Saturday, February 15, 2003

"My dislike of the French is independent of any facts about the world."

That quote, D2 Digest's summary of one of den Beste's ridiculously verbose posts, pretty much sums up the opinion of Max the Freshman.

When I first saw these pictures, and the clever captions he provides, I got suddenly and inexplicably angry. I very nearly wrote an obscenely long post which could not be called a "fisking" so much as an "utter full-blog fucking." I even read his archives (a task which was made easier by the fact that he's only been blogging since November) in order to carefully deconstruct and hold up to popular ridicule everything he has ever said.

Much to my surprise, my better nature took hold while I was reading some of his back entries. As it turns out, he is not evil. Nor is he stupid. My friend Max is actually quite the news junkie, a not-uncommon trait for a blogger. And as he's pulling down higher than a 3.5 at Georgetown, he's actually rather intelligent, a trait that is somewhat uncommon among a lot of bloggers.

His problem, then, is a lack of sense, empathy, and basic knowledge of history.

So, to remedy the problem, instead of the terrible horrible things I was originally going to say, I will offer an extremely condensed history lesson -- about things he should have had the sense to find out himself -- in the hope that he will develop a little empathy for his fellow human beings, the French.

-The French surrendered so quickly after the German Western Offensive not because they were abject cowards, but because they had been so thoroughly outfoxed. They had been, with the Maginot Line and not much of an air force to speak of, "fighting the last war," a concept that I would think Max, who is (presumably, as a member of the ROTC) taking various courses in military history, would be familiar with. The Weirmacht completely bypassed all their defenses, and made an all-out dash to the coast, and to Paris. Blitzkreig --massive tank advances with heavy air support -- carried the day. Completely lacking in air support, and with the majority of their heavy forces stationed back on the German border, virtually useless, the French Army was slaughtered. The fact that the French military hierarchy did not grasp the importance of using tanks in mass-attacks, much to the frustration of Charles DeGaulle, only made matters worse. In fact, an idea of what might have happened if the French army had been organized in accordance with the ideas DeGaulle set forth in his 1934 book "The Army of the Future" can be gleaned from DeGaulle's successful rout of the German forces at Caumont. Unfortunately, that one victory was not enough. The majority of France was occupied, and, with DeGaulle out of the country to consult with the British, the Vichy regime came to power under Petain, and negotiated the armistice. Keep in mind: the government that led France when DeGaulle left the country was not the government that negotiated with Germany. Also keep in mind that the primary leaders of that government were sentenced to death after the war -- by the French -- for treason (the 89 year-old Petain's sentence was commuted to life in prison).

So, while it's fair to say that the French military hierarchy was outsmarted, the "surrender-monkey” theme is completely inappropriate. But then, I guess it takes a lot more thought to yell "Followers of an obsolete military doctrine!" than "Pussies!"

- The French Resistance, while perhaps not as effective as some in France make it out to be, was nonetheless composed of some extremely brave men. I would ask anyone living in the middle of the (ridiculously geographically secure) North American landmass if they would be brave enough to fight to delay, with few weapons and no supplies, the 2nd SS Panzer Division were it rolling through, I don't know, say Culver, Indiana? And what if you knew that a nearby town, possibly the one your family lives in, would have its inhabitants rounded up and executed in retribution? Well kids, this is exactly what the French Maquis did when the Allies were storming the Normandy beaches. As anyone who has at least watched Saving Private Ryan knows, the first days after the invasion were absolutely critical, and one of the most elite armored divisions in the Nazi army showing up at the wrong place could have tossed the Allies back into the sea. This was not token resistance.

Furthermore, there were innumerable members of the Resistance, some known, others forever nameless, who lost their lives throughout the war to the Gestapo and the Vichy secret police, often being tortured for the names of their associates. And yet, they continued on; some writing underground newspapers, some carrying out assassinations and sabotage, but all working against the occupying German forces. These were not cowards, and any man who labels them as such demeans not them, but himself.

- American military casualties (dead, not wounded) throughout the war are estimated at roughly 500,000. The French lost 340,000 men in uniform. Right there, it is obvious that the French did not simply turn tail and run. But the more startling statistic is the number of civilian casualties. US civilian casualties were, roughly, 0, because the civilian population was on the other side of the Atlantic. French civilians did not have it so easy; they shared a border with Germany. 470,000 French civilians died in the war. Is there anyone out there low enough to accuse them all of cowardice?

- And in more recent history, it was French troops who, in 1997, rescued 1,500 foreign nationals from the street fighting in the Republic of Congo. And just last September, French soldiers rescued 200 American students and school staff who had been trapped between warring factions in the Ivory Coast when it dissolved into bloody chaos.

The point is that dismissing the French as cowards is itself a cowardly method of argument. Beyond that, passing out white flags at the French Embassy is childish in that it ignores actual history in favor of an easy-to-remember theme: The French are wimps.

Overall, Max is not a bad guy; he’s a bit self-righteous, but, really, my calling someone else self-righteous means it’s definitely pot-kettle-black time. And for my Leftie friends, he’s not necessarily a sheep, either. Hell, he agrees that Fox News is essentially worthless. Point out five other arch-conservatives that will admit that.

In the end, the thing that enraged me so much initially -- besides the morally-bankrupt painting of an entire people as cowards when so many of them clearly are not (this applies to his mouthing off about liberal "hippies" too) -- was the fact that, when all is said and done, the French are our allies, and having images of Americans mocking French cowardice outside the Embassy appear in French newspapers can only make matters worse when they so desperately need to be made better. I f you disagree with the French, fine. If you don't like what they're doing, fine. Go tell them. But for God's sake, don't just spit in their faces and assume that they will then see the light. I understand that Max, being an adamant Right winger with all kinds of rage at us nation-destroying liberals, doesn’t get it, but Glenn Reynolds, who enabled this bit of Frog-baiting by linking to these pictures, should know better.

Here endeth the lesson.

Edit: One sentence broken into three sentences due to overly-complex structure. And the links work now.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Ive just found this site[url=http://diyweddingspace.com/chad8hjan9].[/url]

Anonymous said...

Hey guys,

I'm just browsing sites for the children of Haiti.

I'm at this site for a non-profit haiti group that is dedicated to
building an oppurunity for the children in haiti. If anyone here wants to give money then this is the site:

[url=http://universallearningcentre.org]Donate to Haiti[/url] or Help Haiti

They give children in Haiti a positive learning environment.

Yes, they are legitimate.

It would be awesome if you could help us

Anonymous said...

Jaka jest najlepsza stronka po polsku o kredycie sms? Szukam mozliwie jak najszybciej chwilowki albo pozyczki sms.

Znalazlem ta strone, jest ona najlepsza [url=http://studencki-kredyt.pl/kredyt-sms.html]kredyt sms[/url].

Licze na to ze ci to pomoglo, pozdrawiam z Polski.

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I have developed a new clean web 2.0 wordpress theme.

Has 2 colours silver and blue, has custom header(colour or image).
I am curently working on it, so if you have suggestions let me know.

You can view live demo and download from here www.getbelle.com
If you found bug reports or you have suggestions pm me.
Wish you a happing using.

many thanks to [url=http://www.usainstantpayday.com/]USAInstantPayDay.com[/url] for helping with hosting and developement of the theme
PrafefubPotte

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I have developed a new clean web 2.0 wordpress theme.

Has 2 colours silver and blue, has custom header(colour or image).
I am curently working on it, so if you have suggestions let me know.

You can view live demo and download from here www.getbelle.com
If you found bug reports or you have suggestions pm me.
Wish you a happing using.

many thanks to [url=http://www.usainstantpayday.com/]USAInstantPayDay.com[/url] for paying the hosting and developement of the theme

PrafefubPotte

Anonymous said...

Good site.

SMOtop the Swedish seo consultant offering a wide range of seo services.
[url=http://www.smotop.se]Sokmotoroptimering[/url]
http://www.smotop.se/smotopbloggen/

Anonymous said...

kredyt pozyczka kredyt bez bik podatek dochodowy
http://studencki-kredyt.pl/kredytu/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/kredytu/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/kredytw/ http://studencki-kredyt.pl/kredytz/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/kredyts/ http://studencki-kredyt.pl/kredytt/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/akcje/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/inwestycje/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/karta-kredytowa/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/lokata/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/notowania/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/oprocentowanie/mapa.html http://studencki-kredyt.pl/pozyczka/mapa.html http://kredyty-studenckie.unl.pl/emerytura/mapa.html http://kredyty-studenckie.unl.pl/leasing/mapa.html http://kredyty-studenckie.unl.pl/prywatyzacja/mapa.html http://kredyty-studenckie.unl.pl/renta/mapa.html http://kredyty-studenckie.unl.pl/waluty/mapa.html

Anonymous said...

if you guys exigency to lattice [url=http://www.generic4you.com]viagra[/url] online you can do it at www.generic4you.com, the most trusted viagra apothecary on generic drugs.
you can learn drugs like [url=http://www.generic4you.com/Sildenafil_Citrate_Viagra-p2.html]viagra[/url], [url=http://www.generic4you.com/Tadalafil-p1.html]cialis[/url], [url=http://www.generic4you.com/VardenafilLevitra-p3.html]levitra[/url] and more at www.rxpillsmd.net, the pre-eminent [url=http://www.rxpillsmd.net]viagra[/url] originator on the web. well another great [url=http://www.i-buy-viagra.com]viagra[/url] pharmacy you can find at www.i-buy-viagra.com

Anonymous said...

[url=http://bejepewa.t35.com/news_148.html]gambling law online virginia[/url] [url=http://bejepewa.t35.com/news_82.html]practice craps gambling online[/url] [url=http://bejepewa.t35.com/news_366.html]online continuing education compulsive gambling[/url] [url=http://bejepewa.t35.com/news_469.html]railroad pass hotel and casino[/url] [url=http://bejepewa.t35.com/news_495.html]casino gambling online online roulette slot[/url]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://bidejehi.t35.com/news_394.html]gambling online bet onlineplay[/url] [url=http://bidejehi.t35.com/news_408.html]rio hotel and casino las vegas[/url] [url=http://bidejehi.t35.com/news_450.html]online casinos free deposit gambling[/url] [url=http://bidejehi.t35.com/news_470.html]free casino money[/url] [url=http://bidejehi.t35.com/news_168.html]imperial palace hotel casino[/url]

Anonymous said...

[u]знакомства екатеринбург бесплатно секс знакомства челны секс молодые видео смотреть онлайн [/u]
сайт знакомств для подростков секс знакомства в павлограде знакомства с женщиной для секса
[u]на раз два сайт знакомств Бдсм знакомства в новосибирске [/u]
http://facatuci.t35.com/cat9.html http://facatuci.t35.com/cat5.html http://facatuci.t35.com/cat16.html

Anonymous said...

Hello guys,

What online zines do you read and would recommend?

For all you ska folks out there I recommend The Enough Fanzine. It is one of the first hardcore ezines on the internet.

They have throusands of reviews from the most underground bands all over the world. Check them out online: [url=http://www.enoughfanzine.com]Enough Fanzine[/url]. Best of it all, they are 100% non-profit and just helping the scene!

Looking forward to your recommendations.

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Hey Guys! Just wanted to say hello to the new community :). Thanks for letting me in! :D

Anonymous said...

new guys! end the latest untrammelled [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com]casino[/url] games like roulette and slots !break show the all unexplored reform [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com]online casino[/url] games at the all trendy www.casinolasvegass.com, the most trusted [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com]online casinos[/url] on the entanglement! fancy our [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com/download.html]free casino software download[/url] and advance in money.
you can also discontinuation other [url=http://sites.google.com/site/onlinecasinogames2010/]online casinos bonus[/url] . check out this new [url=http://www.place-a-bet.net/]online casino[/url].

Anonymous said...

Predilection casinos? verify this inexperienced [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]free casino[/url] games. exemplar and procrastinate online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also probe our stylish [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] hint at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and draw genuine money !
another late-model [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino[/url] spiele regard is www.ttittancasino.com , because german gamblers, watch manumitted online casino bonus.

Anonymous said...

Hey guys I'm not quite for certain if this is the right category to post this, but I am having some legitimat trouble learning how to bed a girl I look over how to bed a girl [url=http://www.folkd.com/user/stana4
how to bed a girl [/url] that internet site, but it in actuality didn't look as if to give to me alot of sanity to me. Can someone please serve me? It's so intricate to gratify the sexy women of my dreams.

This magazine article wasn't coherant to read

Tips on How to fulfill Ladies in the Mall

If you happen to be a single guy and aren't the greatest at finding significantly much less meeting women and are wondering somewhere you may head to uncover and speak to a lady, then these ten reasonable points on how to satisfy a young girl in the mall, should certainly come in mighty handy.

1 - Go on the foodstuff court. Believe it or not, the foods court will be the absolute most beneficial destination within the mall to fulfill a girl. Here's what you do. Pick a foods position and get in line for your meal. When you are in line, start looking around the region the place every person is sitting down and eating. Search for any young girl sitting down alone, as well as two ladies sitting down together. When you've your meal in hand, walk above to somewhere she or they can indeed be seated and consult if it is possible to join them. If you are trustworthy and straightforward with them, your probabilities are pretty fine.

2- Do some considering. Prior to you even look at heading to your shopping mall to satisfy a woman, sit all by yourself down and do some considerable thinking. Mull over how you could match a girl and what you can say to her if you’re successful. Give thought to which components belonging to the local mall you would go to. Also, you're about to must obtain one thing even while there, what do you need? In conclusion, have a look at what meeting a gal in the public area entails. Unquestionably you may must check to get a wedding ring previous to speaking to some toddler, and you may will need to start thinking about if it is wiser to speak into a girlfriend alone or a person who's with others. As a final point, you are likely to have to be sensible about your personal age and also ages of the female you choose to satisfy. As in, you are going to be required to tell oneself to become reasonable and don't attempt to fulfill girls which might be a lot of younger or older than you are, or that check out of one's league.



3 - Request aid. As soon as you will be in conclusion for the local mall, an individual to the ways to meet women is by asking them for guidance. Women know that guys have no approach what they may be working on when they are buying, so asking for facilitate won't appear such a ridiculous approach. Ask for guide in picking out a jacket for your self one example is. Doing so let's the woman know that you simply are single. If she agrees to help you, question her other questions as you grab numerous jackets to have a go with on.

Hey guys I'm not quite for certain if this is the right forum to send this, but I am having some corporeal trouble learning how to bed a girl I read how to bed a girl [url=http://slanfmarc.vox.com/library/post/answers-to-how-to-meet-a-girl-like-a-celebrityalready-used-by-6587-people.html
how to bed a girl [/url] that site, but it in actuality didn't appear to give alot of substance to me. Can someone pretty please serve me? It's so intricate to gratify the chick of my dreams.

Anonymous said...

top [url=http://www.c-online-casino.co.uk/]casino games[/url] brake the latest [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com/]online casinos[/url] unshackled no set aside hand-out at the best [url=http://www.baywatchcasino.com/]baywatchcasino
[/url].

Anonymous said...

Did you [url=http://www.onlinecasinos.gd]casino[/url] memorialize that you can do one's best with Devise Residence speedily from your mobile? We get a peeper unfixed casino elbow an look to iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows 7 and Smartphone users. Terminate your gaming with you and be a conquering manly pilot [url=http://www.adultsrus.us]sex[/url] wherever you go.

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/2.jpg[/img][/url]
intimate liaisons dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/testimonials.php]skout dating[/url] single dating club uk
the early show on cbs dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/]herpes dating sit[/url] eastern catholic dating service
upscale dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/articles.php]bespoke web design dating site[/url] florida's dating laws

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/faq.php][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/8.jpg[/img][/url]
psychology dating separated men [url=http://loveepicentre.com/faq.php]rwnight dating[/url] dating responsible for teenagers
no nonsense dating ronn elmore [url=http://loveepicentre.com/success_stories.php]alternative dating lesbian transsexual[/url] free dating site australia
anibal sanchez married kids spouse dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/]emma watson dating daniel radcliff[/url] freak dating

Anonymous said...

Rotterdam and Stuttgart tell the likelihood of the manipulate of robots in the field of [url=http://www.ddtshanghaiescort.com]shanghai escorts[/url] architecture

Anonymous said...

dating made easy http://loveepicentre.com/articles.php 100 free dating sign up

Anonymous said...

silverlight ebook http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/de/Cases-on-Online-and-Blended-Learning-Technologies-in-Higher-Education-Concepts-and-Practices/p226494/ free ebook on art of approaching [url=http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/fr/GUI-Bloopers-Don-ts-and-Do-s-for-Software-Developers-and-Web-Designers/p186703/]thom hartman unequal protection ebook torrent[/url] gravity's rainbow ebook

Anonymous said...

scary stories ebook http://audiobooksplanet.co.uk/Douglas-M-Cyr/m31691/ convert ebook to kindle prc [url=http://audiobooksplanet.co.uk/L-M-Vail/m74012/]how to put bookmark on ebook[/url] acrobat 8 ebook job options

Anonymous said...

david barber network marketing academy ebook http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/Justice-of-the-Mountain-Man/p19184/ anne mccaffrey ebook torrents [url=http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/it/Adobe-After-Effects-5-0-Classroom-in-a-Book/p155346/]fictionwise ebook reader[/url] free fashion ebook

Anonymous said...

ebook delegation http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/de/Vaccaro/m128244/ ebook all the lovely bad ones [url=http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/Sports-Industry/p225591/]the bourne series ebook pdf series[/url] free ebook the amber spyglass download
[url=http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/de/authors/?letter=Ng][img]http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/image/4.gif[/img][/url]

Anonymous said...

There are quite a few things with the potential to influence us, and [url=http://www.hotdeal.vn/ho-chi-minh/]Thoi trang nam[/url] has lived-up to that capability. We see so many cases in our every day lives, and it can function as an significant reminder. As you learn more, you will quickly realize there is a lot more than meets they eye.

Generally speaking, folks have observed so much or directly experienced what is possible. However, you and many others nevertheless would like to be more informed on this matter. So in that spirit, here are several important points regarding this subject you may appreciate knowing.

The general complexities of women's and men's style

Both men and women can feel the demands of maintaining their wardrobe up-to-date and in season, yet men's style usually seems a lot less difficult. Of program, for both sexes, clothes and fashion options could be just as complicated, and there are lots of'fashionable'things that can quickly become fashion faux pas - who can say they often see people travelling in 70s flares? On the other hand, men's style features a few staple goods that can exist forever - which man is planning to keep an eye out of place with a good-quality, tailored suit, for instance? Select traditional cuts, colors and fabrics and you'll never seem out-of-place.

Why common men's style is amazing

The basic man's suit has scarcely changed for over a hundred years. True, there are several kinds for various occasions, nevertheless they are all popular in their search for a clever, sharp look for the individual. The good thing about traditional fashion for men is that it is efficiently stylish efficiently neat. A well-groomed man will more often than not look his sharpest in a well-tailored suit, and it is a testament to the style of such clothing. A match will be used to work in several occupations due to the professional search it provides to the wearer, instilling a sense of respect and trust. Similarly a match will undoubtedly be used to many social occasions, such as a tuxedo to a black-tie affair. This incredible versatility which allows matches to be worn in virtually all situations is what gives it its classic side and a lasting devote men's fashion.

Contemporary developments in traditional men's style

Though common men's styles will never be changed, it is interesting to note that changes in men's fashion trends have produced particular common garments back in fashion. The acceptance of vintage clothing, specifically, has taken back a wide-variety of classic styles into men's wardrobes, such as that of the dandy man. 'Dandy'is a term used to refer to men who dress yourself in a classic yet expensive way, placing value on appearance and working in a sophisticated method. This pattern for nearly'over-the-top'traditional style for men is apparent from events including the'Tweed Run', wherever men and women of all ages dress yourself in especially Victorian-style clothing and take to the roads on vintage bikes - with lots of the men wearing perfect mustaches! This really is just one single of many samples of data exhibiting the resurrection of such types. There are also numerous sites online which concentrate on gentlemanly style - such as'The Dandy Project'and'Dandyism'- as well as complete web sites such as'The Art of Manliness'focused on giving articles on common men's fashion and grooming.

In conclusion, whilst certain facets of classic men's style can be cut back as new trends, the basic clothes that they are based on will never slip out of fashion.

"All it takes really are a few simple outfits. And there is one secret - the easier the better." - Cary Grant

StyleGun is an online men's fashion retailer with a specialized perspective.
Read More: [url=http://www.dvdshed.com/?L=blogs.blog&article=0]thoi trang nam gioi[/url]

Anonymous said...

quaternity Poster poker Casino gambling directory calamitous jackFlop stove poker is a new unloosen Online gaming secret plan that what game he played, and how he did it, hoping that we could besides win big wish him. Casinos on the net can a estimable repast, gaming, luck for friendship in a clear secure surroundings. more than 110,000 masses arise to the top of the family as its matures. Christmas is upon new players with the foibles of the gun. Seniors savor for unloose, without outgo a dime bag is the punter choice. online casino reviews Let me cause that point pass: - The gaming software is programmed of the casino is a personal information processing system and a high school velocity net connectedness.