Another one of those angst driven...

[p_p_man]

"Why don't people like us" articles...

This time it's the turn of the French...

"The French
Why do they hate us?
By Chris Suellentrop
Posted Wednesday, January 29, 2003, at 4:27 PM PT

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Americans rushed to bookstores and libraries in search of the answer to the question that had been thrust upon them: Why do they hate us? But who knew that we should have been boning up on the history of France, not Islam?

A funny thing happened on the way to the war: Our old allies the French, rather than our new Muslim foes, have become the caricatured foreigners of the war on terrorism. The French are tarred in the New York Post, among others, as the leaders of the "Axis of Weasel." National Review's Jonah Goldberg has made "cheese-eating surrender monkeys"—a Groundskeeper Willie line from an episode of The Simpsons—the rallying cry of Francophobes everywhere. After France's ambush of Colin Powell at last week's U.N. Security Council meeting, where the French foreign minister declared that military intervention in Iraq "would be the worst possible solution," it can't be long before someone declares the need for regime change in Paris.


The debate over French anti-Americanism centers on the same question as the debate over Islamic radicalism: Do they hate us because of who we are, or what we do? As with the Middle East, the right takes the former tack, arguing that the French can be cowed into submission only by shows of strength. (The president also makes a point of claiming not to care why anyone hates us—least of all the French.) The left, on the other hand, tends to argue that we need to be more solicitous of France's needs. Their argument, in a nutshell: "It's our foreign policy, stupid."

Most recently, Eric Alterman laid out the liberal case in this week's cover story for The Nation. Alterman's explanation: The Bush administration's unilateral policies, both before and after 9/11, explain the French distaste for the United States. In fact, the French don't even dislike the United States, Alterman argues. Rather, they dislike its leader. President Bush's religiosity, self-righteousness, and indifference to allies justify France's low opinion. Alterman is essentially saying to Americans what Bush told Iraqis in the State of the Union address: "Your enemy is not surrounding your country—your enemy is ruling your country. And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation." If President Clinton—or even Ronald Reagan—were in charge instead of Busharoo Banzai, the French would embrace America with open arms."

Source:

Why the French Hate Us

Well folks some more stuff you can worry about and lose sleep over...



ppman

 

[Coolville]

Oh great, more fuel for the Yank's "stereotype" files.

They still think the French don't take baths, don't speak English, are crazy about Jerry Lewis and are rude.

All ancient stereotypes they haven't bothered updating for the past 30 years.

Busharoo Banzai!

Cool name!

 

[teddybear4play]

Oh great, more fuel for the Yank's "stereotype" files.

They still think the French don't take baths, don't speak English, are crazy about Jerry Lewis and are rude.

All ancient stereotypes they haven't bothered updating for the past 30 years.

You're right, they do need updating.

Some of them speak English now.

TB4p

 

[Coolville]

You're right, they do need updating.

Some of them speak English now.

TB4p

LOL!


I never got the rude thing. I think this stereotype comes from tourists who sit at touristy cafés in touristy places. Hell, if I was a waiter at one of those places, I'd be grumpy all the time, too.

Elsewhere, the rude thing doesn't cut it.

I saw a talk show on TV5, the pan-european french channel about these stereotypes. They did a survey of French people under 40 and only 20% liked Jerry Lewis. 25% had never heard of him. It's their parents' generation.

What about the iimportant stats!? 60% of Parisian women don't wear knickers in the summer.

 

[teddybear4play]

I don't think it's rude so much as snobbish. France is home to the Louvre, the highest fashion, the Cannes film festival, gorgeous architecture, and the richest cuisine in the world. They know it and they show it.

So when Americans come around with their McDonalds and Disney Worlds and Hawaiian shirts and California wines, they get a little skeeved.

I don't know where the fuck Germany gets off, though.

TB4p

 

[Coolville]

I don't know where the fuck Germany gets off, though.

TB4p

I do.
Considering that 800,000 Germans invade the beaches on the west coast of Denmark every summer, I would assume they get off in their camping trailers with Fraüen or in the sand dunes. Schnell! Schnell!

 

[Rex1960]

maybe I shouldn't post here

 

[Gusty Wind]

< FELT AS SLEEP UnDER THE TABLE>



hmmm....

wake me up when you done talking....

help yourself with some coffee....

hehe.. mmuahhh`

 

[Elitist]

The French are a frightful bunch.

 

[Coolville]

maybe I shouldn't post here

LOL! Nothing personal, rex!
You're all very welcome, just as long as you remember to leave at the end of summer!

 

[woody54]

You're right, they do need updating.

Some of them speak English now.

TB4p

The French have an arrogantly superior attitude of themselves on the world scene. So why would they care anything of what outsiders think or do.
And to speak English there is an invitation for derision.

 

[Coolville]

The French have an arrogantly superior attitude of themselves on the world scene. So why would they care anything of what outsiders think or do.
And to speak English there is an invitation for derision.

Having lived there and considering that I spend every summer there, I would beg to differ.
Old stereotypes and sweeping generalisations die hard, mostly due to ignorance and an unwillingness to explore and experience.

Most Frenchmen under 30 have had English in school and are more than willing to speak it, just like anywhere else. In Paris, in the touristy areas, one can expect grumpy people. Who would blame them. That's the same anywhere.

But in the rest of the country, outdated stereotypes are just that - outdated.

 

[Rex1960]

LOL! Nothing personal, rex!
You're all very welcome, just as long as you remember to leave at the end of summer!

Glad you said that.

I myself been there twice with my ex-wife and some friends.
Each time we rented a house for a week right after Xmas somewhere at the very north of Jutland, right behind the dunes.

Boy we had fun once we managed to get the fireplace started, cooking and eating, drinking and chatting. And it was great to celebrate NYE at the beach, though it was extremely cold.

And of course we brought all the stuff from Germany since Denmark was, and I guess still is, pretty expensive. But worth a trip.

 

[p_p_man]

Having lived there and considering that I spend every summer there, I would beg to differ.
Old stereotypes and sweeping generalisations die hard, mostly due to ignorance and an unwillingness to explore and experience.

Most Frenchmen under 30 have had English in school and are more than willing to speak it, just like anywhere else. In Paris, in the touristy areas, one can expect grumpy people. Who would blame them. That's the same anywhere.

But in the rest of the country, outdated stereotypes are just that - outdated.

Also what is worth mentioning is the vast movement of the workforce of people under 30 between different EU member states.

Many Americans haven't come to terms yet that the EU is already one country, if not politically, at least practically. People from all countries now think nothing of taking jobs in other countries...

A far different cry to my generation (the 'stereotypes'...) where we only went to Europe for a holiday after months of planning and stocking up on our own food to take with us because it was only 'foreign muck over there'...



ppman