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France Surrenders to Texas High School
CNSNews.com ^ | January 31, 2003 | David Burge, the Iowa Hawk

Posted on 01/31/2003 7:40:51 AM PST by Moosejaw

Paris (CNSNews.com) - What began as a six-day chaperoned music tour by a group of suburban Houston teenagers ended in an epic conquest in the pre-dawn hours of Friday morning as French military and government officials offered their unconditional surrender to students of the Aldine, Texas Eisenhower High School Music Department.

Accepting the surrender, Eisenhower High School Band and Choral Director Gary Baumer praised the French for avoiding further bloodshed and vowed an immediate postwar rebuilding effort.

"We hope to achieve national recovery by prom," said Baumer. "The seniors have voted for the theme "Springtime in Paris."

In a goodwill gesture, Baumer said the victorious students would soon begin releasing most of the 400,000 French prisoners of war they had captured during the brutal three-day campaign.

"We want the prisoners reunited with their families," said Justin Gonzales, a junior tenor in the Eisenhower Glee Chorus. "Besides, you can't even begin to imagine the smell."

Baumer also granted former government officials and their families safe passage out of the country. Former President Jacques Chirac was last seen boarding his private Airbus jet at Orly Airport, as the Eisenhower Jazz Ensemble taunted him with an off-key rendition of "Na Na Na Na (Hey Hey) Goodbye."

Chirac's plane was reportedly intercepted and escorted away by Royal Air Force fighter jets as it attempted to enter British air space. According to sources familiar with Britain's MI2 intelligence service, Chirac has accepted exile in Iraq.

Details of the Franco-American conflict were still emerging Friday morning, but British and American intelligence sources indicated the confrontation was prompted by the dismissive sneers of French onlookers as the Eisenhower Lady Madrigals performed 'The Greatest Love of All' at a Paris park.

"It may not sound like much, but after three days of smelly French cigarettes and being called 'cowboys' and 'arrogant' and 'stupid' and stuff, it finally gets to you," said Megan Prosser, a sophomore alto who led the initial charge. "Basically, we just snapped."

Those who have seen the videotapes of the Wednesday charge described it as "disturbing."

"It is said the French oppose war because they know first hand its horror," said Edward Krohn of the Naval War College. "When I see hundreds of grown French men being beaten senseless by Texas schoolgirls, I completely see their point."

By the time the Eisenhower Boys Barbershop Chorale learned of the melee, the Lady Madrigals had already captured Paris' Second, Third and Fifth Arrondisments.

"It became sort of like a game," explained senior baritone Kevin Wilkes. "Like Ghost Recon , except the other guy just wets himself and runs away. We just wanted to win more ground than the girls and I guess it got out of hand."

When dawn broke Friday, the students had swept north to Calais, blocking the English Channel for would-be French escapees.

Plagued by massive desertions and too-firm brie rations, the French army and Legion Etranger were ready to collapse by Thursday morning, but held out another 12 hours after receiving reinforcements from a group of 15 volunteer human shields from the United States.

Led by filmmaker Michael Moore, the group vowed to "use our own bodies to block American high school imperialism and colonialism," and asked the French to "show us your solidarity with pastry, and some good butter."

Moore was later taken into custody after an Eisenhower PsyOps agent mesmerized him with a box of the band's fundraising chocolate bars.

Amid panic and widespread wine shortages, President Chirac called Washington Thursday evening to request emergency U.S. military support for the crumbling nation.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said President Bush vowed to "immediately send Secretary of State Powell to the United Nations to request the scheduling of a vote for the formulation of a committee to create an investigative team, at the earliest possible convenience."

The assault continued into the night Thursday as various forces of the school's performing arts department formed sweeping attack columns: Glee Club to the Pyrennes, Swing Band and Wind Ensemble to the Mediterranean, Symphonic Band to the Rhein. By early Friday morning, the fighting had largely ended.

"We kept hearing about some French resistance," said Baumer. "Apparently that was a myth."

Despite the furious action, casualties were low with no reported deaths. Some two million French remain hospitalized with minor injuries sustained while bowing, scraping, pleading and running away. Six of the 135 Eisenhower students were treated for injuries related to foot blisters and excessive kissing.

The swift rout of Europe's second largest military force caught many in the international diplomatic community by surprise.

United Nations Secretary General Koffi Annan convened an emergency meeting of the General Assembly late Thursday to consider whether teen-occupied France would retain its seat on the UN Security Council.

A member of the Dutch delegation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the country had sufficient votes to retain council membership because "international stability is paramount when considering American teenagers with nuclear weapons."

By mid-morning Friday, more than 40 countries had contacted Baumer to offer congratulations and request formal diplomatic ties, but as many as 100 world leaders expressed concern over prank phone calls from students. Particularly hard-hit was President Uthai Partasuk Jaat of Thailand.

While normalization continues, there remains widespread confusion of the crisis and its effect on volatile world hotspots such as Iraq, Iran, Israel and North Korea.

On Friday, it remained unclear what the name of the new country would be. Baumer said the victorious band and choir members were evenly split between 'France Junior' and 'Eagle Country,' in honor of the Eisenhower school nickname.

Raucous celebrations followed news of the French surrender, as dozens of Eisenhower students tossed rolls of toilet paper at the barren elms along the Champs Elysses and staged drag races through the Arc de Triomphe, mooning the populace through the windows of commandeered Citroens. Others unfurled a huge banner from the Eiffel Tower declaring "EHS Rulez, EU Droolz".

The revelry led Baumer to issue a stern reprimand to the students, warning of consequence including "UN sanctions, or even possibly a note home to your parents."

In Aldine, disciplinary notes seemed unlikely to dampen the enthusiasm of parents and families of the triumphant Eisenhower music students. Hundreds of local residents followed the action on television, and the conquest of the Gallic land mass has become a point of civic pride.

"Beating France is the biggest win for Eisenhower since we beat Conroe Judson in the '88 Super-sectionals," says longtime resident Wayne McDaniel, president of the Eisenhower Eagle Booster Club. "We're planning a big wing-ding when they get back."

Activities planned for the commemoration include a parade, as well as what McDaniel called "a very big plaque," at the Aldine Kiwanis hall.

"Although, we might have to wait on that for a while," added McDaniel. "We're having a bake sale and car wash to send the football team to Germany."

Copyright 2003 David Burge.

Send a Letter to the Editor about this satire.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Germany; Government; Political Humor/Cartoons; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: france; iowahawk; satire; un
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1 posted on 01/31/2003 7:40:51 AM PST by Moosejaw
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To: Moosejaw
"We hope to achieve national recovery by prom," said Baumer. "The seniors have voted for the theme "Springtime in Paris."

Hmmmm. I hope they realize that France is going to ask for a $3 Kazillion Marshall Plan.

2 posted on 01/31/2003 7:42:47 AM PST by Cyber Liberty (© 2003, Raving Lunatic LLC)
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To: Moosejaw
As a former band parent, this is one of the funniest things I have ever read. Kudos to IowaHawk, and thanks to you for posting this!
3 posted on 01/31/2003 7:46:13 AM PST by Miss Marple
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To: Moosejaw
"Like Ghost Recon , except the other guy just wets himself and runs away.

LOL!

4 posted on 01/31/2003 7:47:30 AM PST by Lil'freeper (Shouting is part of the unfreezing process..)
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To: A Citizen Reporter; ABG(anybody but Gore); acnielsen guy; Angelwood; arazitjh; b4its2late; ...
Pinging ATRW, for a hilarious Friday break!
5 posted on 01/31/2003 7:48:03 AM PST by Miss Marple
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To: aculeus; general_re; BlueLancer; hellinahandcart; Poohbah
"It may not sound like much, but after three days of smelly French cigarettes and being called 'cowboys' and 'arrogant' and 'stupid' and stuff, it finally gets to you," said Megan Prosser, a sophomore alto who led the initial charge. "Basically, we just snapped."
6 posted on 01/31/2003 7:50:12 AM PST by dighton
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To: Miss Marple
Thanks for the ping =^)
7 posted on 01/31/2003 7:52:00 AM PST by JohnHuang2
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To: Moosejaw
Brilliant. Simply brilliant!
8 posted on 01/31/2003 7:52:25 AM PST by TontoKowalski
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To: Moosejaw
My three-year-old daughter can point out on a globe to where the cheese-eating surrender monkeys live. Her mother's not too impressed (with me), but it's funny as hell. And Botswana is the funniest-sounding country.
9 posted on 01/31/2003 7:53:35 AM PST by toenail
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To: dighton; IowaHawk; aculeus; BlueLancer; hellinahandcart
"We kept hearing about some French resistance," said Baumer. "Apparently that was a myth."

The 'Hawk is flying in top form today ;)

10 posted on 01/31/2003 7:54:58 AM PST by general_re (Chorus: "We are the chorus, and we agree. We agree, we agree, we agree.")
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To: toenail
And Botswana is the funniest-sounding country.

I like the Simpsons episode where Homer points to a globe and says "Look at this country, You Are Gay".

11 posted on 01/31/2003 7:55:26 AM PST by Phantom Lord (No Remorse)
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To: IowaHawk
You rock.
12 posted on 01/31/2003 7:55:43 AM PST by Keith in Iowa (_*_)
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To: Moosejaw
Absolutely brilliant!!!
13 posted on 01/31/2003 7:59:52 AM PST by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: Moosejaw
OMG! LOL!

You ROCK!

14 posted on 01/31/2003 8:00:16 AM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . de Franch, dey are a funny race . . .)
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To: Moosejaw

Bonjouuuuuuuuur, ya cheese eating surrender monkeys!

15 posted on 01/31/2003 8:03:27 AM PST by dogbyte12 (It is good to hate the french)
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To: Moosejaw
This could present a scheduling problem. France is expected to also surrender to Punxatawney Phil when he appears on Groundhog Day. That's only two days away!
16 posted on 01/31/2003 8:03:28 AM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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To: Miss Marple
Classic! Thanks for the ping, because this one gets a bookmark. 8^)
17 posted on 01/31/2003 8:04:16 AM PST by ABG(anybody but Gore)
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To: dighton
Megan could have left off the word "cigarette" and still got it right.
18 posted on 01/31/2003 8:05:47 AM PST by Corporate Law ("Bonjourrrrrrrr, you cheese-eating surrender monkies")
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To: Corporate Law
France has neither winter, nor summer, nor morals, but other than that it is a fine country

--Mark Twain--

19 posted on 01/31/2003 8:07:13 AM PST by dogbyte12
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To: ABG(anybody but Gore)
In France, one must adapt oneself to the fragrance of a urinal.

--Gertrude Stein--

Basically, the french are all peasants

--Pablo Picasso--

20 posted on 01/31/2003 8:10:29 AM PST by dogbyte12
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