# French schoolkids no longer welcome in US. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 9, 2003, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621 "2003-06-09T11:13:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GoHeels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@GoHeels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoHeels)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/41 "2003-06-09T23:00:20Z")
elfje: > [@](#): > > Here in Europe, at least the anger is directed at the Bush administration, not the US citizens. Funny, I could have sworn that drunk German in a pub in Munich who spit on me and called me a “fucking American bastard” was directing his anger at me. Luckily, my German buddies (all three of whom loathe Bush and were passionately anti-war, yet were cool enough to talk even-handedly and civilly about it to me, an American war supporter) told the drunk guy to fuck off. Just about everywhere you go, the cool folks vastly outnumber the shitheads. Unfortunately, the shitheads are usually the loudest and get the most attention. The moronic parents in America no more represent America than the drunk guy represents Germany. Using this example of stupidity among a couple of idiot Americans as a pretext to imply Americans are a bunch of French haters is calumny. Also, by the way, I have been to approximately 50 different restaurants in the U.S. since the call to change the name of french fries to “freedom fries.” So far, none of the 50 menus have been changed to reflect the “new name.” I think **mhendo** gets it right: > [@](#): > > However, just as there is no need for donning the sackcloth and proclaiming oneself ashamed, neither is there any need for unreflective nationalism that ignores the bad things that nations do. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/42 "2003-06-09T23:35:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*The Rainbow Warrior incident should be brought up more often. It does show that push come to shove, the French are actually pretty cool. \*\* Well, **you’d** think so. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/43 "2003-06-09T23:53:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GoHeels \* > \*\*Just about everywhere you go, the cool folks vastly outnumber the shitheads. Unfortunately, the shitheads are usually the loudest and get the most attention. The moronic parents in America no more represent America than the drunk guy represents Germany. \*\* Heh - _Crétins Sans Frontières_… ---
**Author:** ![GoHeels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@GoHeels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoHeels)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/44 "2003-06-10T00:08:00Z")
By the way, I, as an American supporter of war who still objected to the actions of the French government (but bear no ill will toward the French people), would like to proclaim to the world: [Thank you, France](http://www.msnbc.com/news/924047.asp?0cv=CB10) ---
**Author:** ![SweetLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@SweetLucy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetLucy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/45 "2003-06-10T00:21:21Z")
Buttmunches! :mad: :rolleyes: :mad: :rolleyes: :mad: :rolleyes: What’s next, rounding up all the Americans of French descent and “resettling” them into camps? These asshats who backed out of hosting the exchange students should get a one-way free ticket to some lovely red-blooded, patriotic , manly man country such as Iran or Liberia or Libya. Or to the dark side of the moon, even better! ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/46 "2003-06-10T00:34:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SweetLucy \* > \*\*Buttmunches! :mad: :rolleyes: :mad: :rolleyes: :mad: :rolleyes: What’s next, rounding up all the Americans of French descent and “resettling” them into camps? These asshats who backed out of hosting the exchange students should get a one-way free ticket to some lovely red-blooded, patriotic , manly man country such as Iran or Liberia or Libya. Or to the dark side of the moon, even better! \*\* Your excessive use of emoticons marks you as one of Them. (No, not the French.) ---
**Author:** ![SweetLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@SweetLucy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetLucy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/47 "2003-06-10T00:42:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*Your excessive use of emoticons marks you as one of Them. (No, not the French.) \*\* Actually, I do have some French roots 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GoHeels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@GoHeels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoHeels)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/48 "2003-06-10T00:45:21Z")
**SweetLucy:** > [@](#): > > Buttmunches! What’s next, rounding up all the Americans of French descent and “resettling” them into camps? Some dumbass parents back out of hosting French kids. Ergo, the next logical move is to revive internment camps. :rolleyes: So since a few French morons defaced our graves, I can now expect Chirac to round up all the expats and, and, and, and, make them watch endless Jerry Lewis movies!!! I know anger and hyperbole rule the day in the BBQ Pit, but come on. ---
**Author:** ![nixdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9bcb4/32.png) [@nixdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nixdad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/49 "2003-06-10T07:18:10Z")
> [@](#): > > The Rainbow Warrior incident should be brought up more often. It does show that push come to shove, the French are actually pretty cool. Brutus, you are a fuckwit. Pretty cool? Hmm, so sending agents into a friendly country to bomb an unarmed vessel, killing a photographer counts as cool in your world? It doesn’t show anything about the ‘French’ either - it shows the mentality of the government and the armed services of the country in 1985. This Board attempts to fight ignorance. You have brought such an overwhelming force that I fear you have delayed the end of the battle interminably. It is only my fervent, perhaps desperate, hope that an inkling of enlightenment may penetrate the oozing mass of stupidity which cloaks you that encourages me to post a reply at all. I sincerely hope that whoever reads these posts to you has the time to go over this with you slowly. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/50 "2003-06-10T07:31:59Z")
The DGSE did a fine job on (or under) the Rainbow Warrior. Too bad Mitterand didn’t have the minerals to defend them. And don’t give me some sob story about Greenpeace. They damn well intended to use the ship itself as a weapon to prevent testing. They tried the same thing with the US Navy in the late 80’s, and were rammed for their troubles. I have no use for Greenpeace. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/51 "2003-06-10T07:58:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*The DGSE did a fine job on (or under) the Rainbow Warrior. Too bad Mitterand didn’t have the minerals to defend them. And don’t give me some sob story about Greenpeace. They damn well intended to use the ship itself as a weapon to prevent testing. They tried the same thing with the US Navy in the late 80’s, and were rammed for their troubles. I have no use for Greenpeace. \*\* Fuck off you mother fucking cunt bag. When a “friendly” nation goes into one of your harbours and destroys a boat you wouldn’t be so smug. Fucker. You absolute fuck. You are the worst I’ve seen on this board so far. ---
**Author:** ![nixdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9bcb4/32.png) [@nixdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nixdad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/52 "2003-06-10T08:04:29Z")
And that’s the other way of expressing my opinion on the matter. Cheers Skogcat. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/53 "2003-06-10T08:17:30Z")
Heh 🙂 That’s not normally my way of expressing myself (thankfully). ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/54 "2003-06-10T09:59:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skogcat \* > \*\*Fuck off you mother fucking cunt bag. When a “friendly” nation goes into one of your harbours and destroys a boat you wouldn’t be so smug. > > Fucker. > > You absolute fuck. > > You are the worst I’ve seen on this board so far. \*\* If it’s a Greenpeace vessel, they’ll be doing me a favor. What the fuck did these morons expect? When you decide to go fuck with nuclear tests, it would be wise to expect a certain level of casualties. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/55 "2003-06-10T11:34:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*If it’s a Greenpeace vessel, they’ll be doing me a favor. > > What the fuck did these morons expect? When you decide to go fuck with nuclear tests, it would be wise to expect a certain level of casualties. \*\* I imagine they didn’t expect to have their boat blown up (and a person killed) by a so-called civilized nation while in another country’s harbor. Hmmm… a group opposing war provokes as seriously inappropriate overreaction from a Western country determined to commit violent acts. And here I thought this Greenpeace thing was a hijack. ---
**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/56 "2003-06-10T11:47:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GoHeels \* > \*\* > Funny, I could have sworn that drunk German in a pub in Munich who spit on me and called me a “fucking American bastard” was directing his anger at me. Luckily, my German buddies (all three of whom loathe Bush and were passionately anti-war, yet were cool enough to talk even-handedly and civilly about it to me, an American war supporter) told the drunk guy to fuck off. > **exactly, you get one asshat German and three Germans come to your defence. How would those percentages bbe were you French in the US?** > > Just about everywhere you go, the cool folks vastly outnumber the shitheads. Unfortunately, the shitheads are usually the loudest and get the most attention. The moronic parents in America no more represent America than the drunk guy represents Germany. > **i agree. That was not what my point was. My point was that the defamation of those graves was a singular event. The so-called “patriotic boycott” by _some_ US citizens of France, French products, and now, as it seems, even French schoolkids who’ve been going on this exchange programme for 26 years, is spiteful, to say the least. France and Germany are doing their (political) best to mend fences. These kind of stories coming out of the US is not helping with > a)improving your reputation with “old europe” (but then again, why bother, eh?) > b)improving international diplomatic relationships.** > > Using this example of stupidity among a couple of idiot Americans as a pretext to imply Americans are a bunch of French haters is calumny. > **again, I was not implying that Americans are a bunch of French haters. But to be at the receiving end of this kind of behaviour, even though it is coming from a small group of Americans (and I haven’t really read any outrage in the American press, which means that those kind of actions are either ignored or condoned in the US) for the simple reason that they (the french) opposed and protested against this war wuite strongly, is, quite frankly, very scary. It does show that the US cannot deal with their allies in an adult way, but only in a “stick and carrot” kind of way. Which is unfortunate.** > > Also, by the way, I have been to approximately 50 different restaurants in the U.S. since the call to change the name of french fries to “freedom fries.” So far, none of the 50 menus have been changed to reflect the “new name.”\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/57 "2003-06-10T12:37:01Z")
> [@](#): > > exactly, you get one asshat German and three Germans come to your defence. How would those percentages bbe were you French in the US? Yes, of course. Let’s speculate from a single incident in Germany reported by a Doper here to what would happen in the US with no real definition as to the events, actions, reactions, situation, location, or evidence whatsoever. > [@](#): > > My point was that the defamation of those graves was a singular event. The so-called “patriotic boycott” by some US citizens of France, French products, and now, as it seems, even French schoolkids who’ve been going on this exchange programme for 26 years, is spiteful, to say the least. Yes, because obviously a few people here and there boycotting products is equivalent to grave desecration. Oh wait, haven’t the French engaged in boycotts of products of other countries? Surely if we want to be honest about that, we’ll call out those examples as well, right? [http://www.suntimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimes/entertainmentst/entertainmentst1050989925.asp](http://www.suntimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimes/entertainmentst/entertainmentst1050989925.asp) [http://www.dawn.com/2003/03/26/int10.htm](http://www.dawn.com/2003/03/26/int10.htm) Gee, my first two Google hits. I fully expect to see you post your outrage at the French who are boycotting American products, with the exact, same intensity as you posted about Americans doing the reverse. I won’t even bring up when the EU ordered France to accept British beef post-BSE, and France said in effect “fuck you, we don’t have to do anything the EU says”. But I’m sure you will post your outrage on that as well, since we want to be fair and impartial here. Otherwise, one would think we have an axe to grind… > [@](#): > > These kind of stories coming out of the US is not helping with > a)improving your reputation with “old europe” (but then again, why bother, eh?) > b)improving international diplomatic relationships. Yes, because we all know the policies set by world leaders, diplomats, and ambassadors are tied directly to a few misguided dipshits here and there re-naming chips. :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > I was not implying that Americans are a bunch of French haters. Bullshit. Your implication is quite clear. > [@](#): > > But to be at the receiving end of this kind of behaviour, even though it is coming from a small group of Americans You, in Ireland, are on the receiving end of the effects of some dipshits calling French dressing “freedom dressing”? I guess it is a small World after all. > [@](#): > > (and I haven’t really read any outrage in the American press, which means that those kind of actions are either ignored or condoned in the US) Gee, when I said a very similar thing about Muslim terrorism and the Muslim press, I got my ass flamed off here in the Pit, and faced insinuations that I was an anti-Muslim person. And I had people pile on me to chastise me for this. Why the silence now, folks? Do you think that’s fighting ignorance? And you know why I was jumped on by people (who I’m sure will be in here any minute to support me)? Because a single perception of reading carefully selected news filtered and reported only via the net is purposefully regionally biased, statistically bankrupt, selective, undocumented, incorrect, meaningless, and pointless. > [@](#): > > for the simple reason that they (the french) opposed and protested against this war wuite strongly, is, quite frankly, very scary. It does show that the US cannot deal with their allies in an adult way, but only in a “stick and carrot” kind of way. Which is unfortunate. Yes, because in all things and all actions and all events of history, the US has done this. :rolleyes: Your arguments are bankrupt and full of gross and quite stupid and silly generalizations intended to support your clear bias. You’re not interested in any sort of discussion or actual enlightenment, nor any first-hand anedotal evidence by people here who have been posting of a profound lack of “hate” or “discrimination” towards the French in the US. You’ve also carefully ignored nearly all posts here which rebutted your position, so I don’t think you’re going to respond to this one. You’ve made up your mind, and decided to make your “let’s poke at the US” post of the month. I hope it’s been cathartic for you. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/58 "2003-06-10T12:43:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TwistofFate \* > **Which usual fuckhead would you be referring to Anth? 😉 If it’s me, I havent responded to you in months and I was sure we had put all that behind us.** No, I actually wasn’t referring to you, and yes, we put it all behind us. I have nothing but friendship towards you, actually, after our last mails. And my latest post in here does not refer to you as well, although I did have to refer to the same event. Because I am sad to see that the same mistakes I made in my assumptions are being repeated here, but with no one jumping in (and there were others, not you, in a prior GD thread that predated our exchange) responding as to the why and how they are incorrect. I thought I should clarify so you knew we were still OK. Una ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/59 "2003-06-10T13:22:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*The DGSE did a fine job on (or under) the Rainbow Warrior. Too bad Mitterand didn’t have the minerals to defend them. And don’t give me some sob story about Greenpeace. They damn well intended to use the ship itself as a weapon to prevent testing. They tried the same thing with the US Navy in the late 80’s, and were rammed for their troubles. I have no use for Greenpeace. \*\* They’re nervy bastards, no doubt. It’s just like when some damned ethnic group lives in a town in your country and you have to go cleanse the area, right? Tell us all about it, Brutus. You know what else is really inconvenient? People who engage in peaceful civil disobedience for civil rights, like those uppity Negroes back in the 60s. Why, they should have just sprayed them with flame throwers. You have to admit it would have been very effective in reducing protests. People would have been a few hundred racial inferiors roasted alive and said “Well, I’d best not oppose the U.S. government on this issue.” Or what about editorials that criticize government actions? Why, m,y pal **december** says that gets U.S. troops killed, or maybe hurts their feelings. And even if the editorial’s about local zoning or something it’s still traitorous. We should have death squads to hunt down the authors and make them disappear. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621/60 "2003-06-10T13:36:03Z")
Eh…if death squads really did disappear the editorial staffs from most of the major papers, can you really say we would have lost much? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-schoolkids-no-longer-welcome-in-us/180621.md?page=4)