "How many Frenchman does it take to defend Paris?" asks another. "Nobody knows - it's never been tried." Then there's the one about the ad for the French rifle - "never used, dropped only once."

The French joke industry only advertises how profound the anger is against the French in the USA. When George Bush says of Jacques Chirac, "I doubt he'll be coming to the ranch any time soon," he is basically stating that he hopes Chirac falls under a carriage on the Paris Metro.

It goes to show how the world has changed since 9/11, a day that resulted in Afghanistan having the crap bombed out of it. But it was our allies in Saudi Arabia who provided the suicide squad for September 11.

Just as France, by consistently blocking action against Saddam, unquestionably propped up one of the vilest regimes on the planet.

In the world today, it is not our enemies that we fear and loathe.

It is our friends.

[Black Bart]

We may have this liberation of France all wrong. The French may have preferred the Nazi occupation. I don't believe they resented the Holocaust. The French antipathy towards Jews motivates their Middle East policies.

[RichardW]

And to think that the three years I spent in France in the early '60s was not just my paranoia. The French really are the jerks I found them to be then. I was damn glad to leave.

[Maelstrom]

SENT to the feedback list for Parsons

Mr. Parsons latest disparagement of the recent victors with respect to france has a few problems with it. It may be that he dictated the article around the five digits comprising the appendage at the end of his leg. America is not alone with her complaint against the french, Britons, Australians, Poles...and any military in the area is dismayed at the level of co-operation, military aid, and recently uncovered intelligence given Saddam Hussein by Chirac's government.

If I'm wrong, it may simply be due to the fact that the American press is less distorted than the current media outlets abusing the Old Country.

The US did help in WWII. It's now understood that the efforts of our grandfathers were not appreciated by many Europeans, that is taken for granted today. What is more difficult to understand is how the absolute forgiveness of war debts under the Marshall Plan are so readily ignored. france is a third world nation if not for that, and while the United Kingdoms had a sufficiently capitalist economy to recover, it would have taken years.

Mr. Prasons also errs in his slander of Saudi Arabia. Rational people across the globe recognize that terrorists do not have some special relationship with the governments under which they're born, they server a lower goal...that of death and destruction to all who do not believe as they do. Not all of the terrorists from 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia, it was...if you will...a coalition of carnage. Moreover, the intelligence has been found, courtesy of the Telegraph, that Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's government were indeed linked, since 1998.

May I refer Mr. Parsons to Toby Keith's "Red White and Blue" to help identify the proper place his foot should go once he's removed it from his mouth. (A link is provided)

-American Libertarian

[Grampa Dave]

Actually, the anti French Symphony from the Streets of American hasn't played yet. All we have had is warming up by the second violinist.

When the conductor, President Bush, and his first violinist, SOS Powell get really going that will be the overture.

Parsons isn't being homest about how the Brits feel about the Frogs. They have cancelled vacations to France in mass. They are boycotting. As they read about how France spied on Tony and relayed that info to Soddomite, more Brits will join us.

As the Frogs role in raping and pillaging the innocent Iraqis in the Iraqi Food for Oil Scam becomes standard reading, they will suffer even more.

I would suspect that Parsons was offered a nice vacation in France with an expense account for writing this Fairy Tale history of France and the current status.

[Grampa Dave]

No Merci for the Slimey anti America Frogs. $crew them with massive boycotts.

French Products to Buycott!

Make it a lifestyle to avoid French products.

Let them fear the American Street---our combined wallets.

"France has burned too many bridges!"

Lets keep burning those bridges that the slimey and worthless frogs are depending on for the rest of this decade!

$crew the Slimey Frogs with a Boycott!


French Products to Buycott

We can resist their wines which usually come in behind the good Napa Valley Wines and Australian wines in blind tasting without French Judges like in the Winter Olympics.

We can do without French Products and services for the rest of this decade. Here is a list of French companies and their products to avoid for the rest of this decade. Please keep this list and send it to your relatives, friends and fellow conservatives via e and snail mail!

*New additions to the list.

Air France

Air Liquide

Airbus

Alcatel - Based in Paris France, Provider of communications equipment, including ADSL equipment, terrestrial and submarine optical networks, public switching, fixed wireless access and intelligent networks.


Allegra (Allergy Medication) - Produced by Aventis Pharmaceuticals based in Strasbourg, France

Aqualung (Including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers, and SeaQuest)

AXA Advisors

*Bacou-Dalloz-Makes Industrial protective devices

Bank of the West - Owned by BNP Paribas

Beneteau (boats)

BF Goodrich - Owned by Michelin

BIC (Razors, Pens & Lighters) - Started in 1945 by Marcel Bich. Originally based just outside of Paris. Began trading on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1972. 40.5% Publicly traded. Bich family still owns 33.5%.

Biotherm (Cosmetics)

Black Bush

Bollinger (Champagne)

*Browning Firearms**

Car & Driver Magazine

Cartier

Chanel

Chivas Regal (Scotch)

Christian Dior

Club Med (Vacations) - Owned in part by Paris based CDC (Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations)

Culligan (owned by Vivendi)

Dannon (Yogurt & Dairy Foods)

*Danone -Lea and Perrin, Evian and other food/water

*Decatholon Super Sport Stores or MVP Sport Stores*

* Dassault Systemes-(CATIA design software)*

DKNY - LVMH acquired 100% of Gabrielle Studio Inc., the privately owned licenser of Donna Karan trademarks back in 2001.

*DMC THREADS

Dom Perignon

Durand Crystal

Elle Magazine

*Emile Henry French Cookware

*Enertec makes high speed recorders used in Recon aircraft p>Essilor Optical Products

Evian

Fina Oil - Billions invested in Iraqi Oil fields -FINA GAS STATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE NOT FRENCH-OWNED AND ARE NOT PART OF TOTAL-ELF-FINA ... FINA GAS STATIONS ARE OWNED BY ALON ISRAEL OIL COMPANY ..

First Hawaiian Bank

George Magazine

Givenchy

*Grey Goose Vodka

*GroupeSEB owns Krups, Moulinex, Roweta and Tefal Cookware

*Groupe Shneider, owner of Modicon and Square D

*Guerlain Fragrances

*Hachette Filipacchi owner publisher of many magazines sold in the USA. See the list below:***

Hennessy

Houghton Mifflin (books) International Herald Tribune - 181 ave Charles-de-Gaulle - F-92521 Neuilly - FRSource:World Business Council for Sustainable Development '00 [Domain Registration], [Corporate Profile]

Jacobs Creek - Owned by Pernod Ricard since 1989

Jameson (whiskey Owned by Pernod Ricard )

Jerry Springer (talk show)

Krups

****Lagardere****

Lancome

*Lea & Perrins a product of Danon

Le Creuset (Cookware)

L'Oreal (Health & Beauty Products)

Louis Vuitton

Marie Claire

Martel Cognac

Maybelline

Méphisto (Footwear & Apparel)

Michelin (Tires & Auto Parts) - Their phone number is: (33) 1 45 66 15 53 in France

Mikasa Crystal and Glass (purchased by ARC int'l in 2001)

Moet (Champagne)

Motel 6 - 33, Avenue du Maine- 75755 Paris Cedex 15 France

Motown Records

MP3.com

Mumms (Champagne)

Nissan (Cars) - Majority owned by Renault

Nivea

Normany Butter

Parents Magazine

*Perrier

Peugeot (Automobiles) - Pronounced "Pooh Joe", must be French

Pierre Cardin

Playstation Magazine

ProScan - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France

Publicis Group (Including: Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising)

RCA (televisions & electronics) - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France

Red Magazine

Red Roof Inns - Owned by the Accor group based in France

Renault (Automobiles) major owner of Nissan

Road & Track Magazine

Roquefort Cheese - All Roquefort cheese is made in France

Rowenta (Toasters, Irons, Coffee makers, etc)

Royal Canadian

Salomon (Skis)

Seagram's Gin

Sierra Software and Computer Games

*Sodexho Alliance* French Food Caterer for the US Marines

Sofitel (Hotels) - Owned by the Accor group based in France

Sparkletts (Water) - Owned by Danone, based in France

Spencer Gifts

Sundance Channel

Taylor Made (Golf)

Technicolor

T-Fal (Kitchenware)

The Glenlivet (Scotch) *Top Tobacco - Dist. by Republic Tobacco L.P., Glenview IL, made in France

UbiSoft (Computer Games)

Uniroyal

Uniroyal Tires - Owned by Michelin

Universal Studios (Music, Movies & Theme Parks) -

Universal Studios is owned by Vivendi-Universal, headquartered in Paris France

USFilter

Veritas Group

Veuve Clicquot Champagne

Vittel

Vivendi - Vivendi Headquarters, Paris France

Wild Turkey (bourbon)

*Winchester Firearms (US Repeating Arms)**

Woman's Day Magazine

Yoplait - France-based Sodiaal owns a 50% stake of Yoplait

Yves Saint Laurent

*Yves Rocher Cosmetics

*ZigZag (tobacco papers and roller products)*

Zodiac Inflatable Boats

*New additions to the list thanks to Freepers. If you have an addition, Freepmail me with the URL showing French ownership.

** Sad news but these two companies are owned by the Belgian Company Herstal, (French Light)

***List of 18 magazines sold in USA by Hachette Filipacchi with an estimated 50 million readers: American Photo, Boating, Car Stereo Review's Mobile Entertainment, Cycle World, ELLE Decor, ELLEgirl, Flying, Home, Metropolitan Home, Popular Photography, Premiere, Sound & Vision, Travel Holiday, Woman's Day Woman's Day Special Interest Publications.

****Lagardere owns the Virgin Megastore group in France, which it bought from Richard Branson three years ago. Its Hachette media division publishes a battery of magazines including Elle , see *** Hachette Filipacchi above. Lagardere also has a stake in the Airbus manufacturing operation. The company is capitalised at over €5bn based on last week's closing prices.****

[Tribune7]

I think the Vichy French may have inflicted more casualties on we Americans than the Italians who were Hitler's allies. Can any WWII experts confirm that?

They certainly killed more Americans than Franco -- a quasi-Hitler ally -- did.

[putupon]

Americans have found the French arrogant - which is a lot like George Best disapproving of someone because of their drinking habits.

This Brit is alot like a Frenchy, so louse infected he must resort to nitpicking.

[AnAmericanMother]

In our invasion of North Africa to oust the Nazi Germans and give us another front for the invasion of Europe, the Vichy French killed several thousand Americans.

This is true. The Vichy French shot my father's best buddy, who went through basic training with him at Ft. Hood TX. He made a pretty good recovery, but the bullet's still in him and has given him a lot of trouble over the years. (He and my dad live within 5 miles of each other now! Small world!)

[Cacique]

comment?

[upcountry miss]

This morning, I heard a few snippets on a couple of networks hinting that there were rumors that the U.S. may have been dealing in some reverse pyschology with the French against Iraq. Please God, don't let this be true that we would in any way be complicit with the traitorous French!! Has any other Freeper heard anything about this?

[nopardons]

You're correct, as usual, dear friend. :-)

[The USA for me]

Maybe its time to bring all our brave young soldiers home to rest in American Soil. The beaches and the western front is quiet now and we saved the French language {why i don't know! I was talking to a WW11 vet and he said the day he got on a train after liberating paris to go fight on another front they had signs up already. Yankee Pigs go home/ They wouldn't let use their air space to fight the big K. Keep there commerical jets out of ours. General
Dballs was a phoney and when he became president of france he turned commie/. Sorry I hate their guts and hate i know is a strong word, but defiling the grave stones was absolutely the last straw..............

[gcruse]

AMERICANS died for a country that is ungrateful, decadent and yellow to the core.

[nopardons]

IN TWO world wars and tried to pull their chestnuts out of the fire, in Nam, and got sorely burnt.

[gcruse]

If we ever had a President capable of pulling the trigger on France, I'm happy to say it's the one in office.

[nopardons]

Yes, this one IS and for all of the nasty pounding he gets here, President Bush is STILL the best man for this job. No one is perfect; W comes pretty darn close to being a VERY Conservative president.He is on par with Reagan and some people, around here, should give this more thought. :-)

[Mr. Mojo]

But it was our allies in Saudi Arabia who provided the suicide squad for September 11.

Don't worry, they'll get theirs eventually.

[Kozak]

"Why should we expect the French to help us get Saddam out of Iraq?" asked one American. "They didn't even help us to get Hitler out of France."

Damn right I now hate the French. I didn't expect or want them to help us in Iraq, I only expected them not to try and KNIFE US IN THE BACK.

Being from Chicago, my motto is " Don't get mad, get even."
From now on thats my attitude to the French.