Bashing the French, why?

[Skreeee]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6197921.stm
"An encounter with a rude taxi driver, or a Parisian waiter who shouts at customers who cannot speak fluent French"

its things like this

That's interesting how the French--or at least those part of its hospitality industry--get extremely upset and even rude if a tourist doesn't know their language well enough, because recently the French were rated to be the worst tourists in the world (I think, maybe it was just in America, I'll have to find the poll/article) more or less for the fact that they are the least likely to know any of the native language. That, and apparently they make for terrible tippers.

EDIT--Found article:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090709/lf_nm_life/us_france_tourists

 

[T-Bone24]

Best pointed out by Jason Manford:

"Someone from Manchester sees someone from Liverpool: We're from Manchester aren't we? Someone from London comes: Well, we're Northern? Someone from Scotland shows up: We're English, aren't we? French bloke turns up: We're British, right? We see an American: We're European, eh?"

Something different unites us. British people are the only people that take pleasure from moaning and complaining.

 

[Rigs83]

France did help tremendously in the fight for independence in the US but shortly after the US and France became enemies because the war escalated to a world war with Britain and the US did not commit to the French against Britain but instead tried to remain neutral.

Time healed the animosity and when Napoleon sold Louisiana territories to the US he helped ferment the idea of manifest destiny to the horror of the indigenous people already there.

The recent animosity stemmed from the Bush policy of saying anyone who disagrees with us is agreeing with terrorists. As for World War 2 France surrendered after the Germans destroyed the Maginot Line and exposed how unprepared the French were for modern war. Vietnam was common sense, they already were losing Algiers and in the middle of trying to rebuild after WW2 so they left.

 

[Gameslayer_93]

The whole reason America bashes the French is because the government used them as a scapegoat for one of their wars (cant remember if it was Iraq or Iran or Afganistan, i dont know much about these) they even renamed "french fries" as "freedom fries" (watch Michael Moore, cant remember which one)

 

[annoyinglizardvoice]

I think the big problem is that France is separate enough from Britain to be considered "them" rather than "us", but close enough that Brits are readily aware of France. If France was somewhere in Africa or Asia, but otherwise the same, you probably wouldn't hear anywhere near as much bashing.

Aiding American independance, colaberating with the Nazis and not enforcing smoking restrictions properly are all things that I hold against France.
I also hate a good chunk of their politicians, but I hate the politicians of near enough every nation I've ever paid attension to the politics of, so that doesn't really say much.

 

[SsilverR]

i'm not sure myself .. france has some of the best special forces, intelligence and military at its disposal

maybe it's because when america says jump the french don't ... my guess anyway .. they can fight their own propaganda

 

[Bigsmith]

Well lets have a look at the situatuation with have. THe effiel tower, british, most if not all of ur suspension bridges are british built and the french claim it was all them... thats what i don't like about them.. oh and i was forced to learn french in skl for 3 years.

 

[Fenix_Santiago]

French will bash anyone, why? because they got invaded and complained the allied countries didn't do enough.

 

[Superbeast]

As a Brit, I do bash on the French occasionally. And the Americans. And well, everyone else - and expect it back.

It's a quirk of British culture that everyone takes the mick out of everyone else. There is some animosity towards the French, we were at war for long periods of time throughout history - around 1000 years really (Henry II who reined in 1154 held land in France) with territory in France going back and forth. It even goes to the extent that we deny we were ever invaded by France - the Battle of Hastings where William took control was fought by Normans, not French dammit

The America-bashing stems from the end of WW2 when it is portrayed, at least by Hollywood if not the general public though it appears many take Hollywood as fact, that America won the war single handedly without either the British or the French lifting a finger to help out. Foreign policy choices from then on, particularly with Iraq but also the sterotypes that get broadcast to the world (most likely the minority, but the people who ask whether Europe is north or south of the Mississippi and things like that) has soured British perception of America.

Recent politicians buddying up so closely to America has also annoyed British people and it's annoyed the French too. So the French take it out on the British with things like the European Farming Subsidies and the Brits fight back with even more French-bashing.

 

[Carlos263]

Im english... and from yorkshire (i think that scores me more english points) and i have a girlfriend that is a .....

Damn cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

But i went there earlier this year and tbh i cant say anything bad about the south of france at all. I mean im now taking french and also hoping to go live over there in a year or 2, now would that make me part of the

Damn cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

??

 

[Redingold]

Im english... and from yorkshire (i think that scores me more english points) and i have a girlfriend that is a .....

Damn cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

But i went there earlier this year and tbh i cant say anything bad about the south of france at all. I mean im now taking french and also hoping to go live over there in a year or 2, now would that make me part of the

Damn cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

??

They eat cheese and surrender. You'd think that would be obvious.

 

[Spygon]

all countries bash one another its just one of them things as we the British bash the Germans and french most as they were always the enemy throughout our history and we get the same in return its nothing personal its just the old my country is better than yours because....

But the style of bashing either comes from two things what the worse citizens act like or what the country did during the war.So etc the french smell because they're always cooking smelly foods and seem to be kinda rude when in other countries but i feel they act like that in France but because everybody does its the norm there.Also the pansy assing around in wars parts comes from they have not had much luck in them for the last 300 years.

Also just to prove its nothing personal the British drinking tea idea is actually kinda true as we do drink alot of tea but every other country can only think of the posh people who sip it and use china teapots unlike most people who drink it the way the Americans drink coffee.Then to the bad teeth to be honest several brits do not look after their teeth and as the nhs cover it they do not feel they are wasting their money if they miss a few check ups that is kinda worrying.So as we pretty much built an empire by conquering undeveloped countries that everybody was doing.But we had the royal navy the most powerful navy at the time maybe even now that made us alot better at doing it so we had a larger empire.So when everybody realized that these people did not want to be ruled by countries on the other side of the globe they suddenly pointed the finger at the British saying we were the imperialistic evil Oppressers as we had the biggest empire.That was proberly true but we weren't the only ones.

 

[Carlos263]

Im english... and from yorkshire (i think that scores me more english points) and i have a girlfriend that is a .....

Damn cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

But i went there earlier this year and tbh i cant say anything bad about the south of france at all. I mean im now taking french and also hoping to go live over there in a year or 2, now would that make me part of the

Damn cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

??

They eat cheese and surrender. You'd think that would be obvious.

Dont worry man on a part i agree with the statement about them ... and the english in me is screaming out laughing about it!! but still i dont think they are bad people and its a cool area though i guess history is everything lol.

 

[xxcloud417xx]

For the U.S, I remember that it started because the French wouldn't join the war in Iraq. Canadians were bashed temporarily by Americans as well for the same reason.

I don't think I've heard any Canadians bash the French from FRANCE. Quebec though, is an entirely different story. I'm not particularly fond of them myself.

Yeah, of course the Quebec french are hated. They're assholes to every other french speaking person who isn't from there or France! I was born in Ontario, my first language is french, and speak better french than most people. However, my aptitude in french, according to certain Quebec assholes, will never be very good since I come from another province! The answer I always get from them when I tell them I'm from Ontario is something like "Oh I'm sorry." or "Oh you're a squarehead." or they treat me like I'm anglophone and poke fun at me.

 

[Lemeza]

Damn cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

This is why.

 

[metalmmaniac]

The French are just seen as cowards and panzies. Yea, they helped the USA hundreds of years ago, but they didn't help us look for invisible WMDs, so now they suck. that's my opinion of whats happening.

FREEDOM FRIES FTMFW

 

[cathou]

For the U.S, I remember that it started because the French wouldn't join the war in Iraq. Canadians were bashed temporarily by Americans as well for the same reason.

I don't think I've heard any Canadians bash the French from FRANCE. Quebec though, is an entirely different story. I'm not particularly fond of them myself.

Yeah, of course the Quebec french are hated. They're assholes to every other french speaking person who isn't from there or France! I was born in Ontario, my first language is french, and speak better french than most people. However, my aptitude in french, according to certain Quebec assholes, will never be very good since I come from another province! The answer I always get from them when I tell them I'm from Ontario is something like "Oh I'm sorry." or "Oh you're a squarehead." or they treat me like I'm anglophone and poke fun at me.

meh, we are not too fond of people from france to be honest. But most of us are open and welcoming people, even if you speak english, as long as you dont act like you are superior and that everybody who's not english should kneel before you (yes, some people act like that).

been taunt because you're from ontario, even if you speak french. seriously you've encouter a really small minority of assholes. there,s a few in every language and provinces...

 

[TheZapper]

I think the recent bashing of the french does come from France's refusal to join America and Britain and the Iraq war, which I think was a very good decision by the French.

Language is also very important to the French and is key to getting along with them. Hell, my own French relatives don't like me because they feel my French isn't good enough.

 

[xxcloud417xx]

For the U.S, I remember that it started because the French wouldn't join the war in Iraq. Canadians were bashed temporarily by Americans as well for the same reason.

I don't think I've heard any Canadians bash the French from FRANCE. Quebec though, is an entirely different story. I'm not particularly fond of them myself.

Yeah, of course the Quebec french are hated. They're assholes to every other french speaking person who isn't from there or France! I was born in Ontario, my first language is french, and speak better french than most people. However, my aptitude in french, according to certain Quebec assholes, will never be very good since I come from another province! The answer I always get from them when I tell them I'm from Ontario is something like "Oh I'm sorry." or "Oh you're a squarehead." or they treat me like I'm anglophone and poke fun at me.

meh, we are not too fond of people from france to be honest. But most of us are open and welcoming people, even if you speak english, as long as you dont act like you are superior and that everybody who's not english should kneel before you (yes, some people act like that).

been taunt because you're from ontario, even if you speak french. seriously you've encouter a really small minority of assholes. there,s a few in every language and provinces...

Don't get me wrong, I've met only a few people from Quebec in real life, they're nice, but I've never told more than a couple of them that I was from Ontario.

The majority of Quebecers I meet and that have been told I was from Ontario are online gamers, and they have ALL been total assholes about it. So I guess the bottom line is that the Quebec online gaming scene is full of pompous morons.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

I always thought it was because they "ran away" during World War II... but... I gained a lot of respect for the French after going to San Fransisco... Probably half the people I saw there were French and honestly, the girls were a lot better looking then they are around here... and umm... just the way I am, I really don't ever say anything like this...