Re: Speaking for France -- SPEAK UP

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 05:42:33 01/30/04 Fri
Author: William J J Houtzager
Author Host/IP: NoHost / 213.208.198.130
Subject: Re: Speaking for France
In reply to: FUCK YOU 's message, "Re: Who cares what the Europeans think?" on 23:25:34 04/27/03 Sun

American public opinion has turned into real Franco phobia over the last couple of months; many in the US have felt the need to distance themselves from France.

Some members in the US Congress consider the French position with regards to the war against Iraq as betrayal and loud voices have been heard to punish France. Ridiculous gestures have been made like changing �French fries�to �freedom fries�.

Some have flung the image of Normandy�s American cementary at France face, showing their deplorable character. These same disturbing voices are also reminding France of the large debt towards the US.

There is no doubt that the French have a debt towards the US, so does the rest of Europe. Without the landing of American troops in Normandy, the French "liberation" would have not been possible. Anyone visiting Omaha Beach and the American cemetery nearby, knows that, Yes, there is a debt.

But it does not ensue that we ought blindly and forever applaud whatever the U.S. Government decides. Gratitude is no synonym for automatic conformity or subservience. To disagree on an issue, however important, is neither betrayal, nor to act ungratefully.

To which I will add that, without the political, diplomatic, financial, and military assistance of the French during the War of Independence, the United States might still be a British possession or protectorate. It should in particular, be remembered that at the final and decisive battle of Yorktown, Virginia, there were more French than American troops.

In the allied forces besieging the British Army and General Cornwallis, there were indeed 10,000 American soldiers, 9,000 French infantrymen, plus several thousand French soldiers and sailors aboard the French fleet the blocking the Chesapeake Bay in order to prevent the British naval forces from approaching the scene of the battle.

After this the French never asked the American people or authorities to publicly manifest their gratitude, nor to grovel at our feet and slavishly support our diplomatic errors.

There is no justification in resorting to the issue of gratitude as a one-day argument.

WJJH

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]