Possumblog

Not in the clamor of the crowded street, not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng, but in ourselves, are triumph and defeat.--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

REDIRECT ALERT! (Scroll down past this mess if you're trying to read an archived post. Thanks. No, really, thanks.)

Due to my inability to control my temper and complacently accept continued silliness with not-quite-as-reliable-as-it-ought-to-be Blogger/Blogspot, your beloved Possumblog will now waddle across the Information Dirt Road and park its prehensile tail at http://possumblog.mu.nu.

This site will remain in place as a backup in case Munuvia gets hit by a bus or something, but I don't think they have as much trouble with this as some places do. ::cough::blogspot::cough:: So click here and adjust your links. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it's one of those things.


Wednesday, January 21, 2004

From the Captain Renault File: Powell confesses annoyance with French

By BARRY SCHWEID
The Associated Press
1/21/2004, 1:52 p.m. CT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Ever since the United States fought for its independence, the French have been a friend through thick and thin. But sometimes, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday, they have annoyed him.

"And I am sure that from time to time, I have annoyed them," Powell said in an interview with a talk radio show host. [...]

Well, not quite the entire time were the French our good buddies and full of sweet bonhommie. You know, there was that Quasi-War business, and officially neutral Napolean III's willingness to dilly-dally with the C.S.A. during the Late Unpleasantness, while his troops were stomping about down south of the border. And there's that whole Jerry Lewis thing.

So, not quite all roses. The wishful thinking on the part of the reporter is probably harmless, though, and seems to be part of a desire that IS as old as this country, that is our seeming pathological desire to be granted appreciative approval by our relatives across the water.

But, whether we like it or not, all the cool kids at school still think we're the geeky uncouth freshman from the bad part of town, even if they are occasionally nice to us and don't penny our door shut. As the great thespian Bill Murray said,
"We're all very different people. We're not Watusi, we're not Spartans, we're Americans! With a capital "A," huh? And you know what that means? Do you!? That means that our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country in the world!"
Realistically, given actual circumstances, as well as Mr. Murray's highly nuanced and thoughtful riposte, it might be a bit too much to expect that we'll be loved, no matter how hard we try. Likewise, it's probably best for us to drop the idea that in some magical time past all the cool kids had a crush on us.

As for France, any country that gave birth to both Sabine Herold and Sophie Marceau is pretty darned okay by me.


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