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Why do so many Americans hate the French?
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Binch Lover



Joined: 25 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:45 pm    Post subject: Why do so many Americans hate the French? Reply with quote

In another thread, there was some France bashing going on by some yanks. I just don't get why they dislike the French so much. Granted, they can be a bit hard to bear sometime,s but they've accomplished a hell of a lot as a country. There was all that stuff around the start of the Iraq war, and the French had some vested interests in Saddam staying in power, but really only fools would follow the USA into such a stupid war (most Europeans I know could see it at the time). So why do the Americans dislike them... jealousy? Idiocy?

Quote:
How about talking about something a little more recent. Like how a major world power ( france) let its country be overrrun and not even put up a fight in WWII


I'd like to see you say that to my grandparents. They sure as hell put up a fight. My grandfather fought, was captured by the Germans and escaped from POW camps on at least 3 occasions. My grandmother was nearly killed for spying on the German soldiers. Actually, my 85 year old grandmother could probably still kick your a$$. Fvckin Americans, never had a foreign power on your own soil (Pearl Harbour and 9/11 don't count) and think you can preach to everyone else.
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Bibbitybop



Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Because people are small minded and have to be against other people to support their own nationalistic identity. Every country has these people.

Recently, when the French were opposed to the new Iraq war, many Americans denouced them, called them cowards and renamed French fries to "freedom fries."

Turns out, the French were right, and to the tune of over $200 billion.

I have French friends and they are all great people. I've not been to Paris, I hear they are rude, but I've worked in tourism and most tourists are complete idiots while they are on vacation.

Bill Hicks said it best, rest his soul:

"I hate patriotism. I can�t stand it, man � makes me f()ckin� sick. It�s a round world last time I checked."
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uberscheisse



Joined: 02 Dec 2003
Location: japan is better than korea.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

freedom fries.

after that stuff happened with france and the usa i was freedom kissing every girl i saw.
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Wangja



Joined: 17 May 2004
Location: Seoul, Yongsan

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Je ne sais pas.

Perhaps becuase it was French help that secured the defeat of the British in the 1770's?
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Allen



Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Location: Gunpo

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Why do so many Americans hate the French? Reply with quote

Quote:
How about talking about something a little more recent. Like how a major world power ( france) let its country be overrrun and not even put up a fight in WWII


I'd like to see you say that to my grandparents. They sure as hell put up a fight. My grandfather fought, was captured by the Germans and escaped from POW camps on at least 3 occasions. My grandmother was nearly killed for spying on the German soldiers. Actually, my 85 year old grandmother could probably still kick your a$$. Fvckin Americans, never had a foreign power on your own soil (Pearl Harbour and 9/11 don't count) and think you can preach to everyone else.[/quote]

Not having the wars fought on our home soil is the big reason that most Americans just see the French as giving up during WWII. Most people don't understand that France was still not fully recovered from WWI and had to turn around and go through it again.
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kprrok



Joined: 06 Apr 2004
Location: KC

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I heard the French in Paris were really rude, but I found that as soon as I spoke French to them, even though they knew I was American and my French was pretty bad, they were cool. I think they're rude to Americans or anyone else who refuses to even try to learn the local language and just assumes that everyone should speak their own language.

I loved Paris and I really enjoyed my several visits to France. No hatred from this American.

Why do others hate the French? Maybe because a lot of Americans are moronic sheep who only follow what their "elected" leaders say and what the TV tells them?

KPRROK
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Paji eh Wong



Joined: 03 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They hate each other because they are so similar. They are both large, nationalist, isolationist countries.

Proving, once again, you are what you hate.
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Bibbitybop



Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On the flip side, the BBC has a new article about anti-Americanism (and the lack of justification for it). (props to the Marmot's Hole website)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6547881.stm
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Binch Lover



Joined: 25 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
On the flip side, the BBC has a new article about anti-Americanism (and the lack of justification for it). (props to the Marmot's Hole website)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6547881.stm


I guess I didn't think about it that way... fair enough.
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formerflautist



Joined: 30 May 2006

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You say fvckin' Americans but isn't that essentially doing the same thing to us that you say we're doing to them?
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Binch Lover



Joined: 25 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, you're right. I was a bit angry though at the time though!
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Adventurer



Joined: 28 Jan 2006

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sometimes some Europeans can also be quite horried towards Americans as well. They view the American as the uncouth bully. I can see the bullying towards France among some Americans. They are labeling the French as wimps or cowards which reminds me of secondary school bullying language.

Seriously, the politician who named French fries freedom fries seriously was being quite sophomorish, and he later went on to say he had feelings of regret for voting for the war. Now, hundreds of billions of dollars later and 3,000 soldiers or so dead the French government was right about it was not good to rush into a war. However, Rumsfeld knew better than Old Europe i.e. Germany and France. There was this huge focus on France objecting though so did Germany and Russia. They were together on that and if Italy didn't have Berlusconi as president the Italians would have as well. And America doesn't have the stomach for the fight. If the public wants to show America is braver than France than why pull out? I personally don't want a quick pull out after the mess that was created. The October deadline doesn't make sense. France is a friend, not an enemy of the U.S. However, what do you expect with a government that acted like many Americans were the enemy, too.

The French, by the way, can sometimes be harsh against Americans who don't even like Bush. It isn't fair.
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RACETRAITOR



Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe the US is bitter because they didn't want to be "liberated" from England. And maybe Americans aren't satisfied with the Eiffel Tower. I went there and it was really much smaller than I was expecting, and the view from the head sucked.
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Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat



Joined: 01 Apr 2007

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Adventurer wrote:
Seriously, the politician who named French fries freedom fries seriously was being quite sophomorish

Actually I was in France when that whole debacle was going on, and the French just though it was a complete joke. What Americans don't realise is that "French" fries aren't even French per se, but Belgian (considered by many to have been invented there). The French just call them "frites" (or "fries"), it's American ignorance that attached the "French" part... gotta love irony.

The French also don't get the "French toast" thing, since they don't even eat that there...
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Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat



Joined: 01 Apr 2007

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

RACETRAITOR wrote:
Maybe the US is bitter because they didn't want to be "liberated" from England. And maybe Americans aren't satisfied with the Eiffel Tower. I went there and it was really much smaller than I was expecting, and the view from the head sucked.

It's also ironic how the statue of liberty, the most famous and recognisable symbol of American freedom, is in fact from France (given to the U.S. as a gift).
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