I just remembered that I promised a commentary on American/French relations because I knew that people in America have a false perception for what goes on here. It has only been about 2-3 weeks but I am beginning to understand from experiences and from what the books tell me. Let me just reiterate what I saw in Normandy when I visited: everywhere I looked I saw American, British, and Canadian flags with the American being the most common. Obviously they have not forgotten our gift of massive sacrifice so that they wouldn’t be speaking German. Parisians on the other hand have not forgotten but I think they are tired of having it rammed down their throat every time America tries to sell them a proposal on which country we are going to attack next. Contrary to what the average American believes, French people like American people and culture. Well they like Americans as long as they are not arrogant and boisterous when we visit their country. I walk down the streets of Paris and hear American music in the cafes, see American movie posters on road signs, and Starbucks on most major street corners. Also the rule anywhere in the city and you can see the Golden Arch applies. French politicians will complain about Americanization and the blight of capitalist globalization and then they will go to either KFC, Pizza Hut, or McDonalds and pick up a Coke. I can understand how these nodes of American culture can make traditionalist conservatives turn in their graves, but in order for modern economies to flourish they must adapt and like I said before France is an old country so they are a little scared of change. This is ironic in itself because they are always changing their government.
Back to the US, I walked into a Creperie across from my apartment building and I notice that the server is French but of Arabic descent. Not knowing if he likes Americans or not I immediately try and put on my best accent because my companion did not know a word. He hears us speaking English and kind of laughs but when I spoke French to him he really opened up. Another guy who owned the store came in as well and proceeded to talk to me while our food was being made. Our conversations were in French but they would periodically ask what certain words were in English. I was curious what country he came from because he wasn’t your typical Frenchman. The two men were from Tunisia and knowing that it is an Arabic country I thought that their sentiments about America could go either way. But like my Egyptian cab driver, he was very adamant about Americans. This Muslim Tunisian Frenchman told me that he thought it was funny that French people like America and Americans are in love with France. I described his background to show that even though people might disagree with the politics of our government, they are willing to extend kindness towards us. Another comment that I thought was hilarious was that when I told them that I was from Chicago, he said that oh isn’t it scary to live there because many people get murdered. I mean I don’t think it’s any more dangerous than Paris but then again I’m sure more Chicagoans have guns…which is a topic I would love to write about one of these days. But this also reminds me of when my French family from 5th grade came and they asked us if we had gangster problems with the likes of Al Capone running the streets of the new millennium. I guess they think American culture to be that of what is in films, which I’m sure many Americans mistakenly do to understand French culture.
One more comment on the French government and why they are weary of America. The French government tries to work collectively with that of the EU so that it can become an institution on equal grounds with US. I personally think that every now and again they want to show that they were once a great power so they cause some trouble just like our huge friends the Russians. But with saying that we have to remember that France is a sovereign nation ruled by a government that is acting in its people’s best interest and that can sometimes not coincide with American policy. Americans can say lets go bomb the hell out of Iraq, but France will detest because a) it would like the decision to be arrived at through an international decision and b) they trade/have assets in Iraq. For their relationship with Germany and their collective rejection of the Iraq War; let’s think about it, what Germany and France have been trying to achieve for the last 50 years? Peace. They have fought so many wars against each other and German soldiers marching down the Champs Ellysees has been so frequent that I think they actually fell in love with the beauty of Paris. The heart of the modern EU is the relationship between Germany and France. That’s why it was made and that is the reason it is still flourishing. The main topic on the EU’s agenda is integration and accepting other countries into the Union. What worse thing than a controversial war to not only discredit their national and international pride, but also sap their economies. When the number one thing on their agenda is acceptance and growth through unity, what do you expect them to say when another country asks them for support on their multibillion dollar witch-hunt. I am not trying to say that I am for or against the war in Iraq, but clearly it’s not going well and it would be too much of a distraction for the major players of the EU. Hell it’s taking years to write a damned Constitution, they don’t need any more distractions. Yes the UK is in Iraq and is in the EU, but I feel they joined America because of the Anglo connection being America’s natural ally and it’s a way to obtain some global power that is has lacked because now the sun does set in the British Empire.
On other issues like Iran they are just as willing to fix the nuclear problem as we are. Just today I saw on BBC that the French Foreign ministry warned Iran that if they do not scrap their program, they will be hit with at least harsh economic sanctions by the EU with a maximum consequence of war. When I saw that headline I thought to myself, BBC never makes typos…didn’t they mean an US official said that? No, France is part of the free world too and they may not agree on everything with the US, but they believe in equality, liberty, and fraternity for all just like every American…well we put the pursuit of happiness in ours but I think the French do a better job of that than we do. Bonne Nuit!
