Holocaust of the elderly: death toll in French heatwave rises to 10,000

The Independent UK ^ | August 22, 2003 | John Lichfield

[Petronski]

[ValerieUSA]

French found a way to solve social security budget problems!
I nominate that for most inappropriate post of 2003

Unfortunately, that is appropriate. The French found a way to get to hemophiliacs off the dole years ago by killing them all off with AIDS in tainted blood products. It was very quick, and preventable.

[microgood]

About 2,000 people are thought to have died in their homes from the effects of dehydration and other heat- related problems while neighbours and relatives were away.

Words fail me.

[steve86]

Ummm, I believe mvonfr meant that comment as sarcasm.

That's what I meant; the sarcasm was inappropriate. You and I have different standards for humor and dignity in the face of tragedy.

[Petruchio]

See what happens when you eat snails . . .

[XHogPilot]

I had the same thoughts when I first read this article...

"So much for French liberal compassion"
"So much for socialized health care"

Government healthcare workers vacations result in over 10,000 deaths!

Is this what Hillary's Party wants for our nation?

[mvonfr]

That's what I meant; the sarcasm was inappropriate. You and I have different standards for humor and dignity in the face of tragedy.

If this were indeed an unpreventable tragedy, I'd agree. However, given the previous French history (killing off the hemophiliacs was one example) and the fact that we don't hear anything about deaths in other European countries, I have my doubts about Global Warming being the only cause.

No, I'm not saying that the French gov killed anybody directly; they only allowed the nature take its course and saved many millions in the process.

You chose to see this as tragedy; OK; but I see it as a crime as well.

[foolscap]

What the hell is wrong with these people! Have they ever heard of declaring a state of national emergency? Did it ever occur to them to put out a plea that all health care workers return from their vacations to deal with the crisis? Don't they have something like the National Guard they can call out? One does not have to be a trained nurse to keep people cool and hydrated in a clinical setting. And what about the French as individuals? When everyone took off on their (in their mind at least)well earned month long vacation did they think maybe they might want to make sure grandma was going to be ok. If I was on vacation and I heard of such a terrible situation back home don't you think I would do everything to assure that my senior family members were safe. I'd come home if that was what was required and not think twice about it.

What sort of country grinds to a halt medically because it's August and vacation time is here. Have they ever heard of rotating vacations so they are totally staffed at all times. Why don't they just send an engraved invitation to every scum bag country out there. "If you want to come take over or do a major terrorist attack do it during the July-August time frame because we will all be on vacation and don't have enough sense of personal responsibility to come home and do the right thing. Oh wait a minute, they don't have to do that we always do it for them.

Although there are a lot of hard feelings between the US and France don't you think that if they asked we would not have sent in teams of people to help. If not us how about all their other European buddies. This whole thing makes me sick. But that's the French for you. Nothing is ever my fault. I'm sure they will find some why to make the US responsible for it Good God even the President can't get off his butt and leave his vacation retreat and take charge of things. All I can figure is they are a)very stupid, b)very lazy, c) very disorganized or D) they are intentionally culling the herd to get the seniors off the social welfare dole. It is probably a little of all of that. This whole thing as come as a surprise to me. When you think the French are the lowest of the low they will do something that will prove they are even lower than you thought possible.

[foolscap]

I think the 10,000 statistic comes from the grave diggers associations themselves. It was reported that they are pissed at the government from not releasing the true numbers. The 3,000 number that has been floating around for the the last week or so are deaths within just the city of Paris not nationwide. Personally I tend to believe the people who are actually digging the holes rather than the official government news release. By the way, if this country has enough refrigeration to store that many bodies don't you think they could figure out how to rig some sort of emergency air conditioning for their senior centers and rest homes?

[paperjam]

The saddest part of all of this is that it’s mostly the elderly who have died. They are the ones that remember America for what it is and what it stands for. They were the ones who always held a special place in their hearts for all the Americans who paid the ultimate price while liberating their country. As much as this may seem like payback for the French turning their backs on the U.S. in her time of need, it’s still a truly sad situation.

[Bigg Red]

10, 000! What, is France a Third World country now? Oh, yeah, with the infusion of all of those islamists, I suppose they are. Maybe Chirac is very happy with this form of economic reform; the loss of so many pensioners surely will send a spike into the economy. This is deplorable.

[Bigg Red]

Your analysis is very well put.

[Bigg Red]

They are the ones that remember America for what it is and what it stands for. They were the ones who always held a special place in their hearts for all the Americans who paid the ultimate price while liberating their country.

&&

Thus, they were expendable in the "new" France perhaps?

[rrrod]

its sad about elderly folks dying...but france has sunk to below 3rd world status due to their socialist ways

[Centurion2000]

This death rate is due to a lack of people and means to reduce the temperature

BATHE

[ampat]

You are so right. I lived in France for 4 years when I was in my early teens. I went to a French school for two of those years. I know how the majority of French people thought of Americans; we were very appreciated.

[ampat]

That is I lived in France from 1957 to 1961.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

That is I lived in France from 1957 to 1961.

Here's hoping you've recovered from the experience.

[Prodigal Son]

but france has sunk to below 3rd world status due to their socialist ways

I understand the sentiment but this is pretty much over the top. As bad as France is it would have to fall for miles and miles and miles to get to third world status.

[F.J. Mitchell]

It's not the ha ha kind of humnor-it is aimed at the irony of the socialist liberal's claim of being guided by compassion, when their only burning compassion is for absolute power and control over their betters, and their souls are always on the table in their deals with the devil.