Comments on: Finland: Braver than France

By: mencken

mencken — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 18:24:01 +0000

Hey, I have a certificate of authenticity for my intellectual prowess and have a piece of paper that say's I'm an ordained

minister if we're more than 3 miles offshore. So there.

The Dreyfus Affair is what fuels the humor?

Nice try but I ain't buying that as the reason.

I'd like to see what percentage of the population left or right

that have even heard of it. "Paths of Glory" with Kirk Douglas

would get folks more stirred up against the French than Dreyfus.

By: ramrod

ramrod — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 17:56:46 +0000

C'mon, Mencken. I figured a pseudo-intellectual like yourself would be acutely aware of the Dreyfus Affair and the Crisis of French Manhood. Look it up. I guess all humor has some basis in reality.

By: mencken

mencken — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 16:47:19 +0000

I'm not terribly surprised no one will answer the question.

By: Mick

Mick — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 13:13:18 +0000

"Why are Chip and Mick braver than the French ? "

Because almost everyone else on the planet is too?

By: mencken

mencken — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 10:53:34 +0000

Maybe I should have asked "Why are Chip and Mick braver than the French ? "

By: larry d.

larry d. — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 09:57:59 +0000

I don't know why people enjoy making fun of the French, but I'm not sure the French take much notice. Why are you so compelled to defend them?

By: mencken

mencken — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 18:28:27 +0000

I ams what I ams.

Sorry Mick, you've lost me here on the Italy equation. It must be

the alternate reality thing Larry mentioned. You hate the French

but can't be bothered to explain why. It's just the method around here I guess. Anyone else want to explain the French bias? Larry ? Sam ? Chip ?

By: Mick

Mick — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 17:19:09 +0000

"Italy wasn't part of the Axis? That's news."

Oh it definitely was, but according to Popeye's New Method of Deductive Reasoning:

A.Italy became an Ally

B.Allies won the war

therefore

C.Italy won the war

We're studying this method in 7th grade now. Inner city schools, you know.

Soldier on Popeye! If you talk loud enough and long enough, someone just might be convinced that to be French is to be the epitome of manliness.

By: mencken

mencken — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 11:58:27 +0000

Italy wasn't part of the Axis? That's news.

France was overrun just as Norway, Poland,Yugoslavia, Greece,the Netherlands, and Belgium were. The British had the advantage of German tanks not being able to cross the channel and the Russians had the advantage of bad weather, and were just too large to occupy after the Nazis overextended themselves from a logistical standpoint.

There was an ugly side to France's occupation, namely the Vichy

governement. But the French Resistance offsets any claims of

blanket capitulation.

So really guys, is the Vichy government the real reason you hate the French or is there something else you'd like to get off your chests?

By: Mick

Mick — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 03:12:19 +0000

Yes they did. After France capitulated and subsequently collaborated with the Germans both times.

Unless you mean to suggest that France won both wars since they were (nominally at least) Allies. Under this logic we could also say that Italy won the war too.

Nice reach, but not quite there.