Why do Americans hates us french so much???

[Kinniken]

Sorry but after a few weeks at Civfanatics I just had to ask... I've seen posts, mostly from Americans, accusing french of being gay, soul-less atheistic, terrorism supporters, arab-loving antisemite, self-centered arrogants b****** and quite a few other things as well Remedies proposed range from stripping France of its UN Security Council seat to atomizing it when Bush's done with Irak... No other western nation seems to sucitate such hatred! What have we done to be hated like that???

Well, in a typicaly French rational (yes we are supposed to be or at least like to think so ) way, I've decided to find out!

WARNING: this poll is only open to US citizen (English, Welsh, Scottish and Northen Irish states included ). Any other national participating in this poll will face the fury of France! You're warned!

Sorry guys, no multiple choice

EDIT: corrected typos

 

[Hitro]

Originally posted by Kinneken
WARNING: this poll is only open to US citizen (English, Welsh, Scottish and Northen Irish states included ). Any other national participating in this poll will face the fury of France! You're warned!

I'm about to vote for "I'm not American, but I hate the french anyway". Wait, I would face fury for that!
Ah, it's just the fury of France
So I'll go on with voting cause now I hate the French for discriminating me in polls.

 

[Kinniken]

And me who thought we had a "special relationship" with Germany! Everyone hates us, I knew it!

 

[Richard III]

Oh no! The fury of France! Quick, step out of the way!

(sorry, but this is a heaven-sent opportunity, and I'm going to have some fun with it).

Tough call. I found nine selections I could "strongly support," and two I could probably support.

I am not american, btw, but I'm the Canadian kid of a Briton, so that accounts for one of my choices. (the I'm not american but I hate France anyway selection - which, since it is in there, sort of weakens your whole plan to exclude non-americans).

I'd always thought that at the end of my liberal education I should allow myself one irrational prejudice, and this is it. And, to be fair, it's not that I hate French people, and I must say I absolutely LOVE French women (Sophie Marceau!!! Juliet Binoche!!! Catherine Deneuve!!! The wonderful things French women do with straight dark hair!!).

But France as an INSITTUTION, a nation-state, an ideal and a way of being brings out the worst in me.

I can't help but laugh at the Economist surveys that show that the French bathe less than other G8 nations.

Or that the ridiculous arguments about the length of the working week, and the civil servants patrolling parking lots so they can rat on people who stay at work late.

Or Charles De Gaulle sitting on the radio on 6th June 1944 announcing that D-Day was all his brilliant idea - and oh, "by the way, Hitler, don't worry, there will be no other landings." Thanks, fella! Oh and that whole "vive le Quebec Libre!" thing while he was the guest of a major trading partner and liberator? Thanks!

Or Monty Python's brilliant end-scene to "The Holy Grail."

Or the endless scenes of near-childish bravado in the Guns of August, where the French generals insist on dismissing anything sane with some arrogant expression or other. Red pants on the modern battlefield? "Les pantalons rouges, c'est France!" Reserves in the front line? "Les reserves, c'est zero!" Air recon? "Le aeroplane, c'est zero!"

Or the commander of the French division in Desert Shield being a tempermental and uncooperative fool, so much so that even the Arabians found him impossible to deal with.

I don't know what it is: when Niall Ferguson writes about the stupidity of British decisions in "The Pity of War," my brow furrows, and I get angry, or ponder his arguments gravely. But when he refers to the "French soldiers trying to implement the insane Plan XVII," on the other hand, you can't help but chuckle in the knowledge that the French actually had a consensus belief in their stupid plan, where the British army was full of critics who knew it was stupid but had no influence.

And I'm still pissed about that whole Hundred Years War thing. Obviously, France is English territory by Royal birthright and Treaty. Obviously! Why did they persist in thinking otherwise? And think of how much better off it would be if it had stayed that way!

It's just that there is something, well, "c'est ridicule" or whatever about the national attitude France has about itself. It sticks it's chin out, gets hit and doesn't even realize it happened, and sticks it out again. A little humility would help.

So, sorry, nothing personal! Can't help it. Wish I could cure it.

I can't.

Richard III

 

[Kinniken]

This thread is turning out to be funnier than I expected Though i do admit I am puzzled: that was irony wasn't it? You never know with brits , which must be why I rather like brits...
Oh, and just like that, ever heard of the Light Cavalry Charge?
Not surprised French bath less often than other G8 countries though, just prove we are more resistant to the modern notion that not taking a bath twice a day is dirty, degenerate and will die of cholera in 24 hours.

 

[Richard III]

You see, the distinction is that the Charge of the Light Brigade was recognized as a disaster, and the lousy performance in the Crimea led the Brits to make a huge series of military reforms. On the other hand, the French built an entire army on the premise that everybody should charge just like the Light Brigade did, because "elan" is what wins wars!

But to be fair, this is why I call it - honestly, I suppose - an irrational prejudice. Anyone can come up with a list of blunders - as I noted, Niall Ferguson's genuis in his groundbreaking book was to point out that the Brits were at least equally as stupid as the WWI French were, if not more so; the difference being that the Brits were better at rationalizing it afterwards. But for some reason, we English speakers find the stupidity funny when it's french, and pathetic when it's everyone else.

R.III

 

[Hitro]

What is funny about this thread???

He was presenting rock-hard facts that everybody in the world knows about.
But he missed one important factor though: the language!
My "liberal education" included four years of French, which was where my inherited antipathy against the French came to surface.
Today I am proud of having forgotten almost everything I was forced to learn back then.

And me who thought we had a "special relationship" with Germany!

Who told you that?
Well it is special somehow...as special as eating frogs for lunch...

 

[Juize]

I voted "I hate french because they have a UN SC seat, a nuclear arsenal and try to...",
and then I noticed that poll was only open for US & UK Citizens. Ah, kill me.

 

[Kinniken]

Just wait for Civ3 MP and you will face my pink musketeers!

R.III:

the difference being that the Brits were better at rationalizing it afterwards

Have to admit you have a point there

But for some reason, we English speakers find the stupidity funny when it's french, and pathetic when it's everyone else

Finding out is the purpose of this poll About the only other western nation who global ambitions are never taken seriously is Italy... Can anyone say "Mussolini" and "Greece" in one sentence without laughing? I know I can't

 

[Magnus]

Julie Delpy redeemed France in my eyes...

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

I think many Americans feel betrayed by France's behavior, more then anything else.

France got the USA involved in Vietnam, France has always supported islamic regimes the US opposes, France withdrew from Nato, the French have no problems selling the makings for nuclear weapons to crazy people like the Iranians and Saddam's Iraq, France fearfully wouldn't allow US overflights against Libya (which lead to kadaffi becoming a minor player in the Muslim world, a major US victory), all of this and more, coupled with France's terrible performance in war in the 20th century (Americans hate losers and quiters), all of this adds up.

It's all rather ironic, since there would be no USA without France and Spain, and France was a close and beloved ally for many years, and now?

Not anymore.

 

[Lord_Vetinari]

Hehe, this is so funny. In Sweden: every time the french test a nuclear weapon, the swedes rush to the liquor store to pick up some bottles of Vino Tinto (the cheapest wine availible, not french) as some kind of protest/personal trade embargo. How this stops the french from blowing up more islands is beyond me.

Normal conversation in a swedish liquor store:

(Customer) "What?? They tested the bomb again?? Well, that does it: THis time I'll take FIVE bottles of Vino Tinto"
(clerk) "A forceful protest sir"

I know I'm not american or anything but I figured, what the hell, sue me

 

[Marib Hashib]

Originally posted by Richard III

Niall Ferguson's genuis in his groundbreaking book was to point out that the Brits were at least equally as stupid as the WWI French were, if not more so; the difference being that the Brits were better at rationalizing it afterwards. But for some reason, we English speakers find the stupidity funny when it's french, and pathetic when it's everyone else.

R.III

The brits didnt really do much ebtter than teh french, all the attempts to break through, ended with more dead, and less ground gained, thats nothing comapred to the irish in teh first world war(and the scots) of course

 

[Dell19]

Originally posted by Marib Hashib


The brits didnt really do much ebtter than teh french, all the attempts to break through, ended with more dead, and less ground gained, thats nothing comapred to the irish in teh first world war(and the scots) of course

I think the French tend to be more famous for all their results in WW2...and all the nations in WW1 amanaged to lose alot of troops for very little ground.

 

[Marib Hashib]

Yeah but the french did pretty well, and the commanders showed a hell of a lot of "courage", by using the artillery on their own men to get them back in the trenches...

And the french were surprised by the blitz, any country would have fallen under those conditions....

 

[basta72]

hehe, the description of an conversation in a swedish liquor store is true, but Vino Tinto? I just use to look at the nuclear weapons testings as an excuse to skip the wine and buy more vodka

Besides, this kind of protests are not against the french but against nuclear weapons.

I dont hate the french and I have never met anyone that does. Why some people hate them is beyond me.

cheers

 

[Flatlander Fox]

People forget that, in 1939, France was the second most powerful country in the world. She had the second best tanks in the world (only the T-34 was better). She had great airplanes, and a mighty fleet.

Well, France also had the mentality that she was undefeatable, especially since the Germans couldn't get over the Maginot line.
And they still think that they helped win the war. They did, but not as much as they think.

And my personal experience with the French has been less than positive. After learning a few phrases in French, and being able to speak German fluently, I thought I would be able to ask for help when I needed it. The people I asked immediately determined that I was a foriegner, and acting as if I was a plague ridden Gestapo officer.

But to no avail, when I needed help, the French police in Paris proved to be most unaccomadating. The people there who I met all seemed to be cut from the same cloth.

After some bruises and some extreme anger towards France as a whole, I decided never to go back there, and I haven't.

There are probably great French people everywhere. But my take is that they are a bit too arrogant for their own good. I am generallizing, and that is never a good thing to do. But since the poll is for France in general, I'll reply in general.

 

[Maj]

I love France, particularly anywhere in the country save most of Paris.

The generally callous attitude towards the French probably stems from the bitter rivalry they and the British had going on for a few centuries. Of course, it's a two way road and the French are well known for being rather unaccomodating towards anglophones, as I'm certain many American and British visitors have noticed on trips to France -- Paris is especially notorious for its poor treatment of anglophones, especially Americans.

Were I to base my views of France on how accomplished they are at organized murder then I'd have to say they quite well suck.

Their food, wine and culture are pretty enjoyable, though.

- Maj

 

[Kefka]

I was once in Paris and all the French people I meet were rude especialy once they found out I was american
thats why I don't like to travel I get hate just because Im an american
oh yea tell your women to shave there armpits J/k
but I love the wine!
" why do the Americans hate us so much "

 

[IceBlaZe]

Well, France helped Israel a lot up untill 1967... They are the reason we have nukes

Also, I find the french language very sexy... and rather amusing. You write 7 words and express only 3 of them.

I've only been in france for skeeing, and I must tell you I preffer italy. The french, in relation to the italians, are snobs and cold people.
I wouldn't say they are antisemitite because they treat all aliens the same, from where I've seen.

Viva la france