Why France disdains America

International Herald Tribune ^ | October 9, 2002 | John Vinocur

[ijcr]

PARIS: Two new books by French authors, one at the top of the best-seller list, the other described as a work of exceptional scholarship, are confronting the French with the proposition that their anti-Americanism is a self-inflicted national illness.

For one of the authors, the anti-Americanism of the French is a willful delusion, an attempt by a dominant political and intellectual caste to mask its own failures and insignificance.

[ijcr]

It is the same reason Black Americans hate Republicans,Germans hate Americans,Arabs hate Americans, Communists hate Americans...we are a common enemy.

Here is the bad news for them...we are not going away.

[NEWwoman]

Here is the bad news for them...we are not going away.

Bravo!

[hole_n_one]

Jerry Lewis is a great American!

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Who cares what the Frogs think? Maybe if they start using deodorant...

[FreedomAvatar]

Hey, Froggies! ACHTUNG!

Scared ya, didn't I?

[USA21]

most of France are Communists

[capitan_refugio]

France's day has past. Their former empire is in shambles, dominated by communists and socialists. America, on the other hand, has emerged as the sole super-power on the planet. Although France occupies one of the five key permanent seat in the U.N., there is really only one opinion that matters anymore. France, by virtue of its U.N. veto can take part in the "world discussion," but it can not control it - and that "gauls" them to no end.

[Dog Gone]

Extremely interesting post. I'm glad to see that someone has actually studied the problem and identified it as one which belongs to the French. What they think of us is THEIR problem.

There's another fundamentally accurate point which was acknowledged here, and it ultimately works against the French, if only they realized it.

... it has resulted in the Americans' no longer paying any attention to criticism even when it is reasonable.

That's absolutely correct. Since the French criticize us for everything, no matter how objectively absurd, we no longer take ANY of it seriously. We barely hear it. It's like Fidel Castro's rants. We no longer listen to the French at all unless it has something to do with the UN Security Council.

[RJayneJ]

Does anyone remember: Plunck your magic twanger, Froggie?

[mfreddy]

hey France--news flash

If it wasn't for us hated Americans you guys would be eating sauerkraut and wishing you owned the national auto, the Mercedes. You people can kiss our a$$#

[keyesguy]

What could be better on a Friday night than pouring a bit of scotch, logging on to FR and ripping on the French. It just doesn't get any better

[oyez]

Don't get saucy with me, Bernase.

[cpdiii]

A rather long read but accurate. In short I think he said the French are neurotic or bordeline pyscotic.

Our wines are as good or better than theirs.
Our women are as good or better than theirs.
As soon as we start making good cheese in this country we can dispense with the French. Perhaps give them back to Germany as a consulation prize.

In reality the rampant hate of America is a product of the intelluctual class (much as in this country) and not the common Frenchman. Many good Frenchmen and women died in WWII helping our downed pilots. A friend of mine did this in the South of France on the Spanish Border. He was 16 years old at the time and if he were caught it would have cost him and his parents and sisters life, after torture.

Raise hell with their intelluctuals, the average citizen of France is not Anti-American.

[XBob]

I have traveled over a good portion of the world, and the two rudest peoples I have found have been the inhabitants of Paris, and the inhabitants of New York.

Now, perhaps I should consider it also a tie in anti-Americanism (particularly if you consider only the french and NY media)

[Meanstreets]

Are we going to have to save their ass again?
Meanstreets
NYC

[jimbo123]

Q. How many Frenchmen does it take to defend their country?
A. No one knows. They've never done it before.

[Revolting cat!]

Why France disdains America

Uhm, lemme guess, because of the unfunny movies we send them by Jerry Lewis and his imitators Jim Carrey and Robin Williams?

[Shermy]

Pingoir.

[Faraday]

Does anyone remember: Plunck your magic twanger, Froggie?

Boy, are you dating yourself. Me? I'm much too young to remember that.