Will The Real French Please Step Forward?
On my way to work this morning I was listening to a French citizen discuss why they voted "no" with regards to the EU constitution.
Apparently, the real reason was two fold
1) Jacque Chirac - The average French person has lost confidence in Chirac. He's apparently done nothing to control the flood of middle eastern immigrants, who come there for the extremely generous welfare programs. In fact, the sentiment is that Chirac is doing everything he can to appease the middle eastern immigrants.
As it ends up, the average French are not anti-American. In fact, they would be ecstatic to see a stable middle east that could keep its own people.
Why does the American media portray France as being staunchly anti-American? Is there a grand conspiracy? NO. Fear and angst sells newspapers and commercials. For Americans to hear that a major ally doesn't like us, raises extreme angst and fear. How many times have I heard "Those disloyal French bastards...after everything we did for them!"
Well, it isn't true. The French aren't against us. Some don't like us, but our media needs to sell us stuff to stay in business, so they tell us that France hates America. Easy soundbite, sells newspapers, magazines, commecials, and creates all sorts of fodder for airtime that would otherwise be filled with celebrity love triangles.
2) Borders, language and culture. The French are being threatened with massive immigration, and the EU constitution was only going to make matters worse.
Apparently, the real reason was two fold
1) Jacque Chirac - The average French person has lost confidence in Chirac. He's apparently done nothing to control the flood of middle eastern immigrants, who come there for the extremely generous welfare programs. In fact, the sentiment is that Chirac is doing everything he can to appease the middle eastern immigrants.
As it ends up, the average French are not anti-American. In fact, they would be ecstatic to see a stable middle east that could keep its own people.
Why does the American media portray France as being staunchly anti-American? Is there a grand conspiracy? NO. Fear and angst sells newspapers and commercials. For Americans to hear that a major ally doesn't like us, raises extreme angst and fear. How many times have I heard "Those disloyal French bastards...after everything we did for them!"
Well, it isn't true. The French aren't against us. Some don't like us, but our media needs to sell us stuff to stay in business, so they tell us that France hates America. Easy soundbite, sells newspapers, magazines, commecials, and creates all sorts of fodder for airtime that would otherwise be filled with celebrity love triangles.
2) Borders, language and culture. The French are being threatened with massive immigration, and the EU constitution was only going to make matters worse.
posted by cookies at 7:42 AM
1 Comments:
First off, thanks for the comments.
Right about the immigration in the EU. With the removal of their more traditional restrictions, massive social welfare, and government imposed acceptance, they're only slightly better off than we are here in the US. At least over there they still strive to deport illegal immigrants.
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