The French are the new Ruskie Communists?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Have you caught on to how Republicans are using the term "French" for anything to justify their right-wing hatreds? Stewart should make a parody about these things because it's become so laughable.

I bumped into two relatives this summer which I hadn't seen in years and some of their logic, was well, I'm being kind to call it logic. One is living in Palm Beach County, Florida and he and his Tennessee wife are heading for the hills before the riots begin. Their words. They've been hearing so much grumbling lately that they fear a backlash from the left if Bush's drip, drip problems become a deluge -- I guess they think they're at ground zero if it's discovered that the stolen election was one of many right-wing conspiracies. Anyway, they didn't know anything about the Rove leak when I told them about it a few weeks ago. It was just blowing up in the media that weekend. He didn't know anything about it, but he latched onto the one thing that was familiar: The Niger report. He said, "Yeah, and I hear it came from France", as if the Bush Administration had fallen victim to a French plot and that excused everything.

The second cousin was even scarier. We tried to keep politics out of our visit, but sure enough, he got around to it and I understood, that for him, there was nothing that Bush could do wrong in the Middle East because this man truly believed that there is a need to annihilate all the Muslims from Africa. He was very careful to pick his words, "Look at who is giving us trouble in Africa, "They're black, they're muslims and they speak FRENCH!" The other carefully parsed words were, "Islam plans to dominate the world, it's them against everyone else." But I know he meant...against Christians."

Anyways, do you think that right-wingers realize how incredibly shallow they are when they just throw in the word "France or French" to justify their hatred?

[SHRED]

1. Gee

Weren't the French some of the first troops into Afghanistan with us and didn't our own commanders, in the field, comment on how they are a world class, top notch fighting force?

Stupid righties.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. And didn't the French come to our aid to help estabish this country?

BTW, who inspired the colors of our flag? The French or the British?

[getmeouttahere]

9. That's the one I use...

if I must have this discussion, that without the French, we may not have won the Revolutionary war. But I do try to avoid these conversations, particularly with family members.

[wli]

2. IIRC the French are big participants in oil-for-euros schemes

The motives are clear enough.

[Beaver Tail]

4. Africa

Bush could do wrong in the Middle East because this man truly believed that there is a need to annihilate all the Muslims from Africa

I think your cousin needs to look at a map. To say the Middle East is in Africa is just plain Ignorant.

Of course Arabic is the offical language in most of Northern Africa and the Middle East but we shouldn't let that get in the way of the "fact that they speak french" :sarcasm:

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Oh, I know what you're saying, but I think that he ties them all

together because they're black, Muslim and speak French, well that says it all, doesn't it?

And when I mentioned to him that he shouldn't worry about a massive, organized continental uprising because of the AIDS epidemic, he said he hoped it killed them all. <sigh>

[katinmn]

5. Apparently. It's soooo strange. Why are they so threatened by France?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1976195&mesg_id=1976225

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. French phobia. You got it baby.

It's scary, because it's so self-destructive.

[katinmn]

8. They need a scapegoat.

Why not attack a more evolved society?

It pains me to realize that pre-Bush2 we were evolving, too.

[Surya Gayatri]

11. Could it be jealous envy at some subconscious level?

The French, even among their European brethren, are known as being the nation of "ideas". Thanks to their world-class education system, even the average French person has a fairly well-honed ability for analytical and critical thinking.
They thrive on intellectual discussion, adore the cut and thrust of political discourse, can talk cogently (and sometimes endlessly) to make a point, and are refreshingly cynical about the true motives of politicians of any stripe.
Their society has been secular in the best sense of the term for nearly two centuries--genuine separation of church and state. They have developed the "art de vivre" to a refined level over many centuries. As concerns family values, their divorce rate is among the lowest in the industrialized world.
Take their national health care scheme, the "Sécu" (or Sécurité Sociale). It is far from perfect and, like all Western welfare programs, suffers from a chronic shortage of funding. But it works, it's more or less universal, and no one in France lives in dread of bankruptcy due to catastrophic illness. Most French people truly believe in "la solidarité sociale", in the concept that a society cannot survive if it does not protect its weaker members.
Americans, if they cared to, could learn a great deal from the French model--as I never cease telling my right-wing physician brother (in CA) who is forever railing against France's "socialized medicine".
Vive la France! Vive la République!

[katinmn]

14. Absolutely it's jealousy. They hate intellectuals and

independent thinkers.

Welcome to DU, Surya Gayatri. Thanks for your patience with us. :hi:

[Surya Gayatri]

16. "Merci" katinmn for the "bienvenue"

I've been hanging around for several months, but until now, didn't have the equipment to allow me to post easily. And yes, it really is jealousy of a more evolved culture to some extent. :shrug: Surya

[Rob H.]

10. The thing that strikes me

is that France (and Germany, too, iirc) wanted to give UN weapons inspectors in Iraq more time to complete the task at hand before we invaded. BushCo steamrolled right over them and here we are, years later, with no weapons found, 1700+ American soldiers dead, thousands more wounded, tens of thousands of Iraqis dead, and somehow the French are the bad guys? Maybe the 101st Fighting Keyboarders hate France because the French being right makes the Chimpleton look bad.

[Toots]

12. Without the French siding with the "Liberals" in 1776 there would be no US

The French have always been staunch allies to the USA even to our detriment at times such as Vietnam. America is breeding more idiots daily.

[MadHound]

13. It is because the French are acting as the Western world's conscience

And sadly, many many people in this country don't like to listen to their conscience, even when it gives them good advice. Thus they demonize it, ignore it, and villify it. Exactly what the RW in this country is doing to the French.

I also think that it is part of the anti-intellectual backlash we're seeing in this country. Since France is the seat of much of the Western world's culture and higher thought, the proudly ignorant of this country tear into it like a rabid dog into meat. They can't stand that anybody is better or smarter than them, so they blindly flail away, showing off even more of their ignorance as they do so.

[niceypoo]

15. France has left the right gagging on FAILURE FRIES

so they are reduced to obsessing over France to eternity. Such is the lot of a Bush bot.

[Surya Gayatri]

17. LoL, Nicey! Great turn of phrase...

My French students of English have all heard about and openly ridiculed "freedom fries". When the new school year starts up, I'll introduce them to FAILURE FRIES! ;-) Surya