According to Paul Damour (Fini le “French bashing” aux États-Unis), French Bashing is no longer. While it can be argued – and we have taken that stance – that Official French Bashing is now behind us, the number of articles on this site and elsewhere dedicated to documenting recent cases proves otherwise.
Trickle-down hatred has fostered a pop-culture bias against the French and France and it will be years before the long tail of Anti-French bigotry disappears from the scene. At Miquelon.org, we strongly believe the “laissez-faire” policy of the Quai d’Orsay on this matter (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs) has encouraged the general acceptance of French Bashing in American pop culture.
If Areva, Veolia, Sodexo and now find new markets in the United States, all the better, but for the hundreds of thousands of French Expatriates who went through hell in their public and private lives, this news will hardly be of any comfort.
Just a reminder to our readers: we are planning to go forth with the Freedom Fry Awards in September 2008, so stay tuned.
I beg to differ, mister Damour.
French-bashing and “hating the French” are now an integral part of American pop culture.
Where does Mr. Damour live anyway? I think Mr. Damour should receive the first Freedom Fry award this year just for having his head in the sand.
I found this article totally wonderful, I’m definitely waiting to reading more from you!
[unspammed comment with spam components removed – having the last laugh]
Je me demande si ce monsieur et nous vivons sur la même planète… Mais enfin les candidats à la présidence multiplient les références presque (notez les “presque”) positives à notre pays…
Obama se moquant ouvertement de la francophobie officielle de nos amis du GOP ou McCain citant Sarkozy en exemple (même s’il ne peut pas s’empêcher de balancer une pique, plutôt gentillette par rapport à ce que nous avons pu lire par le passé)… ça reste quelque chose.
Et, puis même si la francophobie persiste dans culture pop, elle reste un peu moins voyante, et, il faut espérer qu’avec le temps elle se ringardise (politique et culture pop s’influencent l’une l’autre : si le french bashing commence à être mis en veilleuse voire moqué par une bonne partie de l’establishment, on peut espérer la même chose au niveau de la culture populaire).
Je ne me fait pas trop d’illusions, mais ça n’empêche pas un optimisme modéré sur ce point.
French-bashing is indeed painful to the expats. Its degree and extent are what make it painful.
Explaining it is challenging, but the explanation Damour offers is just implausibe. Immoderate and extensive French-bashing pre-existed Chirac’s presidency. Therefore it is not solely (if at all) caused by it.
I don’t mind at all about American French bashing, past or present, but I confess I am no expat, and in fact no real fan of America. Those who care about it are franco-americans or disappointed America lover. I think most Americans are parochial, and ignorant of the rest of the world. Thay are what they are and It is not that worrying.
I don’t think Barney’s remark <i>”French-bashing and “hating the French” are now an integral part of American pop culture.</i> is way off.
Miquelon is right that it will take a long while before they disappear from the American pop culture scene. It would be wise <b>not</b> to keep our guard down!
Looking forward to discovering the winners of the Fry award.
Re: “French-bashing is indeed painful to the expats.”
Bot only to the expats — I don’t exactly like to watch some low living creatures bashing the French on television while I’m in my Paris’ home.
Ooops, meant, NOT ONLY TO THE EXPATS!
Aren’t you the guy a few years ago on Superfrenchie.com who went ballistic when someone spoke about surrendering their French bulldog? Which in fact was the term used for any type of canine. Even when the person explained that on that site your remark was something like ” I don’t care I’m fed up”
Rocket – that was an embarassing episode for us all! C’est vrai qu’on tire un peu sur tout ce qui bouge, Ryan Tate compris 😉
Ah, my friend rocket.
The ‘francophile’ who refuses contre vents et marées to tell us what he loves about France and the French after living in France for 30 years.
One of the great francophiles banned from SF for calling a female forumer the c word and let’s face it, a lot of French bashing. An activity he carries on another great francophile’s blog, Charles Bremner.
How you doing ?
Hi Barney
I wasn’t banned from Superfrenchie for using the “c” word for a female blogger. I was banned because she she directed a comment at me which was…. “shaking her head” …as if in a state of despair because I disagreed with the status quo on that blog and made it vigorously known
To which I responded
“After you finish shaking the head don’t forget to wipe your mouth.”
Also please read back that I was not banned for French bashing ( The Superfrenchie (AKA Denis) own words.
Now as to which blogs I contribute to you seem to be some sort of gossip but I really don’t care.
PS – Time in France is now 31 years 4 months 14 days and 2 hours. As we say. Time flies when you’re having fun- Please get your facts straight.
That’s not what Mister Chazelle told me.
And by the way. What do you love about France and the French ?
Can we leave any past issues in the past please, I don’t wish a spat between two users from another blog to be transferred to this site.
Sure, no problem.
Just wanted to know what rocket liked about France and the French. I’m curious. I don’t get to meet long time american residents in France often.
So rocket, care to answer the question ?
The jokes are still going strong about the French being saved during the second war. I was watching on youtube, Robin Williams ” The French”, go to you tube & watch it.
The US was doing big business with Nazi Germany and did not move its finger until Europe was half destroyed.
Leaders of the world play chess & whatever country is in the way will go down. Europe had been leading the world for centuries & it was a big opportunity for the US to lead the world. Hitler was nevertheless a mad man & Petain was an idiot. I did read somewhere that the US liked the Vichy government’s guts, i am not surprised, so convenient. I wanted to share this after watching Robin Williams doing his sketch on the French.
Thanks Annetravel, yes Robin Williams was virulently Anti-French in those videos (check out the miquelondotorg channel on YouTube.
The following comment was banned by our system. We have pulled it out of the spam / filtered line-up as an example of anti-French rhetoric.
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Well [F]rance is a tiny insignificant country relatively speaking so it does not have always have noteworthy news to talk about it. Besides selling out Gerogia to Russia to keep its oil flowing, the [F]rench have kept a low profile. Anyhow the [F]rench are real good at sticking their feet in their mouths and it will start up all over again. Plus car burning season is starting up in [F]rance soon!
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If France were that insignifiant, then there would be no French Bashing…Period!
And BTW who cares about this anti-French losers uh?
If France were that insignifiant, then there would be no French Bashing…Period!
And BTW who cares about theses anti-French losers uh?