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Happy birthday to France

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posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:20 PM
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As a French Canadian, I have been quite angered in the past at how France and the French have been treated for their opposition to the War in Iraq. An entire nation was vilified by American public opinion and American politicians, and portrayed as a "nation of surrenderers". I feel that this was incredibly unjust.

I'm not making this thread to start a debate. I'm just starting it to remind people that although you may disagree with one decision France made in 2003 (not to support the invasion of Iraq) you may want to remember that as much as other nations, France as a claim to 2,000 years of history and played a good part in building our modern civilization.


- France was one of the three main European powers who founded modern North American society

- It's in part because of France's support that the United States managed to throw off the yoke of the British in 1783

- It's in part because of France, its Revolution and its Declaration of the Rights of Man that democracy spread to Europe in the 19th century

- A good number of the Founding Fathers of America were influenced by French thinkers like Voltaire and Montesquieu

- France fought bravely in the 1914-18 war to resist invasion by Germany, and stood fast even though the battles on its soil were terrible

I shall deny ignorance, and I shall remember.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRANCE.



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:23 PM
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Dang, that's my Canadian-ness showing... I said "birthday" as we would say about Canada Day.

It's Bastille Day (the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in Paris in 1789) but it's still considered the moment of birth of modern France. Hence it being France's national holiday.



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:28 PM
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Wasn't aware it was Bastille Day. Have a good one French brothers and sisters.



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:43 PM
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Sure the French have participate in about a million wars with the brits and have a loss factor of 99.9% so they sure did contribute to our modern society have a good one



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:46 PM
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I think the world would a lesser place without France, Happy B-Day!



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:48 PM
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I also agree that the world would be a lesser place without France. WP23, if you don't have anything to add to the thread then don't post.



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:49 PM
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Originally posted by WestPoint23
Sure the French have participate in about a million wars with the brits and have a loss factor of 99.9% so they sure did contribute to our modern society have a good one



You have insulted the honor of my avatar. Don't make him whip out the magic potion.
Seriously though, you have forgotten about Napoleon. Without the British fighting the French at the same time as the War of 1812, America, as a nation, may have ended up a 35 year experiment.



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:49 PM
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In the words of Willy the Janitor at the famous Springfield Elementary school:

"Bonjurrrrrrrrrrrrrr ya cheese eatin' surrender monkaaaayyyysssss!"

God I love the simpsons.

Viva French Women!

Spiderdejour



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:51 PM
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Happy B-Day France! I'll be sure to get tipsy on some cheap French wine to celebrate! Libertie, Fraternite, et Egaliete.


Like Otts said, people always tend to forget the horrible battles of WWI. The French took the brunt of that war and kept fighting!



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 01:55 PM
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Anybody who makes this is OK with me. I'm willing to bury the hatchet. Happy Birthday..



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 02:05 PM
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I frankly don't 'get' all the hoopla about France.


I love France, the French language, the architecture, the food, the art, the fun people. I heard horror stories about how the French treat Americans and how poorly one is treated in Paris. But when I went, I never had one problem.

What I *did* have a problem with was being there right *exactly* when a spate of terrorism started in February, 1986! It was downright scary. After that even Americans had to apply for visas to be able to enter the country.

France has a 5 million strong Muslim population. That's a lot of people I'm sure France does not want to *offend*.

Come September, when the 'no headscarves' ruling takes effect (and any other religious symbol for that matter) in the schools - there will be a lot of ruckus. Already, France is announcing that anyone not adhering to the rule will be arrested and prosecuted!

I guess they are doing the best they can. Who knows what's behind the policies in other countries. Germany didn't want to go to war with Iraq, either... but no one is turning down *beer* or *bratwurst*.




posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 02:14 PM
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As an American I disagree with a lot of the French policies but it's not really the French governments responsibility to do what is best for America, but what they feel is the best thing for France.

Unfortunately the terrorist and Iraq situation is a very complicated one and not easily resolved.

As Psieye stated there is a large Muslim population in France which could very well prove to be a hot bed of terrorist activity in the months and year to come.

I know most Muslims are peaceful but their radical right just like the american radical right are small in number, very vocal and nuts.

If George W. get's re-elected or figures out some other clever way to stay in office France will be a major target for them. They would love nothing more than to see American Troops in Europe especially France. Give it that old fighten' Nazis WWII sort of feel Cheney and the others are dreaming of.

The french are all right in my book, but I still no reason why I can't make fun of them the way they make fun of Americans.

All in good fun.

Spiderj



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 02:29 PM
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My grandma's side was french, my mom was also born in Quebec, she used to speak french from time to time..
My great uncle got shot down in arris france in 1945, he's buried there till this day..

I love the french culture although i'm not to pleased with some of the mindsets going on..

I understand how you guys got screwed when the british came into Canada thinking they could just take over.. That was their mentality back then..

So i'll participate in this birthday... Bon Fete!! (sp?)



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 03:03 PM
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Spiderj - It's very good to make fun of the French... even we Canadians do, pretty often. A people who can't tolerate being made fun of is a fragile nation. And I think even the French make fun of themselves.

It's just the images of freedom fries and people emptying bottles of French wine into the ocean that really got me...



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 03:07 PM
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>>emptying bottles of French wine into the ocean that really got me...

Well, it's not what it used to be. New world wines are often far superior to thier French counterparts. I'm partial to Australian Cabernet Sauvignon myself.



[edit on 14-7-2004 by Zzub]



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 03:10 PM
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Happy Bastille day to France!!!



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 03:13 PM
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It's just the images of freedom fries and people emptying bottles of French wine into the ocean that really got me...


I agree, that was extremely stupide and futile. I do enjoy the australian cab myself I have also found some good peruvian reds that do the job.

But there are some wines from france that really do kick but.

I live in california so am fairly partial to our own wine country which is pretty darn good.

I was cringed when I saw people pouring out wine and stating that we shall now call them Freedom Fries, Freedom Toast, Freedom Kissing, whatever, it just seemed childish which of course is how most of the world views us anyway.

It would have been far more effective to do sort of a hands across america thing but instead of all americans joining hands they would all give france the finger at the same time.

Now that would have been funny!

Leave the french alone is what I say, they'll call us when they need us, just like everybody else.

Spiderj



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 03:30 PM
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Please remember those 69,382 dead American troops buried in France,
as the French seem to have forgotten them.

France has every right to disagree with America, but France has moved from simple dissent to active hostility toward America.

France President Chirac warned East European nations that if they sided with the US, France would oppose their membership in the European Union.

Two years agos William Safire reported in the New York Times that France had been secretly helping to arm Iraq and had been helping Iraq build long range missiles. These same missiles may have possibly be used against our own US soldiers.

Not to mention the attitude President Chirac displayed at the recent G8 Summit. Just as France has exercised its right to disagree, Americans can exercise their right to disagree with the French.

And you wonder why Americans are bitter!

john



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 03:37 PM
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The most indicative thing about this post are the events that France contributed to and ther place in history. Notice they haven't done ANYTHING since WWI. France used to be a nation that could be respected. Now they are a bunch of coward surrender monkeys



posted on Jul, 14 2004 @ 03:37 PM
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Originally posted by Otts
- France was one of the three main European powers who founded modern North American society

- It's in part because of France's support that the United States managed to throw off the yoke of the British in 1783

- It's in part because of France, its Revolution and its Declaration of the Rights of Man that democracy spread to Europe in the 19th century

- A good number of the Founding Fathers of America were influenced by French thinkers like Voltaire and Montesquieu

- France fought bravely in the 1914-18 war to resist invasion by Germany, and stood fast even though the battles on its soil were terrible

I shall deny ignorance, and I shall remember.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRANCE.


umm only in quebec and louisiana, nowhere else in north america.

you dont know that, france only fought small battles against the brittish, they didnt play a signifigant role in that war, they only fought because their own interests against the brittish, not to help us.

no, the magna carta was and the system in great brittian in the 1500's, the french system was counter productive to free monarchy, read some history about that, great brittian, spain and others had a more free society long before the 1800's.

can you prove who inspired them?

one war dont change the fact that they lost or gave up during most wars(when napolean wasnt in command or alive).

happy birthday but france still has no respect from me, i just have never trusted france(long before the iraq thing), their policies are suspicious and seem aimed against america, they are sneaky like china is.

[edit on 14-7-2004 by namehere]




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