Ne parlez-pas l'Americain
 

From CNN-World website: <BR> <BR>"The U.S. Embassy in Paris was closed and will be shut again on Wednesday. The embassy is warning Americans in France to be careful about speaking English on the streets."

WHY...I went to the CNN site to read it for myself - I just don't understand why. This is terrible

James, I've been speaking with my colleagues, friends and family in French speaking Switzerland and France, reading, seeing and listening to the news. Do speak English, and tell French people you're American: we all grieve for you here, and almost everybody is ready to do something to comfort you if they can. Except for a few fools, you'll receive only words of support. <BR> <BR>French Pres Chirac spoke on TV yesterday evening, saying how he was horrified, after having cancelled meetings with farmers in Northern France, saying that he could not continue going on electoral meetings in view of the horrible tragedy that just unfolded in the USA. <BR> <BR>The overwhelming majority of French people think that whatever faults they could find with America, Americans, their president and their politics had to be forgotten and buried in view of what happened, and that you need support and frienship to help you all cope. <BR> <BR>There were Americans due to return home from Switzerland yesterday. Their planes have returned to Geneva and Zurich, they have been taken care of by local authorities, sent to some of the best hotels around the airport, and they can expect only sympathy from the local population should they have to stay a few more days.

I am astonished by this statement, and cannot understand where it has come from. The sympathy of the world is with America right now, Europeans feel that it is not just an attack on America, but on the civilised world. Europe is your strongest ally. This report is ridiculous.

I am at an American university in Italy. We have been touched and amazed at the outpouring of sympathy and support from every level of the government, the academic community and the citizens at large. Our Italian collegues have cried along with us. A pro-American demonstration is being held in the piazza as I write this.

Please tell them Thank You and that we appreciate their support! The next step is to identify and punish all known terrorists in the world.