# Boycott Statue of Liberty? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 29, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994 "2003-03-29T07:05:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/1 "2003-03-29T07:05:04Z")
Since the French built and gave the Statue of Liberty to the USA, shouldn’t all those Freedom Fries advocates be lobbying to have it taken down? Or at least have a cover thrown over it? ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/2 "2003-03-29T07:15:38Z")
I don’t doubt there’s a jackass out there calling for it. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/3 "2003-03-29T07:53:18Z")
You might as well get everyone to refrain from French kissing, too … ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/4 "2003-03-29T17:30:31Z")
Hey, and while we’re at it, let’s just abdicate our independence, since the French had a hand in helping us acheive it. :rolleyes: I shouldn’t be surprised if some representative tries to forward a bill to have the SoL shipped back to France, because some wag complains about it… ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sweet\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_T)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/5 "2003-03-29T17:40:40Z")
What the hell was the point of those stupid bastards “changing” the name from French Fries to Freedom Fries? Because France wasn’t giving a hand in the war? Oh, that’s a good reason. Besides all that, French Fries came from Belgium anyway. So, why don’t they call them “Belgium Fries”? ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/6 "2003-03-29T17:54:50Z")
Sadly, it is the state of America, that actions such as these win votes. When did we get so stupid? ---
**Author:** ![acropolis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@acropolis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acropolis)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/7 "2003-03-29T18:36:29Z")
Its to bring us all back to the patriotic days of WWII when there was there was a big thick black line between good (us) and evil (them). Back them we changed Frankfurters to hot dogs, Sauerkraut to Victory Cabbage, etc. Thank god only one of those names stuck. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/8 "2003-03-29T19:31:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sweet T \* > \*\*Besides all that, French Fries came from Belgium anyway. So, why don’t they call them “Belgium Fries”? \*\* Because Belgium oppose the war too… ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/9 "2003-03-29T20:32:31Z")
Please don’t give our idiotic politicians any more loony ideas than they already have. ---
**Author:** ![Rillian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rillian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rillian)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/10 "2003-03-29T20:45:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lissa \* > \*\*I don’t doubt there’s a jackass out there calling for it. \*\* Here’s a couple: [Send Back Liberty](http://www.sendbackliberty.us/) [Give it Back](http://www.giveitback.net/) ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/11 "2003-03-29T21:05:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rillian \* > \*\*Here’s a couple: > > [Send Back Liberty](http://www.sendbackliberty.us/) > > [Give it Back](http://www.giveitback.net/) \*\* R O N A L D R E A G A N ??? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mandelstam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Mandelstam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mandelstam)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/12 "2003-03-29T21:37:26Z")
I find it very ironic that the “Give it Back” site features this quotation from Thomas Jefferson: “When the people are afraid of the government, that’s tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that’s liberty.” Yeah, like George Bush (or Dick “How Dare you Ask who was on My Task Force” Cheney") are really afraid of the American people. Right. Here was Bush after the 2/15 protests: " ?Democracy is a beautiful thing,? Bush said, adding that ?people are allowed to express their opinion, and then they can go home and worry about other things, like paying their bills, and finding a job, and becoming productive members of our faith-based society, and using their tax breaks to stimulate the economy by buying new SUVs, but I don’t have that luxury. I have the most important job in the world in the most powerful country in the world. I know that some folks in the world don’t view Saddam Hussein as a risk to peace,? he added. ?But they don’t count.?" Yep, a real Jeffersonian there. ---
**Author:** ![Fox\_in\_the\_Snow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@Fox\_in\_the\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fox_in_the_Snow)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/13 "2003-03-29T22:12:55Z")
Are we sure those sites aren’t jokes? On the Send back liberty site it says. > [@](#): > > However we believe Lady Liberty no longer has any place in this country. If that isn’t Saitire it’s quite terrifing. Also to Echo an earlier poster, RONALD REAGAN! Man that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/14 "2003-03-29T23:00:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mandelstam \* > Here was Bush after the 2/15 protests: > > “… and becoming productive members of our faith-based society …” You have got to be kidding! Shrub actually had the nerve to say such a thing? I am now completely positive that this cretinous submoron is actively conspiring to overturn the separation of church and state. Get this turd out of the gene pool, RIGHT AWAY! I am disgusted beyond belief. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/15 "2003-03-29T23:07:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mandelstam \* > \*\* > > Here was Bush after the 2/15 protests: > > " ?Democracy is a beautiful thing,? Bush said, adding that ?people are allowed to express their opinion, and then they can go home and worry about other things, like paying their bills, and finding a job, and becoming productive members of our faith-based society, and using their tax breaks to stimulate the economy by buying new SUVs, but I don’t have that luxury. I have the most important job in the world in the most powerful country in the world. I know that some folks in the world don’t view Saddam Hussein as a risk to peace,? he added. ?But they don’t count.?" > > \*\* Please provide a link. This really sounds like a parody, especially the line about using tax returns to buy SUVs. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/16 "2003-03-30T04:54:10Z")
Sadly, there isn’t too much to boycott regarding the Statue of Liberty as it has been closed for visitation since 911. (Only the grounds of Liberty Island are open). ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/17 "2003-03-30T06:08:46Z")
Well, I disagree with the current French position, but they are free to do their own politics. As for Lady Liberty, she has been here for over a hundrend years, so I guess she is a naturalized American by now- still, a giant Ronald Reagan Statue would be nifty. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/18 "2003-03-30T06:35:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lissa \* > \*\*Please provide a link. This really sounds like a parody, especially the line about using tax returns to buy SUVs. \*\* It’s parody. [BUSH SAYS WAR PROTESTERS ARE MISGUIDED](http://zena.secureforum.com/interactive/content/display_item.cfm?itemID=4444) > [@](#): > > President Bush declared on Tuesday that he wouldn’t back down from waging all out nuclear war against Saddam Hussein, “if that’s what it takes to get my way and that’s what I decide,” calling those who took part in global protests against the coming war with Iraq over the weekend, “a misinformed bunch of people who just looked like they got up on the wrong side of the bed and wouldn’t vote for me if I paid them, and I respect them for that.” ---
**Author:** ![IEatFood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c5a1d2/32.png) [@IEatFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IEatFood)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/19 "2003-03-30T07:16:02Z")
> [@](#): > > * * * > > Originally posted by Mandelstam > Here was Bush after the 2/15 protests: > > ## “… and becoming productive members of our faith-based society …” > > You have got to be kidding! Shrub actually had the nerve to say such a thing? I am now completely positive that this cretinous submoron is actively conspiring to overturn the separation of church and state. > > Get this turd out of the gene pool, RIGHT AWAY! > > I am disgusted beyond belief. I am willing to give the benefit of doubt here. He could be (if these are his real words --I would like to see the source of the quote–), reffering to the economy when he says “Faith Based Society” I stipulate that merely because he also makes mention of tax breaks, SUVs, & bills. It is a truth that our economy is faith based. We removed the gold standard (to avoid distastrous inflation) at the begining of the 20th Century, hence our currency is labeled as “Faith Based” Onto the OP. I am as much for the war as I can be, given the info I have seen (a decision I did not come to lightly or reactionarily, mind you…), this whole “freedome fries” thing is rediculous. I cannot justify lashing out at the French. Yeah they gave us a hard time, but in the end we got our way. They also handed us our independence, and have been at least as helpful as they have been obstinant over the years. I think it is really irrational to piss away a potentially valuable ally over something we won out on anyway. Just my two centimes though. ---
**Author:** ![Ersatz\_Shmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@Ersatz\_Shmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ersatz_Shmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994/20 "2003-03-30T07:32:27Z")
The Send Back Liberty page appears to be satire (I hope the Reagan statue wasn’t meant to be taken seriously), but the other looks like the work of a legitimate moron. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycott-statue-of-liberty/164994.md?page=2)