Listen, I’ve always had a bug up my arse about the French. I’ve asked other people if my perception was accurate that actually have travelled the country and to a T they said they were rude, hated americns, poor service etc. These were not your country bumpkin types. One is the under secretary of veteran’s affirs. That’s second in command of a cabinet post for those who care.
They’re a world power usedtobe that can’t get over the fact they have an infatuation with Jerry Lewis movies.
A few years ago, there was a grrat article in GQ about the country. A man who spoke fluent French and had visited France 30-40 times went to the country again to test out what they acted like. Being very polite as an American all he observed was rudeness. This man was familiar with the culuture and maintained that he was very respecful at all times. Just my two cents worth. I still hate them.
Every now and then, an idiot will step forward and show how little he really knows. I feel sorry for you people who have no sense for the world outside your own borders. It’s OK, though, go ahead and keep letting others tell you what to think. By all means, don’t try being objective!
It was a joke!!! Did anyone actually take that article serious?
Daam
Joke or no joke, who cares? It was fun bashing the French! Hey, I’ve got an idea…let’s keep this thread going so we can keep on bashing the French! Or we could start a new thread bashing the French – maybe a web site dedicated to bashing the French! Hell, they earned it. And it’s easy to do objectively…
daam: hilarious post. asl ong as you dont take it seriousl, its hilarious
cernunnos: el cid was actually a spaniard, not a drop of french blood in his veins. oh, and the french normans, powerful as they were, were not at all an important force in the reconquest of iberia.
bobby: chill, its called a joke. and also, napoleon was a corsican of an ethnicly italian family. tell any corsican he’s a frenchy, u migth get shot.
and by the way, french women are quite sexy. well, the ones who bathe and shave atleast
Q: How many gears does a French tank have?
A: 3…two reverse gears and one forward gear, in case the enemy attacks from behind.
I spent my honeymoon in French Polynesia and found that the French were indeed rude. They would not even acknowledge a greeting such as “good morning” their noses literaly went up in the air. After that happened a few times I tried “Bonjour” they would glance at us and then again no acknowledgment and agin nose up in the air. I must say I noticed that they appeared to be rude to every one not just Americans. I watched people line up for the can on the flight home and observed a young Frenchman cut infront of an older lady as she opened the door for herself. Jeez and the cig smoking! Everywhere regardless of the effect on others. Like the customs line at the airport. Insignificant act’s in the big picture but it still verified for me what people say about the French
The French/Normans were not important in the reconquest of Iberia?
When the Moors/Arabs invaded north of the Pyrenees (c.a. 800) it was the Kingdom of the Franks that stopped their advance and pushed them back over the Pyrenees. The Crusades (c.a. 1100) were not just in the Holy Land. The Franks/Normans headed the reconquest of the Holy Land, Southern Italy (i.e. Malta, Sicily and Italy south of Rome) and Iberia. ?The Iberian crusade attracted men from France and other northern regions and made steady progress. Toledo, the former capital of the Visigothic kingdom, was taken in 1080, and by the thirteenth century only the emirate of Granada remained of Moorish Spain.? (from The Mainstream of Civilization to 1715)
El Cid was actually a Spaniard
Fair enough I was wrong. He was a Castilian (c.a. 1050). As I understand it The Kingdom of the Franks stopped the Muslim advance in Southern France and repelled them back over the Pyrenees (c.a. 800). The Castilian headed the reconquest of Iberia (c.a.1000 onwards) and would later come to rule over Spain and at times Portugal. But the French, Normans and others (i.e. mainly the inhabitants of northern Iberia) aided the Castilians in the reconquest of Iberia.
But such distinctions (i.e. French/Spaniard, English/Germany, Italian/French) are really modern (i.e. from the rise of the nation state of the 19th century onwards). Europeans of the middle ages saw themselves as Europeans Christians. After the Reformation (c.a. 1500) they may have seen themselves as Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox. Even though Europeans may have fort against each other they generally aligned themselves against the Muslims invaders of Europe (first the Arabs/Moors and later against the Turks). Would it not be great if today Europeans where ever they maybe could unite in the face of a common foe. Instead we are divided (American/French, Left/Right etc) and weak. My original post was meant to show that the French like all other European nations have played an important role in getting us to where we are today. But more importantly the French and all other European nations have an important role in assuring our survival. Because on our own we are weak and divided (even America) but united we are strong.
wasn’t it the french who started anti-americanism?
Oh guys by the Saddam does not want to and wil not disarm those missle that the Chief UN inspector says he must by SAT.
So now do you guys that don’t support Bush and still say that Saddam is compliant to the UN and can be negoited w/ I think NOT!!!
Don’t forget that incident a little while back that was the greatest French military victory to date. The mighty French navy sunk a Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior ship in a New Zealand harbor. Of course, afterwards, in the true French military spirit, they surrendered – to Greenpeace…
BTW, why are the streets of Paris lined with trees?
Two reasons: 1) So that the French soldiers have something else to piss on besides their own legs as they run away; 2) So the German army can march in the shade.
And, did you hear that the French government had banned fireworks at Euro Disney?
They were afraid that the sound of the explosions might prompt the soldiers at the local base to surrender at the "It's a Small World" ride.
I am soliciting more Froggy jokes now -- I know all you Brits out there have many, many contributions to make.
Sorry, Hyphnz had already pointed out that great French naval victory – but I still want to hear more Frog jokes.
OK – here’s another French joke:
An old saying:
Raise your right hand if you like the French....
Raise both hands if you are French
Being English I like nothing more than taking the piss out of the French. So here goes.
Q. Why do we need France on our side against Saddam and Osama?
A. So the French can show them how to surrender.
Q. What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up?
A. The Army.
Q. What’s the difference between Frenchmen and toast?
A. You can make soldiers out of toast
Q. How many people does it take to defend Paris?
A: Nobody knows, its never been tried.
Q. Why did the French plant trees along the Champs Elysees?
A. So the Germans could march in the shade.
Q: How do you tell if a Frenchman’s been in your house?
A: The dustbin’s empty and the dog’s pregnant.
A Frenchwoman with a parrot on her shoulder walks into a bar. The barman says “That’s an real ugly bird you’ve there. Where did u get it?”
The parrot says “I got it in France … There’s millions of 'em there”