Europeans Seek to Improve Image in U.S.

The Guardian ^ | June 19, 2003 | ROBERT H. REID

[FairOpinion]

Apparently they haven't heard that "a friend in need is a friend indeed". When we needed their support against Saddam, they not only weren't there to support us, but actively worked against us, so now they think they can fool us by a few well chosen words, pretending to be our friends, until they stab us in the back the next time the occasion arises.

Europe needs us way more than we need them, and until they recognize that, I can't for the life of me see why we should give them the time of day, even.

[Drango]

To bolster Europe's image

Wait, wait...I'm getting a flash...I know...A Film with Woody Allen...Have him say something about French kissing his daughter wife.

[Rudder]

Americans boycotted French wines

Editor asleep at the wheel. It's 'Americans continue to boycott French wines.'

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

European leaders must reach out beyond New York and Washington and tell the American heartland about ``our brand of democracy''...

Okay, and then we'll tell you about constitutional republicanism. DOWN WITH DEMOCRACY!

[Tai_Chung]

The memo says that the EU's goal at next week's U.S.-EU summit in Washington will be ``to reassert the fundamental importance of the relationship'' with the United States, which was severely strained after several key European nations refused to back the war in Iraq.

The Europeans will fail because they still miss the point. The US relationship is not strained because France and Germany refused to back the war in Iraq. The relationship is strained because France and Germany attacked the integrity of the United States and actively worked to undermine the US war in Iraq and elsewhere. They could not have done more against the US if they had officially been our enemy.

If the EU wants to conduct a propaganda campaign, they should forget about the American heartland and start with the European heartland. Europe's anti-Americanism must stop!

[A_perfect_lady]

I have an idea how Europeans can bolster their image with me, at least.

1) Bathe. Shave. Use deoderant. Wash the grease out of your hair. Get a hair cut. Give it a rest with the black leather already.

2) Don't say one more snot-nosed word about my "cowboy" president.

3) Next time we decide to go kick some butt, either lead, follow, or get out of the way. Note to French: Notice that last option? Get out of the way!

[skeeter]

`There remains, however, the question of public perception,'' the document says. ``Mutual suspicion and a resort to rather crude stereotyping have begun to infect public perceptions mutually. We cannot afford to allow this to degenerate.''

Read 'lets get back to the good old days when only Europeans harbored crude perceptions'.

[Ancesthntr]

European leaders must reach out beyond New York and Washington and tell the American heartland about ``our brand of democracy'' to improve Europe's image in the United States, according to a memorandum submitted for discussion at the European Union summit.

Well, let's see: European countries (in general - we do have some friends there) can start improving relations by being at least a LITTLE bit grateful for the tens of thousands of dead that we contributed to the cause of European freedom, not to mention the TRILLIONS of dollars spent over 50 years to keep the Bear from taking a drink from the English Channel. They might improve relations further by growing a collective pair when it comes to relations with tyrants that pay, arm, train and shelter mass-murdering terrorists (you see, for some strange reason we Americans have this rather intense dislike of such people, esp. since 9/11).

``There remains, however, the question of public perception,'' the document says. ``Mutual suspicion and a resort to rather crude stereotyping have begun to infect public perceptions mutually. We cannot afford to allow this to degenerate.''

There were extreme examples, too: Americans boycotted French wines and French fries were renamed ``Freedom'' fries in the House cafeteria on Capitol Hill.

At the same time, some European media have characterized President Bush as a reckless cowboy.

Extreme examples of crude stereotyping include boycotting wine and renaming food, but not calling the President of the US a "reckless cowboy"?! How about all of the cartoons of Bush with a Hitler mustache that the article so conveniently didn't mention? What color is the sky in Europe?

No, the Euroweenies STILL don't get it. Maybe the Socialism that they've been ingesting for 2 or 3 generations has permanently dulled their reasoning ability, because I don't think that they WILL get it until they call on Uncle Sucker to clear out some uniformed trespassers.

The cheese-eating surrender monkeys should be glad that I'm not the President - because if I ever found out that they were hiding Saddam or his sons (not entirely unlikely), I'd send over a posse to retrieve them, dead or alive - THEN they'd know what a cowboy is. And I'd give the press conference announcing the action from atop a horse or from a firing range.

I guess that I can't hide my feelings for the 'weenies too well. How un-PC of me. :>)

[Temple Owl]

"France has neither winter nor summer nor morals--apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country."

- Mark Twain's Notebook

[OpusatFR]

"There remains, however, the question of public perception,'' the document says. ``Mutual suspicion and a resort to rather crude stereotyping have begun to infect public perceptions mutually. We cannot afford to allow this to degenerate. ""

Way too late for that. The crude stereotyping started with Europe, not us, and has to end there. As long as they persist in labeling Bush a ~cowboy~ which to me is a great icon of this America, and forgetting that we choose our leaders here, they can stick this propaganda.....

The Europeans have done massive damage to their own countries and I will not set foot in them again.

[SegerSkriv]

``We must sell or market Europe more effectively and expose Americans to our brand of democracy.''

What brand of democracy? Read the proposed EU Constitution and let somebody tell me that is democratic not to mention these people having no respect for the rights of an individual.

[magslinger]

The cheese-eating surrender monkeys should be glad that I'm not the President - because if I ever found out that they were hiding Saddam or his sons (not entirely unlikely), I'd send over a posse to retrieve them, dead or alive - THEN they'd know what a cowboy is. And I'd give the press conference announcing the action from atop a horse or from a firing range

Don't forget the hat. If 'twere me, I'd be sporting hat, boots and .44 revolvers.

[Shermy]

Rather than repeating criticism of Washington's unilateral actions,

Bzzzzzt!

[Shermy]

"Our brand of democracy"

German Chancellor Schroeder goes to court over hair dye allegations

And he won!

[Desron13]

``We must sell or market Europe more effectively and expose Americans to our brand of social..er democracy.''

What a weannie!

[meema]

Hah! Good luck to 'europe'...going to make some commercials, to tell us what great 'friends' you are to us???
Rrrriiiiight.

[rudypoot]

I think they want their "controlling of America" illusion back.

[Malesherbes]

The first thing the "old" Europeans need to learn is that "cowboy" is not a term of contempt or derision. Cowboys wear white hats, are brave, have integrity, can be trusted to do the right thing, and eat beef instead of cheese.

[rattrap]

Yeah, I never got the whole "cowboy" insult. That's like calling someone a Firefighter to piss them off.

Stupid Euroweenies.

[Wolfstar]

"...our brand of democracy..."

Translation: "The U.S. Republic is too 'right wing,' so we need to show them the 'joys' of the Left's version of Nirvana, i.e., the way of the Euro-union. We need to help defeat that 'dangerous cowboy,' Bush, in the next American election."

Grrrr. As if we already don't have enough of our own here at home, the Euro-weenies are planning to ship us more Left-wing politicians spouting Marxist-Leninist bilge, and seeking to overturn our Constitution. Sorry, Euro-jerks, but as long as I draw breath, I'll fight you every step of the way.