Comments on: The Long Tail of Bigotry: Don Martin and France in Afghanistan http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/ Monitoring Anti-French Activity Since 2003 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 01:12:09 -0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Gling-glong http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-2/#comment-735 Gling-glong Mon, 05 May 2008 22:39:06 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-735 It's fair to say that 99.9% percent of French people do not really care about what the Americans may think of us. It is very easy to lie to the American people: Most of them are unable to understand any language apart from English, and they have no source of information apart US and UK's ones. Given the 1000 years old rivalry (and friendship too...) between UK and France, it is difficult to say that their official point of view is completely fair. The Americans should remember that their former Kingdom lies just 20 miles away from France, took about 25% of its language into theirs, and an important part of its genetic pool. Anyway, this bashing might have a deeper motive: Maybe some kind of fear to realize that after having been nearly destroyed twice in the XX-th century, France is still living, with its industry, its language, its culture, and still do not plan to be a satellite country of USA. Despite that, Americans are welcome in France, and we generally consider us as friends of USA and UK - whatever the way their Government intoxicate them. If you want to have a more accurate idea of what France really is, just ask to the millions of British people going to France what they saw. It’s fair to say that 99.9% percent of French people do not really care about what the Americans may think of us.

It is very easy to lie to the American people: Most of them are unable to understand any language apart from English, and they have no source of information apart US and UK’s ones. Given the 1000 years old rivalry (and friendship too…) between UK and France, it is difficult to say that their official point of view is completely fair. The Americans should remember that their former Kingdom lies just 20 miles away from France, took about 25% of its language into theirs, and an important part of its genetic pool.

Anyway, this bashing might have a deeper motive: Maybe some kind of fear to realize that after having been nearly destroyed twice in the XX-th century, France is still living, with its industry, its language, its culture, and still do not plan to be a satellite country of USA.

Despite that, Americans are welcome in France, and we generally consider us as friends of USA and UK – whatever the way their Government intoxicate them.

If you want to have a more accurate idea of what France really is, just ask to the millions of British people going to France what they saw.

]]> By: MIQUELON http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-2/#comment-716 MIQUELON Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:59:35 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-716 http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/letters/story.html?id=956a7620-6246-4d8f-8844-2036d5e4e220 Pulling their weight Don Martin's statement that French troops will reluctantly step into the line of Taliban fire after six years of lollygagging around Kabul wearing "cheese-eating surrender monkey uniforms like a legion-of-honour" completely disregards France's commitment in Afghanistan. It is disrespectful to the 1,500 French troops present in Afghanistan since day one, who have contributed in protecting the Afghan institutions and securing the area of Kabul, and to the 14 French soldiers lost in this country. President Nicolas Sarkozy has decided to send 700 additional troops in the east, near the Pakistan boarder, which is as dangerous as the south. There are three strategic regions in Afghanistan and France is in all of them: Kabul, threatened by increasing Taliban infiltration; the south, where the French air force has six fighter planes in Kandahar assisting Canadian troops on the ground; and the east, where most of the French operational mentoring and liaison teams are already posted. French instructors embedded in Afghan battalions are not in classrooms: they are fighting alongside the Afghan soldiers. There are no caveats for the French troops or any deadline imposed by our parliament. Daniel Jouanneau, Ottawa Daniel Jouanneau is France's ambassador to Canada. http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/letters/story.html?id=956a7620-6246-4d8f-8844-2036d5e4e220

Pulling their weight

Don Martin’s statement that French troops will reluctantly step into the line of Taliban fire after six years of lollygagging around Kabul wearing “cheese-eating surrender monkey uniforms like a legion-of-honour” completely disregards France’s commitment in Afghanistan. It is disrespectful to the 1,500 French troops present in Afghanistan since day one, who have contributed in protecting the Afghan institutions and securing the area of Kabul, and to the 14 French soldiers lost in this country.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has decided to send 700 additional troops in the east, near the Pakistan boarder, which is as dangerous as the south. There are three strategic regions in Afghanistan and France is in all of them: Kabul, threatened by increasing Taliban infiltration; the south, where the French air force has six fighter planes in Kandahar assisting Canadian troops on the ground; and the east, where most of the French operational mentoring and liaison teams are already posted. French instructors embedded in Afghan battalions are not in classrooms: they are fighting alongside the Afghan soldiers. There are no caveats for the French troops or any deadline imposed by our parliament.

Daniel Jouanneau,
Ottawa
Daniel Jouanneau is France’s ambassador to Canada.

]]> By: André Wernesson http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-2/#comment-697 André Wernesson Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:16:18 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-697 "Now now, no personal attacks. Come on, none of us are George Clooney either…" Thank God we're not. “Now now, no personal attacks. Come on, none of us are George Clooney either…”

Thank God we’re not.

]]> By: Hillblogger http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-2/#comment-679 Hillblogger Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:57:14 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-679 Aw, c'mon! French bashing ain't some kind of personal attack? Aw, c’mon! French bashing ain’t some kind of personal attack?

]]> By: admin http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-2/#comment-663 admin Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:53:44 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-663 Now now, no personal attacks. Come on, none of us are George Clooney either... Now now, no personal attacks. Come on, none of us are George Clooney either…

]]> By: Hillblogger http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-2/#comment-662 Hillblogger Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:41:13 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-662 The guy has a face only his mother can love... look at it -- he resembles a baby pig. The guy has a face only his mother can love… look at it — he resembles a baby pig.

]]> By: Hillblogger http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-2/#comment-661 Hillblogger Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:40:32 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-661 Ooops, "Long winters in Calgary probably HAVE frozen his brain." Ooops, “Long winters in Calgary probably HAVE frozen his brain.”

]]> By: Hillblogger http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-660 Hillblogger Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:40:02 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-660 The guy is also a joke -- he envies and is jealous of everything French. The guy seriously uncouth and has not much by way of culture. Long winters in Calgary probably has frozen his brain. The guy is also a joke — he envies and is jealous of everything French. The guy seriously uncouth and has not much by way of culture. Long winters in Calgary probably has frozen his brain.

]]> By: Hillblogger http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-659 Hillblogger Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:36:31 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-659 My sis lives in Calgary and told me that this Don Martin fellow has a chip on his shoulder! He is to be pitied -- as a Canadian, he's looked at by Americans in contemptuous manner while French Canadians despise him. Don Martin is nothing but a jerk! My sis lives in Calgary and told me that this Don Martin fellow has a chip on his shoulder! He is to be pitied — as a Canadian, he’s looked at by Americans in contemptuous manner while French Canadians despise him.

Don Martin is nothing but a jerk!

]]> By: Miquelon.org » Blog Archive » Obsession with surrender http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-652 Miquelon.org » Blog Archive » Obsession with surrender Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:33:27 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-652 [...] In the last month we were graced with surrender jokes by CBS’s Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart and “surrender monkey” slurs from a Jonah Goldberg Canadian Mini-Me known as Don Martin. [...] [...] In the last month we were graced with surrender jokes by CBS’s Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart and “surrender monkey” slurs from a Jonah Goldberg Canadian Mini-Me known as Don Martin. [...]

]]> By: admin http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-336 admin Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:09:39 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-336 Thanks peamak! I saw the show last night as well. New Editorial today... Thanks peamak! I saw the show last night as well.
New Editorial today…

]]> By: peamak http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-334 peamak Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:43:34 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-334 As I just wrote on superfrenchie's blog, this surrender thing is really well anchored in american minds ! :( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ybjxl714iI As I just wrote on superfrenchie’s blog, this surrender thing is really well anchored in american minds !

:(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ybjxl714iI

]]> By: André Wernesson http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-277 André Wernesson Sun, 06 Apr 2008 10:05:56 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-277 My response, gentlemen Dear Mr. Martin I sincerely lament having to write to you under such unpleasant circumstances, and I would like to assure you that I’d rather not be, in the first place, in the violent situation of my country and countrymen being consistently insulted with such vehemence. I refer, of course, to your column on French military assistance in Afghanistan, in which, through the cheap and tiresome phrase “cheese-eating surrender monkey” catchphrase you dismiss an entire nation as a band of grotesque, sub-human cowards. I assume, sir, that as an educated man you grasp the gravity of such a discourse. Anyone who would write words even remotely as hateful about possibly any other ethnic group, say, African-Americans, Jews, or Mexicans, in a serious newspaper would be fired in no time and strongly attacked by anti-defamation lobbies. In the first place, I assume you either ignore or dismiss military procedures. Soldiers don’t stand around “lollygagging around Kabul — shopping for carpets along Chicken Street, munching fresh lamb kebabs” because they don’t feel like fighting. Surely you are aware that not attacking when ordered to would have implications as severe as a court martial and the ensuing consequences. Just as soldiers do not attack unless ordered to, if ordered to attack, they don’t stay back. Any alleged “cowardice” does not enter the equation. Secondly, sir, I am no coward, and neither are most of my countrymen. If you ever feel curious or have some spare time, read up on French history; it’s a fantastic read, and you’ll feel rewarded. I can guarantee it. When reading, you shall have a taste of everything: Of heroic acts, of crushing victories, and also of humiliating defeats and moments of shame. A country as old as France has gone through everything you can imagine, from being a small, fragmented feudal kingdom to an empire to a nation-state. And French history has got plenty of great military victories to spare, if that would quench your curiosity. The French soldiers in Afghanistan are all well-trained and brave professional military personnel. I hope you are aware of that. And I can assure you, Mr. Martin, that when ordered to do so, they will not “reluctantly” step into the line of fire. Although my letter may be read as somewhat hostile, as is understandable (as any proud Canadian would react, if they were called cowards, monkeys, and a plethora of dismissing insults) I wouldn’t like to end on a bitter note. I hope, sir, that you shall forego your mistake, correct it, and you will have proven yourself a wiser and better man. Best regards, My response, gentlemen

Dear Mr. Martin

I sincerely lament having to write to you under such unpleasant circumstances, and I would like to assure you that I’d rather not be, in the first place, in the violent situation of my country and countrymen being consistently insulted with such vehemence. I refer, of course, to your column on French military assistance in Afghanistan, in which, through the cheap and tiresome phrase “cheese-eating surrender monkey” catchphrase you dismiss an entire nation as a band of grotesque, sub-human cowards.

I assume, sir, that as an educated man you grasp the gravity of such a discourse. Anyone who would write words even remotely as hateful about possibly any other ethnic group, say, African-Americans, Jews, or Mexicans, in a serious newspaper would be fired in no time and strongly attacked by anti-defamation lobbies.

In the first place, I assume you either ignore or dismiss military procedures. Soldiers don’t stand around “lollygagging around Kabul — shopping for carpets along Chicken Street, munching fresh lamb kebabs” because they don’t feel like fighting. Surely you are aware that not attacking when ordered to would have implications as severe as a court martial and the ensuing consequences. Just as soldiers do not attack unless ordered to, if ordered to attack, they don’t stay back. Any alleged “cowardice” does not enter the equation.

Secondly, sir, I am no coward, and neither are most of my countrymen. If you ever feel curious or have some spare time, read up on French history; it’s a fantastic read, and you’ll feel rewarded. I can guarantee it. When reading, you shall have a taste of everything: Of heroic acts, of crushing victories, and also of humiliating defeats and moments of shame. A country as old as France has gone through everything you can imagine, from being a small, fragmented feudal kingdom to an empire to a nation-state. And French history has got plenty of great military victories to spare, if that would quench your curiosity. The French soldiers in Afghanistan are all well-trained and brave professional military personnel. I hope you are aware of that.

And I can assure you, Mr. Martin, that when ordered to do so, they will not “reluctantly” step into the line of fire.

Although my letter may be read as somewhat hostile, as is understandable (as any proud Canadian would react, if they were called cowards, monkeys, and a plethora of dismissing insults) I wouldn’t like to end on a bitter note. I hope, sir, that you shall forego your mistake, correct it, and you will have proven yourself a wiser and better man.

Best regards,

]]> By: Antoine Couvat http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-268 Antoine Couvat Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:05:45 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-268 Thanks to Miquelon.org for bringing us these sad events. Here's the email I sent to Mr. Martin: Dear Mr. Martin it's with great regret that I've read your column on the French engagement in Afghanistan. I'm saddened to see that you use your role of journalist to pass down, bigoted, racist and xenophobic view regarding the French. The "cheese-eating surrender monkey uniform" crosses the lines of acceptability and decency. Frenchmen and women are humans, not monkeys. I never thought I would one day have to explain this to anyone, even less to a journalist. Then again, perhaps you do not really believe in what you write. However, are you aware that you are participating in creating a background of hatred against an entire people -which is bad enough- based on no tangible facts? Something in your piece also strikes me as absurd. You write "French troops will reluctantly step into the line of Taliban fire". The implication being that somehow French soldiers are not courageous enough. Well, sir, would you happily step into any line of fire? There is not any sane person on this planet eager or even remotely pleased to be in the cross-sight of any gun, anywhere. I'm not concerned whether you approve or not of French foreign policy. What matters to me is that you can intelligently make the difference between policies and people. If you are still having trouble understanding my point of view, just re-read your column replacing the word "French" by "Canadian". I hope you realize what the effect of your column can have on less informed people or those who have had no contact with the French. What you are doing is called disinformation. I am calling you, for the sake of journalism and the character of my country men and women, to refrain from engaging again in this deplorable activity. If you can acknowledge my remarks have any merit, then please write an article about what you just did and how it was wrong. You will come out of it as a man of greater thought and integrity. Best, Thanks to Miquelon.org for bringing us these sad events. Here’s the email I sent to Mr. Martin:

Dear Mr. Martin

it’s with great regret that I’ve read your column on the French engagement in Afghanistan. I’m saddened to see that you use your role of journalist to pass down, bigoted, racist and xenophobic view regarding the French. The “cheese-eating surrender monkey uniform” crosses the lines of acceptability and decency. Frenchmen and women are humans, not monkeys. I never thought I would one day have to explain this to anyone, even less to a journalist. Then again, perhaps you do not really believe in what you write. However, are you aware that you are participating in creating a background of hatred against an entire people -which is bad enough- based on no tangible facts?
Something in your piece also strikes me as absurd. You write “French troops will reluctantly step into the line of Taliban fire”. The implication being that somehow French soldiers are not courageous enough. Well, sir, would you happily step into any line of fire? There is not any sane person on this planet eager or even remotely pleased to be in the cross-sight of any gun, anywhere.

I’m not concerned whether you approve or not of French foreign policy. What matters to me is that you can intelligently make the difference between policies and people. If you are still having trouble understanding my point of view, just re-read your column replacing the word “French” by “Canadian”.

I hope you realize what the effect of your column can have on less informed people or those who have had no contact with the French. What you are doing is called disinformation. I am calling you, for the sake of journalism and the character of my country men and women, to refrain from engaging again in this deplorable activity. If you can acknowledge my remarks have any merit, then please write an article about what you just did and how it was wrong. You will come out of it as a man of greater thought and integrity.

Best,

]]> By: Bob http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-257 Bob Sat, 05 Apr 2008 13:34:37 +0000 http://www.miquelon.org/2008/04/04/the-long-tail-of-bigotry-and-france-in-afghanistan/#comment-257 Even more interesting is this previous article, still written by Don Martin (in the "Home / News" section this time...) http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=420171 P.S.: Note the differences... Even more interesting is this previous article, still written by Don Martin (in the “Home / News” section this time…)

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=420171

P.S.: Note the differences…

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