French uproar as Macron vows to 'piss off' unvaccinated

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: BBC



French President Emmanuel Macron has been accused of using divisive, vulgar language after he used a slang term to say he wanted to make life difficult for unvaccinated people. "I really want to piss them off, and we'll carry on doing this - to the end," he told Le Parisien newspaper. Three months ahead of a presidential election, opponents of Mr Macron said his words were unworthy of a president. MPs halted debate on a law barring the unvaccinated from much of public life. The session in the National Assembly was brought to a standstill for a second night running on Tuesday as opposition delegates complained about the president's language, with one leading figure describing it as "unworthy, irresponsible and premeditated".

The legislation is expected to be approved in a vote this week, but it has angered vaccine opponents and several French MPs have said they have received death threats over the issue. Mandatory vaccinations are being introduced in several European countries, with Austria leading the way for over-14s from next month and Germany planning a similar move for adults. Italy's government was on Wednesday considering a compulsory vaccine pass for at least anyone over 60.

In his interview with Le Parisien on Tuesday, Mr Macron used the vulgar term emmerder to say how he wanted to stir up the unvaccinated. He would not "vaccinate by force" the remaining five million who had not had a dose, but hoped to encourage people to get the vaccines by "limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life". "I won't send [unvaccinated people] to prison," he said. "So we need to tell them, from 15 January, you will no longer be able to go to the restaurant. You will no longer be able to go for a coffee, you will no longer be able to go to the theatre. You will no longer be able to go to the cinema."

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59873833

[EYESORE 9001]

1. I thought that, among the unvaccinated, 'pissed off' is their default condition

[YP_Yooper]

15. I thought the French are always in some state of pissed off... in a good way

Last edited Wed Jan 5, 2022, 02:33 PM - Edit history (1)

edited. didn't mean it as a slight

[Randomthought]

39. Broad brush and not true

I have a niece and nephew who are French and two of the nicest people I know.

[YP_Yooper]

40. Absolutely....

My clients and friends are there, and you're right - but can jump into an argument quite quickly and happily so

[SunSeeker]

2. Fuck the antivaxxers. They are why we're still in this mess. nt

[jimfields33]

11. I agree except the election is 3 months away

Isn’t he in a tight race? I’d think this is not necessary to be the focus.

[Tommymac]

27. Agreed 100%. Wish President Joe would use 'firm' language about our anti vaxxer fools. nt

[Evolve Dammit]

3. Good. This is in the "I welcome threir hatred" vein. Enough catering to the miscreants.

[ariadne0614]

7. +1 n/t

[Farmer-Rick]

23. Exactly right.

Enough with enabling idiots

[hot2na]

37. Perfect response.

FDR's language was harsh but elegant.

[Owl]

4. Good!!!

[2naSalit]

5. Slap them back with the hand they used to slap you.

Good. Democrats here could learn something here.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. All this anti-vaxx nonsense is politicizing medical care

Pro-vaxx is 'liberal'. Kudos to Macron for showing some bollocks against wacko anti-vaxxers.

[NCjack]

8. I want BigMac to piss them off BigTime.

[DFW]

9. The term is not that easily translatable

It has various degrees of severity, depending on context. If he said (about the vaccine refusers), “je vais les emmerder,” it could just as easily mean, “I’m going to give them a hard time.” It is used by almost everyone in normal conversation in France, as well as the French-speaking parts of Switzerland and Belgium. It’s not really as harsh a word as the article infers.

[TheRickles]

12. Part of the problem may be that the word originates from "merde", which literally means "shit".

So it sounds harsher than the context in which it's used, as noted by DFW. And so it's an easy soundbite for the media to blow up into a scandal, which should be what pisses people off.

[DFW]

35. If the reporter doesn't know contemporary French

Then he or she has no business writing about the subject. “Emmerder” is a word used by pretty much everyone in daily conversation. If someone wants to ask, “is that gonna be a hassle?” they are as likely to ask, “est-ce que ça t’emmerde?” as anything else. It is no more vulgar than describing a “pissing contest,” or saying it “kinda pissed him off.” No one in France would even raise an eyebrow unless they were the French equivalent of Trey Gowdy trying to make Benghazi into the same category as Auschwitz.

[DFW]

36. If the reporter doesn't know contemporary French

Then he or she has no business writing about the subject. “Emmerder” is a word used by pretty much everyone in daily conversation. If someone wants to ask, “is that gonna be a hassle?” they are as likely to ask, “est-ce que ça t’emmerde?” as anything else. It is no more vulgar than describing a “pissing contest,” or saying it “kinda pissed him off.” No one in France would even raise an eyebrow unless they were the French equivalent of Trey Gowdy and Fox Noise trying to make Benghazi into the same category as Auschwitz.

In 1980, when told that Teddy Kennedy might try to primary him, Jimmy Carter said that if he did, he would “whup his ass.” I don’t recall that turning into a national scandal, either.

[IronLionZion]

10. I love this approach

We have this in some US cities including mine.

Antivaxxers can set up their own speakeasy or private club type venues where they share COVID with each other. Trump's hotels will probably take them.

[YP_Yooper]

16. Something needs to be done

but this is dangerous.

ie, what if Trump declares BLM no longer americans?
If the Repubs gain control and declare progressives are commies and no longer deserve the rights of US citizens?

Bad path, IMHO

[IronLionZion]

25. Trumpers have declared me "no longer American" my whole life

Trump said America's first non-white president wasn't even born here. Remember Antifa? These folks can call any of us Antifa without any proof.

Your "slippery slope what if" scenario makes even less sense than the segregation analogy that black antivaxxers in my city are using. It's mostly GOP and Qanon folks who claim every COVID policy leads directly to Nazi camps.

I didn't choose my birthplace or race, but I damn sure can choose to be vaccinated.

[YP_Yooper]

31. +1

[Tommymac]

29. No disagree vehemently. In Solidarity We WILL exercise ALL of the rights given us. FUCK them.

RW ignorant idiots have been calling me and other liberals names all my life. Raygun supporters tried to shit on me. Bush supporters tried to shit on me. The right wing leaning M$M media has tried to shit on me all my life.

Worse, Racists have lynched POC. Have destroyed families. Have tried to prevent the culture of diversity from becoming mainstream. Have shot up mosques and synagogues and temples.

They have failed and will continue to fail in the long run because the large majority of We The People have stood in Solidarity with those of diverse racial, religious and political views. They have not succeeded in dividing All of us.

Systemic Racism has tried segregation, discrimination, fear, hatred and evil laws passed by their white hooded sycophantic politicians to keep Us down. Because the majority has been on the side of right and stood by those who have been wronged in the long run.

I'm still standing. The Progressive Movement is still standing. POC are still standing. Unions are still standing. Muslims are still standing. Our Jewish friends are still standing. Asians are still standing. Native Peoples are getting back on their feet slowly, but they are going to prevail. We The People ARE winning in the long run..

The Constitution is still alive. And IMO it will be for many many years IF we fight back with all the legal tools we have. IF we don't meekly kowtow to the evil fucks. If we stand strong TOGETHER, and keep each others backs.

Al Gore and Hillary won the majority of the popular vote. By a LOT. Those RW evil fucks who cheated to win are in the minority. THEY WILL LOSE LOSE LOSE.

WE shall overcome.

[YP_Yooper]

32. +1

this
"The Constitution is still alive. And IMO it will be for many many years IF we fight back with all the legal tools we have. IF we don't meekly kowtow to the evil fucks. If we stand strong TOGETHER, and keep each others backs. "

For perspective, my friend in France said Macron had a big proportion of his own support, leading the polls at only 23% or so with a slim 5 point margin, feeling really offended at what he said. Anti-vacc, all agree, but to say they're not Frenchman...

and this only 3 months or so before an election :/

[sarchasm]

13. The French once again show us...

… how to use that Liberty thing.

[Maggiemayhem]

14. I thought they found a new varient in Marseille

He needs to be tough.

[femmedem]

17. I don't like how the media is framing this: the real story is the restrictions, not word choice.

Kudos to Macron for restricting the unvaccinated's ability to endanger everyone else. The story should be about that and how/why this will save lives.

As far as his language goes: Macron used a mildly vulgar word. Anti-vaxxers are literally killing people. The anti-vaxxers have a lot of nerve complaining about language.

The only thing I'd fault Macron for is giving the media a way to twist the story.

[justhanginon]

19. The worthless media will always find a way to twist the story.

Journalism is for the most part dead.

[samnsara]

18. i want to piss them off too

[twodogsbarking]

20. America is ahead of France in pissed off people.

Pissed on people is a tie.

[lambchopp59]

21. O mine eyes have seen the glory

Of the unmistakable pout of the unvaccinated fool's once their lungs are burning. Even under the mask we enforce them to wear properly during their hospital admission process, the regret of their idiotic choice is written all over them.
Several are no longer with us.

[Midnight Writer]

22. So they can piss us off but we can't piss them off?

They are actually killing us.

But we don't want to hurt their widdle feelings?

[Tommymac]

30. This. nt

[Susan Calvin]

24. Carrying on the sentiment,

Those are the wrong fingers on that mask.

[JI7]

26. They are all attacking him for being mean

Hahaha.

I read another article on this which said this was intentional when it comes to the upcoming elections. Most of the country is vaccinated so he sees it as something that should help him.

[appleannie1]

28. There is analysis below the article

Analysis box by Hugh Schofield, Paris correspondent
The airwaves in France are shrill this morning with the sound of angry politicians. From left and right, moderate and extreme, opponents are outbidding each other in condemnation of President Macron's emmerder.

In a pre-election period, it's an opportunity too good to miss to accuse him of all his old faults: arrogance, flippancy, detachment, ignorance of the concerns of ordinary folk.

But as this is indeed a pre-election period, we can also be certain the president knew precisely what he was doing when he uttered those provocative words in Le Parisien. This was no uncalculated outburst.

What he wants to do is flush out his enemies on the right. The left he's not so bothered about. But Valérie Pécresse's Republicans party (LR) has become - since her nomination as candidate - his main political preoccupation.

By taking such a strong and coercive position against the unvaccinated, Mr Macron is inviting the LR to choose their side. Are they with him, doing everything possible to boost the number of vaccinated? Or are they siding with the minority, the five million instead of the 50 million, and the anti-vaxxers?

Because if it's the second, that's actually quite an awkward place to be ahead of a presidential election.

[Bayard]

33. Mandatory vaccinations

Come out and take your damn medicine!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

34. This is the right move by Macron

[Jilly_in_VA]

38. Good for him

Joe needs to do the same. Enough catering to the a-holes. Slap 'em down.

[Initech]

41. Good! Fuck them, let them eat horse paste!

[róisín_dubh]

42. GOOD! I am so sick of this shit.

Boris needs to do the same and he won’t. Because he’s a useless tit.

[BigmanPigman]

43. France has more new Covid cases than any other country.

I think it is about time there are more restrictions on the unvaxxed.

332,000 new cases in France today ...
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

I like Macron's red, blue and white mask...colors of French Flag.