Lawmaker Wants to Put 'French' Back in Fries

Reuters via Lycos.com ^ | 09/15/2003

[GeneD]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - To get international help to rebuild Iraq, Congress may have to eat some French fries and French toast, according to Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

Saying it is time to put aside differences with France, the Texas Democrat circulated a letter on Monday urging the House of Representatives to put back the word "French" back in fries and toast on House cafeteria and dining hall menus.

Lawmakers ordered them renamed "Freedom" fries and "Freedom" toast last spring, reflecting anger at France for its opposition to the U.S.-led war to topple Saddam Hussein as Iraq's president.

But times have changed, Jackson Lee said, and now the Washington is trying to get France and other members of the United Nations to contribute money and troops to help stabilize Iraq and rebuild its devastated infrastructure.

"President Bush is now urging that all parties put aside 'past bickering,"' she said in her letter. "A symbolic start to that effort" would be reinstating foods on the House menus "with their traditional 'American' names -- French toast and French fries."

Rep. Bob Ney, head of the House Administration Committee, ordered the changes in March. The Ohio Republican took the action at the suggestion of Rep. Walter Jones, a North Carolina Republican.

[aSkeptic]

I think Ohio Fries have a nice ring to it.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

How about, as a gesture of goodwill, we send Sheila to France as our Ambassador....with the provision that they must keep her there, gagged.......

[Luis Gonzalez]

"Saying it is time to put aside differences with France, the Texas Democrat circulated a letter on Monday urging the House of Representatives to put back the word "French" back in fries and toast on House cafeteria and dining hall menus."

OK, I say we do it, if Sheila agrees to rename the cafeteria after that old, extinct American restaurant chain "Sambo's".

[thegreatbeast]

Stupid #*%&^#&(*@(%$*!!!!

[presidio9]

I recently ordered a "Freedom Dip" (as opposed to what was actually on the menu) at my local sports bar, and got only a blank stare form my waitress.

[freekitty]

Well,I can see that Texas is being represented by another moron.

[Ciexyz]

Freedom fries till the day I die!

[Ciexyz]

Call to the EU bureaucrats: here's a chance for the Frenchies to RECLAIM their domain name. (As in, "bologna" can't be used to label baloney unless it's made in Bologna, Italy.)

[Ciexyz]

And Johnny Depp thinks we're SOOOO provincial and embarrassing.