Bastille Day festival cancelled due to war

The Nashville City Paper ^ | May 30, 2003 | Megan Moriarty

[tdadams]

Nashville’s Bastille Day Festivities, celebrating France’s independence, have been canceled this year because of the strong anti-French sentiment stemming from the war with Iraq.

The event, which has taken place in Hillsboro Village for several years, and a variety of other places prior to that, is a worldwide celebration that occurs on July 14. It marks the beginning of the French Revolution and is similar to the July 4th Independence Day celebration in the United States.

Wes Green, vice president of Alliance Française de Nashville, the organization that presents the event, said the group opted to not hold the celebration because they did not want to cause trouble for the Hillsboro Village merchants.

“We held it in the past in Hillsboro Village and what we didn’t want was trouble for them,” Green said. “We didn’t want to create a situation where there might be people who’d show up and create a problem for the merchants down there.”

Green said canceling the event is disappointing.

“It’s one of the major events of the year and of course, you’re always concerned that you can really lose your momentum. If you don’t do it one year then it takes a little bit more effort to kind of get it back up going again the next year,” Green said.

“These are such extraordinary circumstances and we just didn’t want to run the risk of putting the merchants in a [bad] position. We knew what a touchy subject it was and we knew what sort of strong feelings there were out there.”

Green said the event, which changes every year, has drawn crowds of more than 1,000 people.

“It’s never quite the same from year to year,” Green said. “But often times what it has been is a series of parties and receptions and things that take place at different [stores].”

Matthew Wyatt, Alliance Française de Nashville president, said he regrets not having the opportunity to work with the merchants again this summer. However, a few storeowners have discussed the possibility of organizing their own activities.

Alliance Française de Nashville also sponsors the Beaujolais Nouveau Festival, a wine tasting event, the weekend following the third Thursday in November.

[tdadams]

As a resident of Hillsboro Village, I can say, we're all going to really miss the Bastille Day festival. < /sarcasm>

[The_Victor]

Nashville’s Bastille Day Festivities, celebrating France’s independence, have been canceled this year because of the strong anti-French sentiment stemming from the war with Iraq.

The author needs a lesson in cause and effect. The Festival is not being canceled because of the war, but rather because of France.

[mewzilla]

Tell them to organize a Thanks to Our Allies festival instead. That could be a lot of fun and get a lot of folks out and about.

[goldstategop]

Of French cowardliness and pusilanimity. Ahhh, how fitting Bastille Day is putz!

[schaketo]

Nashville’s Bastille Day Festivities, celebrating France’s independence, have been canceled this year because of the strong anti-French sentiment stemming from the war with Iraq.

Perhaps I can help ”Wes Green, vice president of Alliance Française de Nashville” understand the PERMANENT change in U.S. sentiment:

1. french President Jacques Chirac, personally helped Iraq begin its nuclear program.
2. france assisted China in shipping raw materials for chemical weapons to Iraq through Syria.
3. french security services helped suppress opposition groups seeking to depose Saddam Hussein.
4. The french had supplied Iraq with precision switches for nuclear weapons.
5. french companies had resupplied Iraq with spare parts for fighter jets on the eve of the March 2003 invasion. Intelligence reports indicated that Iraq was able to obtain French military spare parts for its Mirage jets and Gazelle attack helicopters in violation of U.N. sanctions.
6. The french helped Iraqi officials escape U.S. capture by issuing them EU passports. The passports allowed the Iraqis to evade detection by U.S. military and intelligence agencies because they were EU travel documents.
7. Intelligence officials said France attempted to conclude an oil deal with Saddam's government days before U.S. military action began March 19.
8. french anti-aircraft weapons smuggled into Iraq prior to the war, the Roland 3 batteries, and Roland 5 shoulder-fired anti-air missiles. Reports have still not been denied that these systems were stamped '2002 date of manufacture.' 9. The french peddled disinformation against the Americans before the war -- this is a war for oil, Resolution 1441 does not authorize military action, George Bush is "cowboy," etc. -- at the very least, they now deserve some of their own.

Those countries who stood against us before the Iraq War are responsible for EVERY life lost in Iraq -- whether the lives be coalition lives or Iraqi lives. france, more than any other country, is responsible for all the deaths of our warriors.

france had an unemployment rate of 9.3% last month (April 03). It’s rising. Can we help them push it over 10%? 20%?. The new reality show on FOX this fall could be the marxists, socialists, and fundamentalist muslim imports (they are about 10% of the population and growing) burning paris to the ground. You can help:

WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET!

Gotta keep this alive. Share this link with all like minded family and friends. They are feeling the heat.

15000 french products that you can boycott:

http://howtobuyamerican.leethost.com/b-db-boycottfrance.shtml

[schaketo]

A short refresher course:

A list of French companies products to boycott. Some are well known, but many are not. Here goes.

It lists French products to boycott. You will probably be surprised to learn the French own everything from Wild Turkey to Car & Driver to Motel 6 to cheesy Spencer Gifts to disgusting Democrat schlock-show host Jerry Springer.

Air France
Airbus
Alcatel - Based in Paris France
Allegra (Allergy Medication) - Produced by Aventis Pharmaceuticals based in Strasbourg, France
Aqualung (Including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers, and SeaQuest)
AXA Advisors
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)
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)
DKNY - LVMH acquired 100% of Gabrielle Studio Inc., the privately owned licenser of Donna Karan trademarks back in 2001.
Dom Perignon
Durand Crystal
Elle Magazine
Essilor Optical Products
Evian
Fina Oil - Billions invested in Iraqi Oil fields
First Hawaiian Bank
Focal (Car speakers)www.focal-jmlab.fr
George Magazine
Givenchy
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 (wiskey)
Jerry Springer (talk show)
JMLab (Speakers)www.focal-jmlab.fr
Krups (coffee and cappaccino makers)
Lancome
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
Peugeot (Automobiles) - Pronounced "Pooh Joe", must be French
Pierre Cardin
Playstation Magazine
ProScan - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Publicis Group (Including: Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising) - Here's a French connection that'll tick ya off--a couple years ago Publicis bought the Leo Burnett Advertising agency and that agency does the "Go Army" campaign. Sickening ain't it?
RCA (televisions & electronics) - Owned by Thomson Electronics
Red Magazine
Red Roof Inns - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Renault (Automobiles)
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
Smart & Final
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
Total Gas Stations
Triangle (Speakers)www.triangle-fr.com
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)
Woman's Day Magazine
Yoplait - France-based Sodiaal owns a 50% stake of Yoplait
Yves Saint Laurent
Yema watches
Zodiac Inflatable Boats

Please add to the list and email to your like-minded friends.

[sarasota]

Help me understand what this city would celebrate a French liberation in the first place. Merde, alors.

[chuknospam]

On Memorial Day I watched Saving Private Ryan, I've been to the D-Day museum in New Orleans, spent the entire day there and I can't wait to go back. As far as I'm concerned the {numerous explicatives omitted}ungrateful, backstabbing French can rot in their filty little country with their stinking cheese & wine. If the true, decent French can't stand up against their treasonist countrymen, then those cowards can rot as well.

[scab4faa]

Well it must not be too popular I grew up in middle TN and have never heard of it but I think Nashville should keep the celebration just rename it to B@stard's day.

[Maigrey]

Don't Dispair. There are other cultural festivals. Mr. Maigrey and I are going to an Italian festival this afternoon. It raises thousands of dollars for local charities and private schools, and the food is great also.

[davisfh]

"Bastille Day festival..."

I've always wondered why anyone would want to celebrate Bastille Day or anything having to do with the French revolution. As far as I can determine, the French revolution was nothing more than an excuse for the public murder of many innocent people. The innocents far outnumbered those who might have been found guilty of actual crimes against the people.

[gov_bean_ counter]

"Bastille Day festival..."

Celebrating the storming of a mostly empty prison protected by a handfull of drunk guards.

[Redbob]

Don't be so hard on Wes Green - after all, he did have the good sense to call the thing off!

Besides, he's only really in that "French Alliance" thing as an excuse to drink wine and meet women with hairy armpits.