Time for tolerance,Defending FRANCE-Please FREEP this very liberal Weekly.

Pinnacle News-Hollister Ca. ^ | March 14, 2003 | Letter to the Editor

[GrandMoM]

Time for tolerance After picking up my daughter from San Benito High School in tears today, I've been pondering the political correctness of ethnic/racial slurs. Our family is French, and she spent the day defending her nationality to classmates and, unfortunately, teachers. Some of the remarks directed at her included the following: "All French are stupid." "France is a nation of cowards." "You French are a bunch of idiots."

Insert some other country of origin or ethnic background in the above sentences, such as Mexican or African American, and you've got a lawsuit on your hands. So are such slurs only considered acceptable if the population concerned is a small minority?

And in defense of the nation that sired Louis Pasteur and Marie Curie, and lost a huge percentage of their population fighting in the trenches in WWI, they are neither idiots nor cowards. They simply believe that diplomacy is as valid a tool as the big stick. A lesson our current resident of the White House would be wise to learn.

Rebecca Davis-Ferare

511 Chardonnay Way

Hollister Ca.

[GrandMoM]

....while I feel sorry for the scorned child, the mother seems bent on attacking our president!!!!!!

....also, the two women who own and run this newspaper BASH Republicans and Bush every chance they get.

[Mears]

Does she really live on Chardonnay Way? Pretty funny.

[Mr. Mojo]

I've bashed the Frogs mercilessly the past month, but now I'd like to say something nice. Of the non-Parisian French people I've met (usually women), the vast majority of them have been incredibly friendly, level-headed, down-to-earth folks.

The Parisians, however.....

[TJC]

Is she French or is she American. If someone bashes the Irish, I don't get upset because I'm an American. (With Irish blood).

[caisson71]

The French, especially the Parisians, have been bad mouthing the Americans for a long time. I was subjected to it in Paris in the late 60's. The northern French are a rude and obnoxious bunch. The French in the southern part of France were much friendlier.

[GrandMoM]

....I am French, and I bash the idiots myself. In fact, I have a The French are Fried Bumper Sticker on my car!

[Tamzee]

I'm part French by heritage, but American to the heart... I feel sorry for the daughter, but wonder something.

I'm sure that any family holding a firm and visible pro-American stance would not be subject to any harassment due to a specific (even French) heritage. It makes me curious what type of sentiments this family has been expressing...

[Chi-townChief]

"And in defense of the nation that sired Louis Pasteur and Marie Curie ... "

Marie Curie was actually Polish - her old man was the French fry.

http://www2.lucidcafe.com/lucidcafe/lucidcafe/library/95nov/curie.html

[Natural Law]

Perhaps the abuse continued because of the position she took in defense of France. She obviously could have stopped the whole situation with a firm denounciation of the French position.

[GrandMoM]

I'm sure that any family holding a firm and visible pro-American stance would not be subject to any harassment due to a specific (even French) heritage. It makes me curious what type of sentiments this family has been expressing...

....that's what I was wondering, because this is a very diverse little town.

[GrandMoM]

Perhaps the abuse continued because of the position she took in defense of France

....My thoughts were :being a victim of her enviroment, the child more than likely adopted the mothers attitude and antagonized the other children as well.

[hotpotato]

....while I feel sorry for the scorned child, the mother seems bent on attacking our president!!!!!!

Which makes one wonder what words of sentiment from the mother and father about our president that the daughter has been parroting at school which may be making her a target (I would not have known that Ferare is a Fench surname).

[GrandMoM]

I would not have known that Ferare is a Fench surname).....sure doesn't sound French!

[baseballmom]

Marie Curie was actually Polish - her old man was the French fry.

Thanks for the link. I did not know that Marie Curie was born and raised in Poland. Thank you for the info.

Free Republic - always a learning experience.

[GrandMoM]

Which makes one wonder what words of sentiment from the mother and father about our president that the daughter has been parroting at school which may be making her a target....something had to stir them up!

[Chi-townChief]

I only know that because we have a Chicago High School named after her.

[Natural Law]

If she is in high school she is old enough to have her eyes opened. She is certainly old ebough to be responsible for the opinions she expoused and smart enough to know when to keep her mouth shut.

[Clemenza]

France's Greatest Scientist (Marie Curie); POLISH

France's Greatest General (Napoleon BUONAparte): Genoese Italian

France's Greatest Pianist (Frederic Chopin): Polish

France's Greatest Actor/Sex Symbol (Yves Montand): Italian (born in northern Italy with the name Ernesto Livi)

France's 1998 World Cup Team: Arabs and Africans

ANYONE ELSE DETECT A PATTERN HERE?

[Valin]

they are neither idiots nor cowards.


Two words, Jacques Chirac.
The French either have to be idiots or cowards to let this..."person" run their country.