France Kisses The Heels Of Another USA Hater - I'll Never Go Back (re: Michael Moore)

SouthernOregonNews.com ^ | 5-23-04 | Dennis M. Becklin - Publisher

[jws3sticks]

[Doctor Don]

That picture of Michael Moore.......EVIL personified!

[GOP Jedi]

Bunk and Sorry to inform ya pal but these folks are at war with us. I am tired of funding these folks.

I work with "these folks".

Some are horrible, odious people who will smile as they stab you in the back. Most, however, are kind, considerate, and loyal Americans, or at least no less so than one sees in any other industry.

Dismissing the entire lot due to the exploits of a few above-the-line knuckleheads is like damning all Iraqis for the actions of Saddam and his flunkies. Outsiders only see the Entertainment Tonight who's-sniffing-Coke stuff. There are plenty of conservatives and/or Christians working under the radar, some of whom see working in Hollywood as a missionary field -- there are a lot of hurting, lost people there.

Your ire overreaches its target by several magnitudes.

[RobbyS]

Do you think that Moore even knows about this? He is, after all, a half-educated poseur.

[RobbyS]

My daughter worked in the industry for five years, so I concurr with what you say.

[God luvs America]

I was married in July, 2000 at the ripe age of 36. My wife-to-be wanted to take a cruise through Italy and Greece for our honeymoon...the final day and a half was to be spent in Paris.

I said, "Fine, but I have no desire to see Paris; I'll only go if we spend the day touring the D-Day Beaches." Knowing what it meant to me, my bride to be said "fine".

Arriving in our hotel I found a concierge who could not be less accommodating...he told me all the tours to the D-Day Beaches were sold out and had no desire to pick up the phone to try and help me...later that evening I spoke with a friendlier concierge who told me I could take the tour myself; so the next day my new bride and I did!

Catching the train to Caen from St Lazaire in Paris we arrived in pouring rain and not having a clue where to go!

Thankfully, across the street from the train station I saw a very welcome sign; an Avis Car rental shop. We went in, rented a car and got directions to the D-Day museum in Caen.

The trip was great; moving, emotional and it filled me with American pride! Every photo opportunity I pulled out a small (18x24 inch) American flag I had brought with me to kind of tell everyone who I was!

We went to Omaha, Utah, Point du Hoc, through Bayuex and of course spent considerable time at the American Cemetery in Colville sur Mer. We also went to the museum in Caen and at Utah Beach...

Now the point of telling you all this....

The "official" D-Day Museum in Caen has several sections, the bottom floor completely dedicated to the USA.

In one area they have an actual telephone recording between a Nazi general and French government official. The conversation took place as the Nazi's were attacking Paris...and here's what threw me; according to the translation of this conversation in this museum in France the French government official promised the Nazi officer that France would immediately surrender if Germany promised to halt all aerial bombing so as to not damage anymore french architecture...this is the God's honest truth.

I am looking forward to the 60th anniversary in two weeks and the specials on TV...I just hope the french don't eff this up like they do everything else!!

[CWOJackson]

It worked in the opposite direction as well. The German General in charge of the Paris region surrendered rather than allowing any damage to Paris. I guess he wanted to spare the capital of one of their allies.

[shaggy eel]

Do you think that Moore even knows about this?

,,, like many Americans, he wouldn't give a crap about anything outside his own State, much less what's occured in a country in Northern Africa. He's leaving himself wide open with what happened in Algeria at the hands of the French but right wing apathy will let him sleep at night - he's a busy man, leeching off his western lifestyle while he tries his best to slash it's roots in order to kill it.

I suspect the bulk of his preoccupation extends to how he can secure the best available audience at any given time; how he can grab a headline for Michael Moore, the guy who's fighting the good fight. He's a "type", in the same mould as Klinton. In doing this, he actually produces nothing apart from his myopic view, which is lauded by the left as new gospel. He's a leech, as Klinton, Jane Fonda et al are.

[DaGman]

Ummm... small technicality here. The Cannes Film Festival is an international film festival that just so happens to be held in France. The French have nothing to do with it except collect the mega-Francs from international attendees at hotels, restaurants, etc. If this was the Melbourne Film Festival and Moore's film won, would you be just as upset at Australia?

And, the judges have names like Schatzberg and Von Bagh which sound more like German composers than French film judges.

[MarkL]

You should really try opening up an American history book before making such ignorant statements. France's help played a critical role in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Heard of the Statue of Liberty? A gift from France. How about the very notion of "liberty, fraternity, equality"? Also French. Let me put this in a way you can understand (and feel free to do some research to verify what I'm saying): you wouldn't have the American flag to wrap around yourself if it weren't for France.

To put it bluntly, "What have you done for me lately?"

Thanks for your support against the King. But do you really think that it was for OUR benefit? No, not really, not any more than the Soviet Union really supported the creation of the State of Israel. In both cases, both countries did it in opposition to Great Britian.

Mark

[Morgan's Raider]

The German General in charge of the Paris region surrendered rather than allowing any damage to Paris. I guess he wanted to spare the capital of one of their allies.

In fact the German commander (IIRC his name was von Choltitz) disobeyed a direct order from Hitler to set the torch to Paris. This act probably saved him several years off a prison sentence for war crimes. This whole story is chronicled very well in the 1960s-era book Is Paris Burning.

[triceratops]

"I'll Never Go Back"

I've never been nor ever wanted to go. Judging by the arrogance of the French, you'd think they ruled the world from 1,000 B.C. to 1890 A.D.

[Morgan's Raider]

You should really try opening up an American history book before making such ignorant statements. France's help played a critical role in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Heard of the Statue of Liberty? A gift from France. How about the very notion of "liberty, fraternity, equality"? Also French. Let me put this in a way you can understand (and feel free to do some research to verify what I'm saying): you wouldn't have the American flag to wrap around yourself if it weren't for France

Junior, most of us read American history before you were born, from books that were written in the days before political corectness; in the dys when Benjamin Franklin rated more mention than Marilyn (or Charles) Manson.

French contributions to our Revolution? They gave us a few outdated, nearly obsolete ships, sold us muskets, and generally acted as an ally only because they,too, were at war with England. They recognized American independence in 1778, but didn't show up in any kind of force until 1781, when the war was nearly over.

What contribution during the War of Northern Agression? I guess by staying neutral. Certainly that questionably reliable needle-fire revolver of theirs didn't make any kind of lasting contribution.

"Liberty, fraternity, equality"? The French revolution (one of the few wars actully won bu the French) SUPERCEDED the American revolution, and their version of these ideals quickly morphed into oughtright mob rule disguised as "democracy", which is a term used too loosely in this country and should scare the hell out of everyone, especially minorities, when they hear it.

What about the Statue of Liberty? It was a gift from the people of France, not the French government. The America of the mid-nineteenth century had become what the French could only dream of. And, we had accepted a huge number of immigrants and,indeed, refugees from France.

Finally, twice in the last century we saved France in ways that far outweighs any debt we might have ever owed them. Remember Pershing's first words when he stepped onto French soil: "Lafayette, we are here".

[Lancey Howard]

[sport]

Are you sure that it was his heels that france kissed?

[Helms]

I work with "these folks".

I seriously doubt it as you are likely down the food chain and pay grade of these elites. I commend your work but I seen no improvement.

[GOP Jedi]

I work with "these folks".

I seriously doubt it as you are likely down the food chain and pay grade of these elites. I commend your work but I seen no improvement.

I see by "these folks" you must mean movie stars. Do you also mean only generals and admirals when referring to "those military people?" Would you omit the scores of soldiers, NCOs, and specialists? You might if you knew nothing about the military and how it works, I suppose. "These folks" to me means not only A-listers, but also cameramen, entertainment lawyers, and musicians. Storyboard artists, carpenters, and electricians. Writers, seamstresses, and licensing suits. Do you know how things lie with them?

No improvement? Well, starting with the end of Hollywood you probably are aware of: Top movie this year: "Passion of the Christ". Top movie last year: "Return of the King". Both projects have profound Christian roots.

Do you know how many prayer groups there are at the studios and at surrounding churches catering to industry folk? Can you name the producers on the CBS lot who work with Focus on the Family to produce Christian enertainment for kids? Are you familiar with the Act One program? If not, how on earth can you judge improvement over past years and decades?

Perhaps the town reeks of brimstone from your lofty perch, but down in the trenches there are plenty of encouraging signs. And a long way to go...

[flydye45]

You are correct. But you left out the XYZ affair, Proposition 1441, WWI WWII etc. I think accounts are square.

What did France do in the Civil War except not buy Southern Cotton?

[DraigGogh]

Yesterday, 9th June, I stood in the American war cemetery at Colleville sur Mer, which overlooks Omaha Beach, trying to comprehend the scale of the events that had created this tragic garden of 10,000 white marble headstones. Of the hundreds of American, French, British, Dutch and Germans who moved slowly around row upon row, many were genuinely moved to tears by the sacrifices made.

Speaking to people in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and even Germany, there is still a genuine gratitude to the efforts of the Americans, British, Canadians, Free French, Free Poles, Free Czechs, etc., who saved their countries from the tyranny of the Nazis. That gratitude will remain, but the world has changed greatly in the last sixty years.

Many people in the world are opposed to the war in Iraq. They oppose it not because they are anti-American, but because they believe – for whatever reasons – it is wrong. And, because we live in a free society, it is their right – even if that freedom was paid for by Allied blood. So let’s put the plans to economically cripple France, raze New Orleans to the ground and ethnically cleanse Louisiana on hold.

There is resentment of America for many reasons, but much of that is because of how America is seen over many issues.

Why did America condemn the Nazis at Nuremberg for the treatment of the Jewish race, yet still practised legal racial segregation in some States in the decades that followed? Why does America want to disarm certain countries, but still allows its own people to buy pistols and guns on the high street and calmly accepts the carnage that can inevitably result? Why does America condemn the ‘axis of evil’, but never uses its considerable influence to force Israel to find a solution to peacefully co-exist with its neighbours? Why is America trying to sort out the problems of countries that are culturally quite different from it, when it cannot stem the rising tide of drug fuelled violence and social deprivation in its own inner cities?

The recent pictures of abuse of the Iraqi prisoners by US military personnel provides more ammunition for those who resent America. But the abusers were American, the photographer was American, and the person who made them public was probably American. And this says Americans do not respect a persons human rights or their culture. What is the world to think?

Returning to Colleville sur Mer, there were a number of WW2 enthusiasts swaggering around the cemetery very accurate, possibly even genuine, uniforms with combat insignia and decorations. Some were Dutch, some French, some Polish, and some were American. There were a number of people, mostly French, who were deeply offended that these people, especially the Americans, were playing at being soldiers in an American cemetery walking over the graves of those who had paid the ultimate price. If ordinary Americans cannot be seen show the proper respect to their own, how can they show it to others?

[manic4organic]

I'm sending off a check to Bush/Cheney '04 right now.