If you haven’t noticed by now, I like to take to speak the language of dissent. Well, I’m really going out on a limb here:

France and Germany have been in the news quite a bit lately. They have been leading the anti-war movement over yonder in Europe and it seems the 4th estate right here in the good old U.S. of A. doesn’t much care for it. Nope, not one bit. I’ve seen countless editorials and political cartoons putting France in the worst possible light. The whole idea is, well, come-on now, we got you guys out of that embarrassing little scrap back there in 1944 and you guys aren’t quite living up to your part of the bargain now.

France has always been a point of contention for Americans. I don’t think we ever got over them winning the Revolutionary war for us. They have suffered our slings and arrows ever since our inception. Sure, they do some stupid things. They recently banned Internet auctions of Nazi memorabilia. They tried to ban English only web sites from their country. And, they eat frog legs for G-d’s sake! Now, I must digress for a minute. I tried frog legs once. It was on a Boy Scout camping trip. We were out in the wilderness on our own. No food, no water. (One of those survival weekend things). A couple of us came across a pond full of frogs. We quickly killed about ten of them with some pointy sticks and roasted them over a fire. I will never ever touch a frog again for the rest of my life. French people have sick, sick culinary habits.

Ok, so, France has its problems. But, what do you expect? Are they to kowtow to every American proclamation? Do they have to pay us back for WWII ad infinitum? They are, after all, a sovereign nation.

Here are a few things being said about France: Americans’ opinions of France plummet. I’d be curious to see what their opinion of us is. Top Pentagon adviser says France no longer U.S. ally. Dang, there goes NATO. Well, one can hope anyway.

Here is an email I received from a friend detailing his opinion on the matter.

Well, I say it’s about time we stop slandering France for being, well, France. Live and let live is my motto.

Vive La France!