# Can things get any stranger? French fries are now "freedom fries" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 12, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711 "2003-03-12T01:45:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/21 "2003-03-12T14:15:19Z")
I’m amazed _any_ country would want to take credit for American cheese. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/22 "2003-03-12T14:33:14Z")
Uhhh we have Cheddar or Bris or Swiss or Monteray Jack, or Colby or Limburger, Ricotta, Provalone, Mozzarella, Feta etc etc but I have never had anything called American Cheese or Canadian Cheese for that matter (unless you want to talk about the CBC comedy programming… excspet MADE IN CANADA). I have had that North American wonder Cheeze Whiz ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/23 "2003-03-12T15:05:15Z")
Is all this petty sniping at the French going to change their minds about supporting an attack on Iraq or just further convince them that we’re childish and arrogant. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/24 "2003-03-12T15:16:17Z")
Washingtonians can get drunk too, you know… ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/25 "2003-03-12T15:25:48Z")
Mmm… 64 Slices of American Cheese… 63… ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/26 "2003-03-12T15:28:26Z")
Renaming the menu items is the volitional act of a very few folks who happen to be Americans and Republicans. How does this act reflect on a) the Republican party, or b) Americans as a whole? Those PEOPLE might be acting petty, but the GOP and the U.S. certainly is not. Why do people think such a small group speaks for everyone who may share political affiliation or nationality with them? Nathalie Loisau has the right idea. This is all getting too much press coverage, and, as no one disputes, the food court workers have every right to change the names of the menu items. Who cares? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/27 "2003-03-12T15:42:49Z")
I think it’s _très charmant_ of the food court to honour their French allies by translating one of the three cries of _la République_. But why stop there? I’m looking forward to seeing: **Liberté Fries Egalité Dressing Fraternité Toast** ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/28 "2003-03-12T15:45:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by catsix \* > \*\*Not 100% sure on the accuracy of this, but WDVE radio … mentioned that what we in the U.S. call American cheese is known as Canadian cheese in Canada. > > Any Canadians know if that’s accurate and if so, why the different names? \*\* I’ll confirm that it is–or was–accurate, since I had to dig through my memory for it. I haven’t heard the term “Canadian cheese” for years. Nowadays, we seem to only have “processed cheese slices,” which seems to be what it’s called now–but I _do_ remember seeing packages of “Kraft Canadian” cheese in supermarkets when I was a child. Why the difference? I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/29 "2003-03-12T15:49:52Z")
Any way you slice it, this is pretty silly. If the instigators were doing it in a light-hearted, comic manner, swell. If they’re actually serious, they’re boneheads. But anyone who gives the entire ridiculous affair more than a few seconds’ thought is taking it too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/30 "2003-03-12T16:05:35Z")
A private restaurant in North Carolina is one thing, but I don’t think it’s “taking things too seriously” to hope that lawmakers paid with tax dollars could find something more productive to do with their time. This is a chairman of a House committee who’s acting like a three-year old child. It’s really rather sad. ---
**Author:** ![TheFunkySpaceCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@TheFunkySpaceCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFunkySpaceCowboy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/31 "2003-03-12T17:17:00Z")
Welll this is another thing I have to add to my list of “Stupid things Americans and/or the US Government has done/is doing” to apologize for (and disavow any personal involvement in) whenever I travel abroad. Seriously, I tend to travel alone and stay in hostels, which throws me in with a rather international crowd and it’s a great icebreaker to cut off all the standard gripes about American behavior. It helps that most of the American behavior that annoys other countries also annoys the piss out of me too. Getting back to the topic at hand… The current anti-French attitude in the US has if anything increased my feelings of solidarity with France. Or maybe it’s just my naturally contrary attitude flaring up again. In any case to protest this idiocy I’m going to see if I can find a French flag to hang in my apartment window, and a sign underneath that says : " Vive la France, vive la french fries" (did I spell that right?) If nothing else it’ll be a nice contrast to the US and Texas state flags a number of my more jingoistic, err patriotic, neighbors have flying from their windows. One final note, does anyone know how much the renaming has actually cost? Between the costs of reprinting the menus themselves and the time wasted by legislators and their staff preparing the change it’s probably rather substantial. Cheers, ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/32 "2003-03-12T17:48:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Orbifold \* > \*\*A private restaurant in North Carolina is one thing, but I don’t think it’s “taking things too seriously” to hope that lawmakers paid with tax dollars could find something more productive to do with their time. This is a chairman of a House committee who’s acting like a three-year old child. It’s really rather sad. \*\* Having ceded to the president all the important things like whether or not to attack another country, they have to have _something_ to do. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/33 "2003-03-12T21:02:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elfje \* > \*\*yes, cckerberos, Cecil had it wrong. > French fries come from belgium, and French actually is “frenched” which means cut in strips. > So frenched food is food cut in strips. > > french fries should actually be referred to as frenched fries. As it is food that is both cut in strips AND fried. > > there you go. \*\* I think Cecil pretty convincingly addressed both your points in that article. Do you have a counter-cite? ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/34 "2003-03-12T21:13:11Z")
Just out of interest; Is a Sturmhauke the same as a Sturmhaube? ---
**Author:** ![feath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4bbf92/32.png) [@feath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feath)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/35 "2003-03-12T21:47:23Z")
I think the problem is, everyone over in DC is feeding off themselves. What do I mean? It’s a spiral… a spring… they are mad, started with 9-11, then every thing that happened, just feed into the system. How can I explain what I’m thinking… They are in a bubble…all the info they are getting is from each other. So the pressure, the patriotism, the stupidity…spirals and spirals, feeding off each other. There is no _ballance_ This is my idea; Everyone write to one of the senators or represinitives (and speach makers, and speakers, and EVERYONE involved in governement right now) and _invite_ them to your house. Away from _everyone_. Take their cell phone away from them, so they cant call in for a frenzy feast. Like in school, when two kids who are egging each other on, are seperated. For at least a month. Let these guys find ballance again, because they _ **are losing it!** _ ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/36 "2003-03-12T21:59:11Z")
AOL has been doing a thing for a while called “America’s Pulse” where they have a poll of some kind on the welcome screen. It’s usually somewhat whimsical, but it may also be a yes/no/undecided question about politics. Today’s question asks how you would order fried potatoes. The three choices are freedom fries, french fries, and none. With about 694000 responses, 43% indicated that they’d choose freedom fries, 33% that they’d choose french fries, and 23% choosing none of the above. Renormalizing for those who chose the third option, about 57% of those who want fries will order freedom fries. Granted, this is totally non-scientific, as it’s a non-random group of AOL members, but unless it’s way off, the people who think this is stupid are not in the majority. ---
**Author:** ![ShoNuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@ShoNuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShoNuff)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/37 "2003-03-12T22:05:16Z")
> [@](#): > > _From Nixdad_: > It’s a way to quietly show your disagreement with the policies of another country. If by quite you mean stupid and pointless. What’s going to happen? _In Paris_ **Advisor** : Did you hear? They changed the name of french fries to freedom fries in Washington! **Chirac** : Sacrebleu! Call the UN! We’ll support the Americans now! Just don’t make fun of our food! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/38 "2003-03-12T22:27:05Z")
Hey, it’s not the first time something weird has happened in the Congressional lunchroom. Wasn’t there some legislator decades ago that got mad when he wanted three-bean soup one day and they didn’t have it, so he ordered them to have it available every day and it still is? ---
**Author:** ![feath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4bbf92/32.png) [@feath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feath)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/39 "2003-03-12T22:29:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultrafilter \* > Today’s question asks how you would order fried potatoes. The three choices are freedom fries, french fries, and none. With about 694000 responses, 43% indicated that they’d choose freedom fries, 33% that they’d choose french fries, and 23% choosing none of the above. Renormalizing for those who chose the third option, about 57% of those who want fries will order freedom fries. > > Granted, this is totally non-scientific, as it’s a non-random group of AOL members, but unless it’s way off, the people who think this is stupid are not in the majority. \*\* A perfect example of how number lie…or can be ‘tweeked’. ‘43%’ want freedom fries. You added 14% of the 23% of ‘none’…makeing it 57%. - a CLEAR majority! (apposed to ‘33%’ with the left over 9% of the 23% of the ‘none’ which makes ‘42%’) At least site the real numbers. 4 out of 10 people want freedom frys. This is NOT a clear majority. 3 out of 10 people want french. 2 out of 10 dont care. (1% is fractioned out over them all) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711/40 "2003-03-12T23:15:49Z")
> [@](#): > > _What ultrafilter said_ > \*\*Granted, this is totally non-scientific, as it’s a non-random group of AOL members, but unless it’s way off, the people who think this is stupid are not in the majority. \*\* > [@](#): > > _What Mangetout heard_ > [sub]Granted, this is totally non-scientific, as it’s a non-random **[/sub]group of AOL members[sub]**, but unless it’s way off, the people who think this [/sub] **is stupid** [sub] are not in the majority.[/sub] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-things-get-any-stranger-french-fries-are-now-freedom-fries/160711.md?page=3)