Reply #6: Author's thoughts on that scene: [View All]

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

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You know, I was browsing around the net for reaction, and though there wasn't much of it here, on several boards there were a lot of people really bent out of shape about the scene in #3 where Steve tells Sharon about his experiences in France after D-Day. I honestly hadn't expected that, and was a bit shocked. The page on AICN practically turned into some kind of bizarre political rant about France thread. Someone there assumed I was putting my own PC sentiments about France in Cap's mouth, and on another board someone called me a pussy, even.

It's both sad and funny, really. For one thing, it's funny because I have no political opinion about France, and certainly not about France under Nazi occupation -- my only opinion of France is I like some of their film, art, and comics. But it's sad because I've never seen so many Americans who more than likely have never been to France, have never fought in a war, or lived somewhere that's been invaded by another country, have violent hate towards another country, for really, no reason.

In any case, though, I wasn't putting my views into Steve's mouth, I was writing what felt like an honest portrayal of Cap's experiences in the war. I didn't think anyone who'd fought side by side with the French Resistance, and who'd witnessed, first-hand, the Nazi slaughter of hundreds of innocents because of that resistance, would be like those reactionary right-wing freedom fries morons, most of whom never fought in a war alongside anybody.

Steve Rogers, if anything, is all about bravery, and so of course when he thinks of the French, he's going to think of the brave ones he met who took on tanks with guns and rocks, who helped make the storming of the beach at Normandy a success. He's not going to think about DeGaulle or the Vichy regime, he's going to think of the brave people who stood up for their freedom in the face of it all. That's who he is.

And I don't think he'd like seeing so many Americans who've never been in uniform or in war, call a entire country cowards. Anymore than he'd like seeing most of Europe call the US stupid because of the current regime. Anyone who's been through what Cap has knows the difference between governments and people. And that doesn't mean he's liberal or conservative, that just means he's got a brain.