USA biker was spit at in France

[MaryH]

It is horrible that we are so hated around the world.

Our bike team in France was spit at.

Our athletes in Greece can't run with the American Flag - it might incite riots.

Thank you Mr. Bush for making us the most hated people in the world.

[GainesT1958]

1. I think John Kerry needs to emphasize that...

He's running to restore "Honor and dignity...to AMERICA"!:eyes:

B-)

[Parche]

2. france

WE WE

[Still_Loves_John]

3. Well this isn't really indicative of anything

They HAAAATE the US cycling team in France, because we keep winning. This is more a symptom of overcompetition than anything else.

[Butterflies]

4. I doubt Bush's "handlers" will read these things to him

so he'll continue to give those asinine speeches saying how strong and safe our country is now. He embarrasses me no end.

[blackcat77]

5. This is nothing new.

They did the sam thing to Greg LeMond back in the 80s. They seem to think that if US riders do well in "their" event, we're intruding or something, and of course Lance Armstrong *really* pisses them off with his incredible success.

[drdigi420]

52. When the French found out that Lance only had one testicle...

...they ordered all their bikers to lose a ball.

Sorry, couldnt resist.

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. The chimp couldn't care less

about what the world thinks of us. He's in his WH, motorcade, Air Force One, and has Secret Service to protect his sorry ass. Why should he care?

Our bikers were spit on? Geeeeez. They're probably pissed off that Lance is going to win again. ;)

I can't wait to see how our athletes are treated in Greece. This is going to be horrible. Our country has lost all respect.

[Wednesdays]

33. They'll scrub the coverage squeaky clean

>> I can't wait to see how our athletes are treated in Greece. This is going to be horrible. Our country has lost all respect.

You won't see anything (unless you're close enough to the Canadian border to get CBC). You've gotta believe the corporate media will sanitize everything...they'll show nothing but smiling faces and welcome signs for Americans. Or, if something happens they'll spin it as "those godless socialist Yurpeans hate Murkins 'cause of our freedom!"

[bobbyboucher]

7. Who got spat upon?

Many of the riders on the US Postal team are from Europe.

[tandot]

8. My coworker and her fiance just came back from France

They had a wonderful vacation and the French were really nice to them. Most of them spoke English and they had no problems at all.

There are idiots everywhere. I frequently have people trying to intimidate me when I am driving because of my anti-Bush bumper stickers.

But you are right, we all have to thank Bush for making our lives at home and abroad so much better. /sarcasm

[commander bunnypants]

9. lucky

I have to work at trying to get people to intimidate me over my bumper stickers

DDQM

[tandot]

31. Try driving through southern Oklahoma and northern Texas every day

very easy to get people annoyed by Kerry and anti-Bush bumper stickers.

Having huge Pick-Up trucks driving about 5 feet behind my little Toyota Corolla at 70 mph is a little intimidating.

[tabasco]

10. Very rude, inappropriate, and offensive.

The person who spat is no more an example of the French than Bush is an example of an American.

[bobbyboucher]

11. Again I ask, who said they were spat upon?

I don't see any links or quotes. Which team member was quoted where?

[MaryH]

16. It was Armstrong.

I just read it on one of the News Pages. I'll go back and try to find it.

[TNOE]

12. Careful though

not to paint all French with this same brush.

Boss and wife just got back from Paris, France - and said the people there were so nice to them - BUT he said MAKE NO MISTAKE - they HATE Bush, but they do like Americans.

Freepers pick up a post like this and they'll want to start bombing France. There is just never enough blood-letting for them.

[Marvelous_Smarty]

14. If bombed, France would surrender quicker than Bagdad did.

:)

[NoPasaran]

19. So, we should bomb France over this?

Conventional or nuke-you-ler?

[bobbyboucher]

22. Same old tired France bit.

How has France managed to stay a country for so long.

[thebigidea]

24. about as funny as a baby with brain cancer

[Marvelous_Smarty]

34. Just an attempt (apparently lame attempt) at humor.

Jeez! You know, humor? Ha! Ha! and all that. Appears to be in short supply nowadays.

[thebigidea]

35. sure does... Maybe you should stock up

or gradually work your way up by way of something even more avant garde: knock knock jokes.

[Marvelous_Smarty]

38. Hey You!

I have bigger stock of lame humor than you could ever imagine. Don't make me unleash it, it would not be pretty. The stench would carry for miles!

[Name removed]

54. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Minstrel Boy]

28. France is a nuclear power. The only kind of power the US respects.

Tant pis, M. Futé_Merveilleux.

[Forkboy]

53. what a laugh riot

[JohnLocke]

61. I was right about you ...

[greenbriar]

18. well we hate boosh

and like americans

[LiviaOlivia]

13. Link?

eom

[MaryH]

20. Found It - From the UK

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=sportsNews&storyID=551318&

[geek tragedy]

23. Those fans appear to have been Germans.

Probably upset because Lance b-slapped Ullrich. Again.

[bobbyboucher]

27. Thanks Mary H,

I've watched the tour every day and get pissed daily over the idiots running next to the riders and clogging up the roads so the riders can barely get through, it is ridiculous.

The jingos with the huge flags running next to the riders are the biggest nitwits of all.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

39. The jingos with the huge flags

agreed. wtf is with that?

[IrateCitizen]

15. This has nothing to do with the US government. Get a grip.

If it was the US Postal Team (Lance Armstrong's team) that was spat upon, it's not entirely unexpected.

It was recently discovered that a French tabloid journalist tried to break into Armstrong's room to plant doping supplies. Much of the French (and for that matter, European) cycling world still thinks that Armstrong is doping, and they begrudge him for the success he's had post-cancer.

But to imply that this is a symbol of dislike toward US policy is absurd. In 1975 (I believe) Belgian Eddy Merckx had his bid for a sixth straight title stymied by a fan who jumped out of the crowd to punch him in the kidney. He finished second. I wonder if that was some broader statement against Belgian foreign policy at the time???

[Karenina]

49. Hell, I had loaded GUNS cocked and pointed at me

just for being darker-skinned in America! Spit? Gimme a break. GOOOO LANCE!!!! :yourock:

[VolcanoJen]

17. So. Any chance they're spitting at Lance Armstrong because HE KICKS ASS?

First of all, I'm making the assumption that you're speaking of Lance Armstrong as the "USA Biker."

Lance, through his athletic superiority, has made every other cyclist in the Tour de France an underdog. I read an article earlier about Lance complaining that fans were crowding him and not giving him much room on the course, but nothing about spitting, or other sorts of fan-conduct.

How can we be sure this has anything to do with his nationality? As far as I can remember, European cycling fans have been giving Lance Armstrong a hard time because of his superior athletic prowess and dominance of the sport.

Is this unlike a home-team crowd booing Kobe when he comes out on the court?

Sorry, but I just don't see everything as political.

[geek tragedy]

21. Well, Kobe's also an accused rapist

but there's a lot of petty jealousy directed towards Lance Armstrong.

[VolcanoJen]

26. Kobe was booed by rival crowds long before the rape accusations.

In fact, ever since the rape accusations, his popularity among Laker fans has grown. Just ask Shaq.

I'm just trying to say this is about athletic superiority and dominance, and has little, if nothing, to do with the politics of the Bush Administration.

In other words, there's nothing to see here... it's just fan v. fan, to me.

VolcanoJen (who happened to relish every opportunity to boo John Rocker when he stepped onto my hometown pitcher's mound)

[IrateCitizen]

25. Yeah, they did the same thing to Eddy Merckx...

He may have lost his bid to win a sixth consecutive Tour because a fan reached out and punched him in the kidney as he rode by.

I doubt it had anything to do with the idea that the fan in question was upset about some particular or general aspect of Belgian foreign policy at the time.

[VolcanoJen]

29. Oh, screw Belgian policy!

Boo!!! Down with Belgians and their quest for world dominance! Spit, spit, spit!!

:P

[lastliberalintexas]

36. Yum

If we invade, do we get their chocolats? :D

[VolcanoJen]

37. I've had it up to hear with those meddlesome Belgians...

... and I want their oil! I mean, chocolates! NOW.

And, when I get the chance, I'm going to personally pull the head off of that Pissing Boy statue, before Ashcroft sees it and goes ballistic. :+ :+ :+

[JohnLocke]

64. LOL!

:D

[geek tragedy]

30. Not that they didn't have a right to be upset at King Leopold. n/t

[G_j]

32. Somebody told me Armstrong is in a relationship with Cheryl Crow

who has been attacked at home by the freepers for opposing Bush and his war. Hey sometimes ppl are just jerks..

[lottie244]

43. Is Lance on steroids? I heard that from somewhere...

Anybody else heard that?

[rinsd]

47. Yeah from jealous French journalists looking to discredit him....

...especially in wake of so many French riders getting caught blood doping a couple of years ago.

[djg21]

40. Also ...

while he's a great cyclist, he tends to play the role of an arrogant, ugly american. He hasn't really endeared himself to Europe's cycling fans. Even here, those who follow cycling either love him or hate him.

This has nothing to do with politics, despite what some here might rush (or wish) to conclude.

[Mara Steele]

41. Edit: deleted.

[Logansquare]

42. I got spat on in Columbus, Ohio

Jerks are an international phenomenom.

[mississippi]

44. Everyone hates #1 (nm)

nm

[newyawker99]

56. hi mississippi!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[rinsd]

45. Are you speaking of the Post Office Team with Lance Armstrong?

If so, they've been hated long before anything in Iraq. He wins their race and is about to become their race's greatest champion.

There's very little politics about it, just jealousy.

[Renew Deal]

46. I'll be there and I am not that worried about it.

Now, I have to say that I am Greek American. But I oppose the War Criminal in Chief and hope for his removal from office by legal means. I do not personally expect any problems. As far as the athletes, that's a different story.

Bush Sr. is leading the delegation of athletes at the Opening Ceremony. I expect loud booing and not much less. I hope Americans see the displeasure with the BEE first hand. I wonder if they will try to censor it or modify the sound.

Anyway, I expect myself and most athletes to be treated well.

[Blue-Jay]

48. A picture of Lance's wonderful fans.

[Deja Q]

50. Good. Sadly, corporate/political america won't notice.

Freedom is doing what one wants without paying consequences.

[Bluebear]

51. I'm sure the world will root for us at the Olympics though

ha ha ha ha ha.

[DaveSZ]

55. "Freedom haters"

-W

[foolmeonce]

57. lets not overreact here

i don't know who spit on who but i do know that for every one french person that hates lance armstrong, fifteen love him. i haven't missed a stage (tv) of the tour since 1999. lance pondered his safety on the open roads of france when he trained for this tour. never was it the french people that he feared. to most he is a hero. the french people/media are much harder on their own darling, richard virenque.

as for the picture of the one gentleman in orange giving lance the finger (even tho he is the only one, his buddy is applauding), they are the basque people. they are spanish and root for the euskaltel-euskadi team and, up until he withdrew tuesday, the team leader, iban mayo. many considered mayo to be lance's main rival. there was an incident early in the tour where mayo crashed. it is an unwritten rule that contenders won't attack when another contender is in an uncontrollable hardship (crash, equip failure...). us postal just so happened to be attacking at the time mayo went down. the basque (orange) interpreted it as a dick move even though mayo had already fallen off the pace and none of the postal boys knew/cared where he was. they (the SPANISH) basque people have had a problem with us since.

all in all it's amazing that millions of people (900k present today) can pass within an arms length of so many superstars and nobody is harmed. think if this even were to take place in the states. scary thought, huh? actually it's not worth thinking about, it couldn't happen. one of our american brothers would again prove that we are actaully the people to be afraid of. better yet, what if a french superstar were to ride our open streets for a month. he certainly would be harmed and most likely killed.

it's funny, i usually see it as a trait of the right to jump to conclusions and slander the people of a country who's GOVERNMENT doesn't agree with ours. i've met two french people in my life. i liked them both. i refuse to base my judgement of their kind on anything other than those two experiences. i certainly won't let their government's distrust of george w. bush alter the conception i've already formed.

don't hate.

[Bush was AWOL]

58. My buddy is serving in Belgium and they visited Paris

for a weekend and he told me they were told they were not welcome in certain bars and resteraunts because they were American soldiers.

[foolmeonce]

59. you think that only happens in france?

[Robbien]

63. Nope, that is why Candians are so irritated at us for pasting their flag

on our luggage. We are just trying not to get spit on, but the other countries are catching on to our ruse and they are starting to be wary of all Candian flag bearers as being possible Americans in disguise.

[0rganism]

60. Imagine what would happen to a French NASCAR driver in the USA...

Now THAT would be a dangerous job.

[foolmeonce]

62. french pro wrestler....

as funny as it is, it's true.