France's US envoy slams "Racist Campaign" against French over Iraq

[Flagg]

FRANCE'S US ENVOY SLAMS "RACIST CAMPAIGN" AGAINST FRENCH OVER IRAQ WAR
Received Thursday, 15 April 2004 03:04:00 GMT
LOS ANGELES, April 14 (AFP) - France's ambassador to the United States Wednesday denounced what he called a "racist campaign" against the French waged by US media and fueled by the Pentagon since the start of war in Iraq.
Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, told staff, students and diplomats at the University of California at Los Angeles that Fox News and the New York Post, media baron Rupert Murdoch's properties, led the onslaught with a daily barrage of insults.
"It was a racist campaign," he said in a speech to the university's School of Public Policy and Social Research. "We were insulted just because we were French and it was unfair and dangerous."
He said such a campaign would never have been tolerated in the United States if had it been directed against blacks or Jews.
The envoy said the campaign of disinformation included "lies from the Pentagon," but said it ended quickly after he lodged a complaint with US Secretary of State Colin Powell last year.
He cited a Washington Times report in May -- the substance of which he said originated from the US Department of Defense -- that falsely stated France had supplied passports to top officials from Saddam Hussein's regime to allow them to flee Iraq following the US-led occupation.
http://www.ttc.org/200404150304.i3f34fx08037.htm

[Quetzal]

1. It's no secret that the Republicans will engage in French bashing this

campaign season against John Kerry.

Kerry criticized for French connection

WASHINGTON -- As the presidential race gets tighter and nastier, the F-word has increasingly crept into attacks against presumptive Democratic nominee John F. Kerry.

It has made its way into comments by the House majority leader, onto Internet blogs, and onto the Republican National Committee's website. It has shown up on sweatshirts and T-shirts, and been thrown around in columns by nationally known conservative writers.

Kerry, his foes complain, might as well be French.

snip

House majority leader Tom DeLay, Republican of Texas, is reported to have started a meeting by saying, "Good morning, or as John Kerry would say, `Bonjour.' " And the RNC weighed in April 1 with a spoof TV spot -- identified as just a little April Fools' Day joke -- that derides both Kerry and the French. "Did you know that April Fools' Day was started by the French back in the 16th century? I think today, their gas prices are about $4.57 a gallon," says the announcer, with an accordion playing in the background and an oil painting shown hanging on a wall to evoke the mood of Paris.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2004/04/12/kerry_criticized_for_french_connection/

[teryang]

2. What goes around comes around

The EU and security council member could just let us and the dollar get shredded to hamburger in Iraq.

[David__77]

3. Murdoch should be exposed far and wide.

In the old days, decades ago, progressives made sure that criminal robber barons and their misdeeds were well known among the people. Everyone should know and revile the patrician Murdoch and his evil agenda.

[Turley]

4. Uh....what race are they actually?

?

[Isere]

5. Oui, oui, oui!

Thank you for posting this!

It has become acceptable to bash the French in ways that would never be tolerated if other groups were targeted.
The disgusting, gleeful barbs aimed at the French by the US right wing are shameful and unworthy.

It's time for the French to stand up and say "Assez!" Or something pithier!

( Flagg, I used to be a regular reader of TTC.org, but stopped when they shut down their comments board. Maybe I'll give it another try)

[Turley]

6. I get to doo all the French-bashing

I work for them so I'm exempt from all rules. :-)

[Flagg]

7. Freepers losing it on yahoo

France's US envoy slams "racist campaign" against French over Iraq war
32 minutes ago Add U.S. National - AFP to My Yahoo!



LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) - France's ambassador to the United States denounced what he called a "racist campaign" against the French waged by US media and fueled by the Pentagon (news - web sites) since the start of war in Iraq (news - web sites).




Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, told staff, students and diplomats at the University of California at Los Angeles that Fox News and the New York Post, media baron Rupert Murdoch's properties, led the onslaught with a daily barrage of insults.


"It was a racist campaign," he said in a speech to the university's School of Public Policy and Social Research. "We were insulted just because we were French and it was unfair and dangerous."


He said such a campaign would never have been tolerated in the United States if had it been directed against blacks or Jews.


The envoy said the campaign of disinformation included "lies from the Pentagon," but said it ended quickly after he lodged a complaint with US Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) last year.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040415/ts_alt_afp/us_france_040415152134