# The French Do Care What America Thinks **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 18, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153 "2012-04-18T14:19:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/1 "2012-04-18T14:19:56Z")
I found [this opinion piece](http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/18/opinion/france-america-relationship/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7) interesting to contemplate, especially the complicated emotions that the French feel about the dominance of the nation they helped “midwife” into existence: > [@](#): > > The official French explanation is that we both have strong and “radiating” cultures. The reality is that history has not made us equal. And it is sometimes painful. It was made worse, and personal, by World War II, when Presidents Roosevelt and Truman didn’t embrace Charles De Gaulle, the only remnant of dignity of a battered country, and the only symbolic redemption of a past that included a shaming defeat, a cruel occupation and the moral abyss of collaboration by Vichy and French police. > > Sure, America saved us. But it is sometimes hard to be saved, especially when your savior doesn’t seem to take you very seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/2 "2012-04-18T16:15:55Z")
Hopes for improved relations characterized by “the unprecedented French love fest’” towards America, were dashed by the aloof Obama? What is this guy smoking? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/3 "2012-04-18T16:25:22Z")
My dad said we would have respected France a lot more if they hadn’t sat on their ass after liberation. The Germans got out there and cleared rubble with their bare hands, shovels and wheelbarrows and didn’t wait around for the heavy equipment to arrive. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/4 "2012-04-19T03:56:17Z")
Jesus H. Christ. Could the author of the CNN column possibly be more childish and whiney? I like what one commenter said: > [@](#): > > They despised Bush because he was a cowboy. They’re unhappy with Obama because he isn’t. Make up your wine-soaked, cheese-stuffed minds. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/5 "2012-04-19T05:21:20Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Hopes for improved relations characterized by “the unprecedented French love fest’” towards America, were dashed by the aloof Obama? > > What is this guy smoking? I don’t know, but I’ll pay top dollar for an eighth. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/6 "2012-04-19T05:27:48Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > I don’t know, but I’ll pay top dollar for an eighth. That’s Amsterdam - wrong country. Head due northeast until you smell the tasty buds. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/7 "2012-04-19T07:17:15Z")
> [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](#): > > That’s Amsterdam - wrong country. Head due northeast until you smell the tasty buds. \ But you should hurry. Not only have they closed the “coffee shops” in the cities next to the border, but the government is planning on forcing all existing “coffee shops” in the rest of the country to become “private clubs”, with membership restricted to Dutch citizens and those who have a Dutch residence permit. \ ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/8 "2012-04-19T10:03:45Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > \ > But you should hurry. Not only have they closed the “coffee shops” in the cities next to the border, but the government is planning on forcing all existing “coffee shops” in the rest of the country to become “private clubs”, with membership restricted to Dutch citizens and those who have a Dutch residence permit. > \ Except there is some discussion of allowing each coffee house to have 2000 ‘membership cards’ to access, but so far they are not discussing making those Dutch only, so if you get yours fast, you can still smoke. [or so I have heard online, take it as a rumor with no substantiation until they actually announce it.] They are going to be losing so much random tourist money … wonder how long it will actually last [or be enforced:dubious: look how many laws are on the books that never get enforced with much enthusiasm.] ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/9 "2012-04-20T21:01:04Z")
The French and the Brits had a"“No seperate treaty with the Germans, pact written in blood at the the French insistance”. Unfortunately the French surrendered, but forgot to tell the English. Which resulted in the 51st Highland Division becoming a non division, very quickly. But the French divisions survived alll right. Ah well good for them eh ? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/10 "2012-04-20T23:00:35Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > The French and the Brits had a"“No seperate treaty with the Germans, pact written in blood at the the French insistance”. Which World War are you speaking of? 🙂 They did OK at Dunkirk, fighting a delaying action while the Brits evacuated. They were also good at helping the Nazis round up Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Blkshp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blkshp/32/7135_2.png) [@Blkshp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blkshp)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/11 "2012-04-21T01:16:31Z")
Attributed to John Cleese: The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France’s white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country’s military capability. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-do-care-what-america-thinks/619153/12 "2012-04-21T01:32:27Z")
The French get a bad rep in the U.S. I have been there many times and always loved it despite speaking extremely few words of the language. It is a great country that I fully support as an American. Great food and beautiful women plus lots of history. What’s not to love? It is the Italians that can bite my ass a thousand times over. For some reason, that dysfunctional country has good reputation in the U.S. thanks to media plays on popular perception. Give that honor to neighboring France and I will be a happy man.