The cowardice of the ... Americans

For once, I have nothing to say. I just find this too annoying, stupid, boring, and wrongheaded for words.
[Edited: Just to make it clear, I got tired of seeing this posted on Facebook as a "joke." No, it is not a real MSNBC screenshot. But you knew that!]

Considering how every further intrusion into Americans' privacy by the TSA, the Department of Homeland Security, and drones, is welcomed by Americans frightened of terrorism, and considering how the Civil War is still a subject of fascinated horror for American hobbyist historians because of its gruesome death toll*, and considering how no invaders have ever seriously threatened the mainland U.S.A. since the Revolution, I think it's pretty ridiculous for Americans to post obnoxious stuff about a country that fought three wars on its own soil in 70 years against a bigger, more populous neighboring country. Unlike Americans, older French people actually have experienced war in their homelands. Maybe that's why they're so rarely pro-war.

Next time you hear that nonsense, say something.

*less than one-fifth of the percentage of casualties suffered by the French in World War I

Comments

[Alison]

I saw that the other day and just shook my head.

[vagabonde]

I had not seen this but I am not surprised. As a French person living in the US with a French accent I could tell you some of the bad stuff that happened to me along the years. I wrote about some of them on my blog – look on the side of it under “French bashing” (http://avagabonde.blogspot.com/ .) During the Iraq war some co-workers pasted all kind of stuff near my cubicle saying “Bomb Iraq first, then France.” My car was keyed and I was almost pushed off the road while driving and received so many horrible emails for years (till I retired!). I don’t think the US in general cares for France. I have read articles in French then have seen their translations, even in the New York Times, which had been incorrectly translated, and some French sentences omitted, to make France look bad. I don’t understand why. My father lost a leg in WWII and my mother worked with the Resistance and saved many lives. I was a little girl in Paris but still remember having to go down the stairs in the dark during air raid and having little to eat. Jay Leno (an American TV personality) loves to tell French bashing jokes and has many in his repertoire – his writer, who also wrote for the Simpsons, is the one who invented “cheese eating surrender monkeys.” Leno will be going on retirement soon thankfully.

[French Girl in Seattle]

Jay Leno is an arrogant @#$, Vagabonde, and the best news I heard this week, is that he was finally leaving...

I have had similar experiences here, in the US, where I have lived since 1996. Then again, many people i know have also been kind to me and are genuinely interested in la Belle France...

The jokes about the French surrendering only make the people who make them look uneducated about France, WWII, and history in general. So many people here have absolutely no idea what went on during the Occupation (or even before that,) and do not care to learn about it, preferring to resort to stereotypes...

Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

[Max]

This isn't a real screenshot of MSNBC. They wouldn't post that, and they look nothing like that.

[Sedulia]

Hi Max! People I know kept posting this on Facebook, which is where I got it. I don't know anything about the MSNBC but I am pretty sure this was photoshopped and not a screen-capture!

[Max]

@Sedulia Fair enough. The blog that brought me to this titled their article "Really MSNBC?" Seemingly blaming the network for this, though they haven't even used that logo for 5 or 6 years. Fox News would convievably run this, not MSNBC.

[Jessica Ruthless]

Why would France surrender to North Korea? That's totally fake. People are so stupid nowadays. As to the other comments i read i just wanted to say.

I'm American, (French Decent) and NOT all Americans think that way about French people, or any other nationalities. Its just ignorant hateful fools who don't support gay rights and etc. Those too blind to see and realize how the US is really seen outside their own country, as well as not realizing that a lot of problems is caused by our government and selfish people who are greedy.
Please remember those who bash you for being from a different country are ignorant, and need to have an open mind. Please spread the word, that not everyone is ignorant.

[Sedulia]

Most Americans don't hate France. But this kind of "joke" is still harmful and idiotic.

[chrissoup]

I'm not French, but my affection for France is well-known among my right-wing relatives. I *do* say something when they get going. But unless I do it one-on-one, no one "hears" me. I guess it's too much fun to be a jerk when you're in a crowd.

The people I've spoken to quietly have dropped the French-bashing in front of me, but I don't think I've really changed any minds.

[RJH]

Lilly Pulitzer, RIP. Thought you would like to know.