'I know, I was agreeing with you. My response was to Artemise.

CP

CP ,
I know you were I was merely being comical about bashing the french.
Apparently it's popular to hate the Americans and not the french.
I would like to add that when I have been to france, some of the people are overwhelmingly nice, but they don't make up for the majority of the population that is rude as can be.


Edited to add:

Kim,
Feel free to move to france. I couldn't care less if thier government steals all the profits of their terrible movies and then gives the money to anti-semetic foundations. Why wouldn't I care you ask? Because I suspect they do it with part of their profits now. Also, I think it is incredibly arrogant and wrong for you to call me arrogant and wrong for having a different opinion than you.

Where is your information that they steal the profits from their movies (may I add that Amelie was an enormous success in America? How is that for terrible?) I said they give a PORTION of their profits to french filmmakers, which is hardly an anti-semitic organization. Or where is the documentation that they are funding any sort of anti-semitic organization? Of course, expecting you to have any information on this is just ridiculous, so Im not really expecting it.

Also, Im not calling you arrogant because you have a different opinion than me, I am calling you arrogant because you are. Saying that its inevitable a country will succumb to Americas "culture" (or lack thereof) is incredibly arrogant, and nationalistic. While its true there is Disney and McDonalds in France, that hardly means they are succumbing to our culture, there are NO Starbucks in France, no Burger Kings, no Wendy's, no Dominos, no huge billboards looming into the sky, and EuroDisney is total failure. And again, practically of their food comes from local farmers, and if not, at least within the EU. They support themselves, while the US is left flailing in the wind of huge corporate beef producers, and making immigrants toil for practically no money in South America (which I am going to spell out to you: we are not able to produce food independantly).

Folks, I really don't want this one to get closed, can we get back to hating France please.

CP

Kim,
The portion I am refering to as stealing is the state run theaters. They give that money back to a public fund and if any of it goes to the french government, or police or hospitals, then it goes to an anti-semetic organization!!! Don't ask for me to post proof as everyone always does. This thread alone is CLUTTERED with postings that prove it. I have proven it several times over and no one ever has any evidence to support otherwise.

Also, the french and every other government on the face of this world is completely dependent on the US economy. Don't believe it? Follow the trends....in 1999 the American economy began to flow downwards and the rest of the world followed. We are not truly dependent, by the way on foreigners for growing our crops. They just happen to be the cheapest labor. IF they wouldn't work for those wages we'd find Americans and lower the minimum wage. That would decrease inflation and cost of living to equalize the barrier. Also it would increase the value of the dollar so I'm all for it anyway, with or without the immigrants. By the way, if America is sooo terrible, why do these people come here for the opprotunity? Must be because they love our oppressive, arrogant state.

Kim, again as I stated previously. If you don't like it here you are free to leave.

I know how we can find Saddam. Ask Chirac!

Edited to add: America has ten times the culture france ever will. By sheer volume of people alone. Texans have a culture all their own and that one state alone is much BIGGER than france. Multiply that by the different states that poses different cultures and you have yourself a wonderful melting pot, unlike the french that constantly put down people who think differently. Sounds like Americans are a lot more open minded thn the french ever have been or ever will be. And take this for fact: 80% of people calling into radio shows on 9/12/2001 (in france) were calling in support of the attack on America. And that's a french released press statement!!! If they want trouble they came to the right place!!!

This is ridiculous. I love it how whenever I speak about another country (and tell me, where did I say America was terrible? Im just saying its IGNORANT to hate another country) someone MUST respond "If you dont like it you can leave". Thanks for your permission, but I dont need it. I know this may be difficult for you to understand, but I can like more than one country at a time, and I can differentiate between hating government policies and hating an entire group of people. And you obviously dont know how hard it is to immigrate to a different country. If it were that easy, I would have been gone LONG ago.

I also really love it when people say "If America is so bad, why do people come here?" Let's look at who the majority of our immigrants happen to be...Mexicans, although I wouldnt doubt it if there quite a few others from Central America in the mix too. Why are they coming here? Its the easiest place to get to, no oceans to cross, which means they can make the trip fairly cheaply. Just like Arabs and Africans go to Europe, its the easiest to get to. And why wouldnt people from third world countries not want to go to a first world country?On the other hand, I dont see as much immigration from OTHER first world countries into our country. If theres evidence refuting this, then show it to me.

And I want to see the link where it says that 80% of the French support the attack on America. From what I remember, Chirac expressed his condolences. And more people doesnt mean more culture, Im not sure why you happen to think that.....Nor am I sure where you go along thinking that the French are any less openminded than the US, I think just any western country has a fair level of tolerance. And of course people are going to put people down who think differently from them, thats called human nature. Its trying to repress peoples different opinions that may be a little damaging to society, and France regularly publishes things from Jean-Marie LePen, and Brigitte Bardot, so I would hardly think that they are repressing a disgusting portion of their population.

who But this is a pointless argument, and Im sorry I got sucked into it. You have the right to live your life full of ignorance and hatred, and Im pretty sure that you wont be travelling outside of the US anytime soon, so you'll hardly see the effect of your anti-everything-that-doesnt-agree-with-USA stance.

While I don't hate the French people, Kim, I think it is very reasonable to hate the French gov't, what about the points made about the gov't?

CP

Kim,
While I have much to say here about your diatribe, I don't see fit to waiste my time with most of the rant. You made comments that insult not just American Government or the Bush Administration but American people as well. For instance when you talked about "America's Culture, or lack thereof". Hence the, "if you don't like it...." comment.

Furthermore, immigrants come here for the ease in migration, yes. But they also come here because the government offers so much. Note that so many Arabs that went from North Africa or the Middle East to europe because it is so easy, eventually are trying to end up in the US.

And so on, you know nothing about me personally or what country I came here from or even how often I am out of this country.....so don't make assumptions lest I answer these questions and make you look bad.

Now if I can stray from the personal attack I just fended off I would like to make it clear to everyone that I DON'T actually hate ALL the french, just most of them and all of their government.

First of all, don't go patting yourself on the back because from what I can tell you didn't fend it off very well.

Secondly, how can you hate people you haven't even met? That would be like saying I don't hate all conservatives, just most of them and all their leaders. I don't hate any conservatives, not even G.W. but I do hate most of their policies. You can disagree with or even hate people's opinions or actions, but hating a person for their opinion is wrong. That's called bigotry.

Before we begin.
The following is 'cynical', and an itch I need to scratch.


I am not sure I read this right but I would be honoured if you delved into the Aussies rotten past.

As to the following.......I have been down this track before with others.
It is always the same old thing from self-rightuous Americans.
"I am MIGHT...You are wrong".
You know mate.....we ALL thought we were right.
We were sorta hoping you Yanks learned a bit from us.



The rest of the World does NOT depend on the US economy, most of the major nations out there are wobbly but stable and have a lot more in the banks than yanks.
The rest of the World DOES depend on the money the US owes it.
Please find the following for your digestion.
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/index.html

How on earth did us out here allow this to happen??.
http://www.economymodel.com/money.asp
A little flippant, but the gist of it is there.

I have no idea if I am right or wrong, but I do know one thing for sure.
I have everything Americans have and the the freedom Americans think they have.

Have care...Alan

Pheeler,
What are you trying to say???


Alan,
I won't delve into the "rotten" past of an island started by theives because I think it may be viewed as inflamatory, however true that might be. But do tell me if you would what a "Yank", which I am not, might learn from an Australian. I'm curious. I hold nothing against the Australians personally in fact I am thankful that they backed us in Iraq. Because their government saw through the liberal lies and the french propaganda and backed Bush. Thank you Australia. On a note about the US economy and how dependent the global economy is on America.....here is an article you might find interesting. It's better than a bunch of numbers that don't say much because in this article they equate the US standard economy and compare it to global gains.......................................................................

http://www.archives.tcm.ie.irishexaminer/2...ry906795333.asp

That should suffice.

WAY OFF TOPIC. FRANCE IS THE TOPIC.

This thread is getting really old...anyone interested in still debating this? PM me or a mod.

I would certainly like to continue debating this, however we have strayed far off topic. To bring us back on topic, why shouldn't J. Locke and I not hate the French gov't?

CP

After staff discussion, and another France oriented thread being started, we have decided to close this monstrously long topic.
Thanks to all who participated!

Feel free to join us in Anti-French Sentiment, Ridiculous or Justified?