Sentiments In and Regarding France

http://archive.japantoday.com/jp/news/351463

French bashing alive and well in U.S.


"That's some denouement
whoa (Oct 9 2005 - 00:47)

Thanks, Quackshot, for proving my point. Americans do not know enough about France to do any serious bashing, and the French are winning this contest."

Everybody loses.

Some believe that opposites attract and likes repel: American exceptionalism and French l'exception culturelle.

But could it be that much of the anti-US sentiment in France actually starts with the elitists at the top only to have it returned to them by the ignorant in the US? My understanding is that, for the most part, French people, young and old alike, like or have no dislike for America and Americans. Ask French elitists how they feel about a Big Mac and the invasion of English into the French language.

The mainstream media in both countries are conspirators in this. Hysteria sells newspapers.



"All the american things are completely forbidden or boycotted"

BS. It is obvious that QUACKSHOT has never been in France, even for a few hours. Or maybe it was before WW One! American music, American movies, American novels, the American way of life, all the newest American trends are everywhere, at every corner of the French society.

True, there is some anti-americanism in France, usually politicians or journalists on both side of the political spectrum. They blame America for everything because they refuse to blame themselves for their mistakes. A bunch of arrogant morons but they represent only a few percent of France.



"Subway ran the ads in about 10 states for nearly a month and pulled them in September following an outcry by members of the French expatriate community and other customers offended by the racist undertone."

How in the world can this somewhat humorous advertisement be considered racist? There is no racial component to the ad. Are the French as separate race? They may feel that way but I don't beleive they are.

Also, do the French really have such thin skin? It's not as if we accused them of being Nazi's or imperialists or anything (as they refer to the US all the time). The elite's in France are constantly bashing the US and asserting the moral superiority of the French way. It's only natural that there will be a little of their arrogance and mean-spireted way of thinking thrown back at them.

American's understand that France care's only about France and it's own feeling of moral superiority. Any help that American's have gotten or are receiving from France is only for their own benefit. Conversely, America has spent a lot of money and lost many lives for France and did not expect anything in return (and you can bet your last euro that the US got nothing in return for their sacrifices either).

I think someone in an earlier post had it right - JT is just trying to instigate a self-rightgeous back and forth between people that support America and those that hate America. The stories that are put up on this site are carefully selected. Anything negative about the US is quickly put up here. Conversely, stories that are negative about the international community are soft pedaled or ignored. When the recent UN reform confab in New York failed miserably, I looked for an article about it on JT and one never appeared (at least that I could fine). This was a major news event and a major failure on the part of the UN to reform itself.


"Anything negative about the US is quickly put up here. Conversely, stories that are negative about the international community are soft pedaled or ignored. When the recent UN reform confab in New York failed miserably, I looked for an article about it on JT and one never appeared (at least that I could fine). This was a major news event and a major failure on the part of the UN to reform itself."

Amen!!


"America has spent a lot of money and lost many lives for France and did not expect anything in return"

Bwaaaaaahahahahahahaha. Yeah, right, America only does things by pure generosity. Try to take some info about how Roosevelt wanted to block De Gaulle and negotiate with the Vichy government to install a puppet regime who would have nothing to refuse to the US. It's not in your school history books but a bit extra search could enlighten you!

Keep living in your own world dude....


Wolfpack: "How in the world can this somewhat humorous advertisement be considered racist?"

Where in the world can this ad be considered "somewhat humorous"? Only in America.

The way I see it, the ad is actually a form of self-bashing, demonstrating the lack of American taste.


http://www.strangepolitics.com/content/item/100582.html

French bashing alive and well in U.S.


The way I see it, the ad is actually a form of self-bashing, demonstrating the lack of American taste."

(And being the most important person on the planet this probably means something to you.)

Believe it or not, capitalism has no politics. Corporations side with neither left nor right. They side with the almighty dollar -- YOUR dollar.

I'd like to know the response rate as well as ROI for this campaign.


Lunchmeat: "capitalism has no politics. Corporations side with neither left nor right. They side with the almighty dollar -- YOUR dollar."

Oh really? Economics is not entangled with politics?

Not to mention that has nothing to do with my comment, which was to say that American acceptance of that ad is a form of self-bashing.

"I'd like to know the response rate as well as ROI for this campaign."

So would I, so we agree on something!

Selling French-style chicken with an anti-French message. They ran that idiotic ad for 10 months?

Subway needs a new Ad Agency.

That's capitalism.

"Bwaaaaaahahahahahahaha. Yeah, right, America only does things by pure generosity. Try to take some info about how Roosevelt wanted to block De Gaulle and negotiate with the Vichy government to install a puppet regime who would have nothing to refuse to the US. It's not in your school history books but a bit extra search could enlighten you!"

So you are trying to convice me that FDR wanted to make a deal with the Nazi-backed French Vichey government during WWII? I guess the US was going to put an Iron Curtain around France - and only France - and not seek to make any of the other Western European countries into some 'puppet regime'. Your French nationalism is getting a bit nutty dude. Care to cite any respected source to back this claim up?

America has been generous and it's such ungratefulness as you are displaying that makes American's dislike France.

"Keep living in your own world dude...."

I am. It's called the real world.

"Where in the world can this ad be considered "somewhat humorous"? Only in America."

Heck yeah it is humurous! You - and apparently the French - have no sense of humour. I would guess that after having the French look down their noses at the British for so long that more than a few Brit's would consider it humurous as well.

Lighten up - you will live longer.


"http://www.strangepolitics.com/content/item/100582.html"

Pretty funny Pasquinade. I guess those thin skinned America-haters will not get many laughs from it. To each their own I guess.

Never saw ad, americans hate? WolfpackWhoa
yondervu Click here to see all messages by yondervu Click here to see member profile (Oct 11 2005 - 02:13) Rate | Report

Never saw the ad, but having seen other subway ads and reading the article, it was probably humorous in a small way.

By the way, Americans don't hate French. Just poking fun. Hate is a very strong word, besides it would take a lot more than the Iraq Liberation/War to make us forget about the Statue of Liberty. We just think they are on one of those strange steaks, like the time they went fascist, you konw. It won't last, we'll be on good terms eventually, I am sure.

Hey, when can I get this sandwich? I tried their Chicken Parm., man did it suck. Wheh !! No I mean really, I thought I might vomit. Needless to say I won't buy that again.

As for lack of American taste, I have to admit Subway does kinda suck, McDonalds sucks too. Pizza Hut is awful. Yeh, you are probably right.


Try this one: http://www.tedrall.com/longarticle_011.htm

Only for you, here is one part of a Roosevelt letter to Churchill:

"I am more and more of the opinion that we should consider France as a militarily-occupied nation and governed by British and American generals...We would keep 90% of the [Vichy] mayors and a large percentage of the lesser bureaucrats of the cities and departments. But the important posts would remain the responsibility of the military commander, American and British. This will last between six months and a year...Perhaps [General Charles] de Gaulle can become governor of Madagascar."

Enjoy the rest. Also, check out this biography of a Vichy offical: http://africanhistory.about.com/library/prm/bldoubledealer1.htm one more part for you:

"It is also probable that Roosevelt saw in Darlan the ideal pawn for his postwar plans for France--a country for which the president had low regard. He not only favored stripping the French of their sprawling overseas empire but intended to carve up the nation, significantly reducing its area, to deny France any part in the eventual peace settlement, membership in the United Nations, or role in the postwar occupation of Germany. Darlan evidently struck Roosevelt as a malleable puppet whom he could use to further his ideas for postwar France."

I didn't know teaching you a bit of history was "nationalism";-) your statement that your beloved US of A only provides unconditional help throughout the world is a day dream dude. As any good country, the US does things for self interest.

Corporations side with neither left nor right.


Lunchmeat: "capitalism has no politics. Corporations side with neither left nor right. They side with the almighty dollar -- YOUR dollar."

Oh really? Economics is not entangled with politics?
---

Not economics. Please see above: "Corporations side with neither left nor right."

And let's not talk about whether or not corporations pay taxes. We'll save that for another time.