Why the French ? (possible debate)

[toto2]

Quite a few times while reading some threads , I've read quite horrible , stupid and sensless things said about the french people , and it amazez me.


Beside not agreeing with the USA with the war in Irak , what makes them so bad ?

 

[palmtreegirl]

Never understood the French bashing either.

 

[lbgraves]

OK, I deleted my original comment until I could find the proof. I am not debating it either way, simply posting why many Americans have a problem with France. There was also an instance in the Gulf war when France wouldn't allow US fighter jets to fly in their air space & they were shot down.

It came out before the war started that France helped Sadaam and sold weapons to him. If you search MSNBC for "France Iraq" there are many more articles giving information about how Russia and France had major dealings with Saadam. It shows why they were so opposed to his ousting since post Saadam Iraq more than likely wouldn't allow the relationships with the oil to continue.

From http://www.citizensunited.org/boycott_france.html. (I know that the site is biased however it was the first place where I found to quote what was reported all over the news at that time.)

The French oppose our Iraqi policy not for any philosophical or moral reasons but because they are in bed with Saddam militarily and economically. IraqÆs atomic reactor Osirak, destroyed by an Israeli air strike in 1981, had been built and maintained by French technicians as part of a nuclear contract signed with Hussein in 1975. In exchange, the French were guaranteed a dependable supply of cheap oil. Amazingly, even after Hussein admitted the reactor was a means to obtaining nuclear weapons, France continued work on the Iraqi nuclear program.

The French also outfitted HusseinÆs military with advanced Mirage aircraft and armaments. In March 1987 a Mirage F-1 fighter fired French Exocet missiles into the hull of the USS Stark killing 37 Navy seaman. Will U.S. troops encounter similar French-made weaponry in the forthcoming action to topple Saddam Hussein?

Today, the French maintain an increasingly lucrative trade relationship with Iraq. The so-called œOil for Food Program” has enabled France to secure over $3 billion in import contracts with Iraq, and a French company has contracted with Baghdad to develop IraqÆs northern oil fields when sanctions are lifted. IraqÆs known oil reserves are second only to Saudi ArabiaÆs in size and future profitability.

And from an article in Newsweek http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3068616/

France, after all, helped Saddam Hussein build a nuclear reactor that was obviously a launching pad for a weapons program.

 

[caitycaity]

honestly, i think most french bashers are just ignorant. i am willing to bet most of them have not spent any significant time in france.

 

[Mskanga]

Ask the people in Europe, they can give you a long list.....

 

[Planogirl]

The French government tends to be rather corrupt in their dealing with other nations from what I've seen. I can't understand all of the animosity towards the French people though.

 

[toto2]

Ask the people in Europe, they can give you a long list.....

You seem to share the sentiment , why dont you share it with us ?

Alot of American are adament that other countries don't like the USA and dont understand why , but those same people spew bad things about France or other country. I am curious to know , not whyt other country in Europe dont like each other , but why some American despise France. Obviously , as far France and Europeen country goes , ot could be summed up as a power struggle within the
Europpen union.

 

[roseprincess]

I have been told by several different people in 20- 25 yrs time that the French are real snooty to American tourists in France. I don't know if that is true or not. I have never been to France or anywhere in Europe. Probably would love to go someday. I did learn French in jr. high and high school.

Rosemarie

 

[toto2]

The French government tends to be rather corrupt in their dealing with other nations from what I've seen. I can't understand all of the animosity towards the French people though.

I am curious , since we dont seem to have these info here in Canada.

The french governement , as far as I know would not be the firts or the last governement do do shaddy things ( Iran/contras anyone ? , Chile anyone) And my own canadian governement did some pretty awfull things as well

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

Long before the War in Iraq I think American movies and televison have presented the French as condescending and snobby; resentful that American tourists make no effort to speak their language or appreciate their culture.

I've never witnessed anyone in France being rude to an American (with the exception of Lance Armstrong!), but I would love to go to France someday and then let you all know if it's true!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I love the French. I don't get it either.

I would guess that we think they're snobby or something. That's how I've seen it portrayed over the years...but it is not my personal observation when in France.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I have been told by several different people in 20- 25 yrs time that the French are real snooty to American tourists in France. I don't know if that is true or not. I have never been to France or anywhere in Europe. Probably would love to go someday. I did learn French in jr. high and high school.

Rosemarie

My parents always heard that but when they vacationed in France it simply wasn't true. They had a wonderful time and mom my tried to brush up on her French(she learned in HS) before they left. She said the French were very appreciative when she at least tried to speak their language, she said most other American tourists she ran into would simply walk up to anyone and slowly and loudly say Do you speak E-n-g-l-i-s-h? Then when they'd say No they'd walk away all huffy complaining.

 

[Mskanga]

Right off the top of my head I can tell you they are arrogant ( I'm not going to say all of them but a bast majority ). Spain has always had to use the border between France and Spain to export their products to other countries in Europe and because the French considered their products superior they often set trucks going through the border on fire and boicoted trains with our products in them. These has been going on ever since I can remember and they even admit that "we have no other choice but to go through that border if we want to export ( which is true ) . They have always considered themselves far superior than others in Europe ( not just the Spaniards ) and they are famous for being arrogant. I'm not saying they don't have better things than other countries do , but definetely not all of them. Problem is they do not take the not being superior very well.....

 

[Chicago526]

I've never understood either. I never associate what a government does to what a people of a nation are like. I certainly don't want to be blaimed for what OUR current administration is like...

 

[Mskanga]

I have family and friends in France , and everytime this topic comes up , we have to shut up because it really divides the family , there has been many many arguments.

 

[Rajah]

I agree with PG -- it's not the French *people* who are the problem, it's the French *government* and *radicals*. Same can be said about a *lot* of countries.

 

[jgmklmhem]

For me it was my personal experiance in France and with a few foreign exchange students that jaded me. I spent a week in Paris and I spoke French but felt I was treated pretty poorly by the locals. This was in 95 so it had nothing to do with the current sentiment. There was the snobbish behavior and just down right rude interactions with quite a few people. We visited 7 European countries on that trip and we were not treated that way in any of the other countries (Italy, England, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, and Germany)....and we didn't speak their language. As for the students (a few different one from a few different parts of France) it was their we are so much more cultured than you...our food is so much better...etc type attitude that really bothered me.

 

[bicker]

I suspect that some of this dates back to WWII, where a lot of Europeans felt that some French fell victim to the Nazis a little too quickly, a little too willingly. While people have apparently forgiven the Germans to a great extent, French transgressions in WWII are apparently still linger in the minds of many older folks, and evident in passed-down sentiments of their children. That greatly resonates with their current perspectives with regard to the war on terrorism.

Beyond that, there is a real rivalry between American and French culture, and therefore a natural animosity -- exacerbated, on the French side, in that they are apparently losing the cultural war. Most French people I've met made me believe they feel that their culture is universally "better", and that therefore Americans "should" be striving to emulate it -- and that was the case regardless of how nice, polite, hospitable, etc., they acted towards me personally. YMMV.

 

[gina2000]

I've never had any problems in France. I love the people and the country.

The Spanish/French border is largely populated by the Basque, no? They're tough cookies no matter which side of the border you're on......

 

[lbgraves]

I edited my original post to give sources for the statement that I made. I agree that the French people didn't make the decisions...their government leaders did. However, it seems that all over the world if someone has a problem with a country's government they lash out at the people of that country who had little to no direct tie to the policy or action that is being protested.