*Originally posted by Anthracite *
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 in using his own example against him, is that he refuted the point he was trying to make. A drunk gets in a huff, and his three german friends come to his rescue. Does that illustrate that the Germans hate the Americans, or that their anger is directed at the Bush administration? He also stated his three German friends were anti-war, they’re still friends with eachother wich clearly means that his German friends can see past his nationality, and do not blame him directly for the war. Unlike the french teacher in the US, who got heckled or experienced some unpleasant situations, simply because he happens to teach the language. I was pointing out the difference in reactions you get at both sides of the Atlantic
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.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.
**your first link:
"Seventeen percent of French people surveyed said they were less likely to buy products from the United States, balanced by four percent who said they were more likely.
Interviews with British consumers found 11% claiming to be less likely to buy US products, compared with four percent claiming to be more likely.
In Germany, 13% said they were less likely to buy American, against 9% who said they were more likely. "
and the conclusion was:
"“Of the three countries we examined, the British are far more likely to consider leveraging their purchasing power to make a point about an issue that concerns them.”
your second article was dated 25th March, and dealt with conscientious objectors of the war against Iraq not purchasing American products, it does not deal with people being targetted because of their nationality. Which was the point I was trying to make in my OP. The article also stated that those type of boycotts have little or no impact on those businesses, anyway.**
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…
Where did I state I condoned everything France, or the French, did? When they were testing their nukes in the pacific, I was vehemently opposed, and went on protest marches. But I will never target a population simply because of it’s nationality. Which seemd to be the case, here.
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:
**again, it’s a sensitive issue to state that a bunch of schoolkids are no longer welcome with their hostfamilies, because they are French.
Bullshit. Your implication is quite clear.
**i beg to differ. I say what i mean and I mean what i say. Do not put words into my mouth, please. What piqued me about this article, is that the teacher, Mr. Van Rooten had to say that this (cancelling the trip) was done in the self-interest and wellbeing of the students. Implying that their wellbeing was at risk had they not cancelled the trip. Also, other families who had not withdrawn their invitation, could not guarantuee “that the children would not be greeted with “unpleasantness”.”
One of the French parents stated: "“It’s true that the majority of French were against the war, but not against Americans in general. I was certainly not aware of any great anti-US feeling in Carcassonne.”
There have been threads on this board, that we, here in Europe are not “anti-American”, we are opposed to Bush, his administraion and most of all his foreign policies. Anti Bus /= Anti American.**
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.
if you read that paragraph carefully, you’ll see I was talking about the French being at the receiving end, not me, or Ireland.
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.
i did a search, again, and only one US paper had a hit when searching on those headlines. The Washington Times.
Yes, because in all things and all actions and all events of history, the US has done this. :rolleyes:
Vietnam, Korea, Chile, Nicaragua. Plenty of examples around of US foreign policy and it being based on Might makes Right. I truly wish it wasn’t so
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 am not biased against the US. I dislike it’s current president, that’t true. I am interested in a discussion, and I have read plenty of first hand anecdotal evicence about the lack of anti-French feelings in most places in the US. it is a pity, though, that despite the majority of Americans can see the forest through the trees, the ones that can’t are the ones that always pop up in the news, and the US media does not seem to be in an uproar about it, either. It seems to be accepted behaviour. Please provide me with cites if I’m wrong, here (US media slamming those decisions, for instance). I have not avoided the posts that rebutted my position, mostly because I was busy with other things, and also because I do not want to clutter threads with constant replies or rebuttals. I wait until there are a few answers, and reply to them combined, or I pick one that seems to summerize most other rebuttals, and I reply to that one as that seems the handiest, shortest way (instead of replying 5 times the same thing).
I hope it’s been cathartic for you. **
