# Enough with the Francophobia! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 1, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341 "2003-03-01T05:40:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/41 "2003-03-02T04:03:57Z")
On CBC radio they interviewed a politician from Florida who was trying to rename French Fries. He sounded like a completely juvenile dumbass with way too much time on his hands. Is this the image Americans are _trying_ to project? Do they realize how ridiculous this makes them look? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/42 "2003-03-02T04:10:41Z")
Some of us do, kung fu lola, but this country has produced a lot of dumbasses. History is repeating itself because many hysterics renamed sauerkraut as victory cabbage during WW1. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/43 "2003-03-02T04:57:21Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally [written by Jon Carroll](http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/02/24/DD190899.DTL)_ > It’s interesting: The citizens of Iraq seem to be able to separate the American people, representatives of which they welcome into their homes, from the American government, representatives of which want to bomb those very same homes. But somehow we can’t separate the policies of the French government from the people of France. This could be mindless war fever. Just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/44 "2003-03-02T05:06:46Z")
> [@](#): > > What about when they gave us the Statue of fucking Liberty? WE gave THEM Euro-Disney. I’d say it’s a fair trade. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/45 "2003-03-02T05:27:22Z")
Gee whiz, **White Lightning** , could you find pathetic quote? The American gov’t wants to bomb Iraqi homes, huh? :rolleyes: ---
**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 2, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/46 "2003-03-02T14:25:21Z")
Yeah, **Brutus** , the US Govt wants to bomb Iraqi homes. That’s pretty much the size of it. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/47 "2003-03-02T14:46:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blalron \* > \*\*What about when they gave us the Statue of fucking Liberty? \*\* Isn’t that in Vegas? ---
**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 2, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/48 "2003-03-02T14:55:22Z")
OK, I s’pose I’d best provide an explanation for a comment like that. I’m not entirely serious. But… the Bush govt should know from experience that if they go to war, innocent Iraqis are going to lose their lives and bombs are going to fall on Iraqi homes. They can choose not to go to war. It would be the only right thing to do if they had no good reason to go to war. Since they’re intending to go to war without good reason, I say they want to bomb Iraqi homes. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/49 "2003-03-02T15:07:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > \*\*OK, I s’pose I’d best provide an explanation for a comment like that. > > I’m not entirely serious. But… the Bush govt should know from experience that if they go to war, innocent Iraqis are going to lose their lives and bombs are going to fall on Iraqi homes. > > They can choose not to go to war. It would be the only right thing to do if they had no good reason to go to war. > > Since they’re intending to go to war without good reason, I say they want to bomb Iraqi homes. \*\* Your logic sucks, but hey, its a free country. Iraq isn’t, yet. (And would never be, if the decision was in the hands of the Friends of Saddam crowd.) ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/50 "2003-03-02T19:41:46Z")
## quote: ## What about when they gave us the Statue of fucking Liberty? A beautiful piece of work it is, too. Eiffel designed the interior skeleton, as Barthodi couldn’t even get a scale model to stand up. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/51 "2003-03-02T23:34:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*Most of the brave Germans died about 58 years ago. So what you have now is largely the offspring of those who hid under tables. So long as they don’t start getting all reminiscent about Sudetenland or some crap, it is safe to disregard them. > > But France? Our nations were founded by similiarly-inspired revolutionaries. We’ve helped each other out so many times throughout history. And now they are playing the role of the 'ho to Saddams pimp? Come on, France. You won’t lose _all_ of your Iraqi oil and weapons contracts after the war. \*\* So, what you’re saying is _“calling the French cowards and wimps is bad, because they’re like us - calling the Germans cowards is fine, because they’re offspring of people who ‘hid under tables’, so they can be ignored as serious international allies”_. Someone got an axe handy? The irony is a little too thick to cut with a mere knife. ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/52 "2003-03-03T00:40:49Z")
**Mudd** quoting **Molly** : _ **We Americans are famously ahistorical…** _ Ask anyone why America has troops in Germany, air bases in England, but nothing in France. The reason for this has even been forgotten by the freedom fry fraternity. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/53 "2003-03-03T00:55:10Z")
Pssst, **AcidKid**? Read what the [US Military](http://www.eucom.mil/aor/europe/france.htm&2&2) has to say about France. The fact that there aren’t any US bases there says, well, fuck all. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/54 "2003-03-03T00:57:41Z")
Crap, can’t get that link to work. Search for “France” on that page’s search engine, then click the second link. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/55 "2003-03-03T01:06:57Z")
Here’s [the link](http://www.eucom.mil/aor/europe/france.htm), Coldie. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/56 "2003-03-03T03:04:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*So, what you’re saying is _“calling the French cowards and wimps is bad, because they’re like us - calling the Germans cowards is fine, because they’re offspring of people who ‘hid under tables’, so they can be ignored as serious international allies”_. \*\* Not at all! Calling the French cowards and wimps is not bad. But it is bad and sad that they have lowered themselves to this level, that they have turned themselves into a Vichy France, but with Baghdad, not Berlin, calling the shots this time. I pine for the France that could have been, but I fully recognize that they are by no means ‘allies’ anymore. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/57 "2003-03-03T03:17:10Z")
Brutus, do you not think that comparing present-day France to Vichy France might be a tad bit too much hyperbole? After Chirac’s government is not shipping away Jews to concentration camps. Coldfire: Not that I would ever dream of hijacking a thread or anything, but what do you have against Heineken? It’s like mother’s milk to me and I think I have even bought enough to have helped pay the Heineken heir’s ransom about 17 years ago. Do the Netherlands have better beers? And more importantly, and if so, could you list them for me? 😛 😛 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/58 "2003-03-03T03:46:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*Not at all! Calling the French cowards and wimps is not bad. But it is bad and sad that they have lowered themselves to this level, that they have turned themselves into a Vichy France, but with Baghdad, not Berlin, calling the shots this time. > > I pine for the France that could have been, but I fully recognize that they are by no means ‘allies’ anymore. \*\* I think you just disqualified yourself for any intelligent debate on this matter. Buh-bye. Now, Heineken. Yes, there’s lots better to be found here, Peyote. Although I mostly drink Belgian (and Irish!) special beers, some Dutch pilsners are far superior to Heineken. I suggest you get your hands on some Grolsch, which should be available at liquor stores in the US. Skip the light green china top bottles: that’s export. You want the brown china tops, or the .5 liter cans. Domestic, baybeee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/59 "2003-03-03T04:09:07Z")
Grolsch is superior to Heineken?!?!?! I beg to differ, Coldfire!! However, I will try to find some other Dutch pilsners. Have you ever tried any Chimoy Ale from Belgium? A find a couple of bottles of that, coupled with a good joint, will put me in the orbit of Saturn. I like Irish beer, too. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341/60 "2003-03-03T05:26:11Z")
I like a Hiney if there’s nothing better to be had, but I’d roll naked over a case that had been dropped from a second-storey window to get to a case o’ Grolsch. No comparison. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-francophobia/158341.md?page=4)