Steve Mueller

Yes the French are very non-violent. That is why so many British and American soldiers have lost their lives in France. Of course the French do like to harbor murders such as Ira Einhorn. Also, your government has no problem with murdering Green Peace volunteers (remember the Rainbow Warrior?). <BR> <BR>America has plenty of Hispanic citizens. My state of Colorado has a very extensive Hispanic heritage. Yes, we do attempt to control our border, but we accept Hispanics that were born in the US as citizens. No one is trying to expell them, as your people are so zealously trying to expell Algerians that have literally spent their entire lives in France. Who are you to determine whether or not they "have any business there?" Does your "proud" French heritage make you superior to them? <BR> <BR>The US does have a high murder rate, but it is very location dependent. My middle-class suburb has not had a single murder in nearly a decade. As recently reported in the Economist, one is much more likely to be raped, robbed, or physically assaulted in western Europe than in the US. So, please, stay home and keep your violent ways to yourself.

NYCShiksa

Yo Mark - I agree w/ you! Love-Hate is the best way to describe my relationship w/ NYC. It's a great place to live, but every once in a while, I gotta hop on a big ol' jet plane and say au revoir to this place. <BR> <BR>I love Paris, well all of Europe, with it's wealth of history and fabulous cathedrals (although as I learned on my first trip, after 20 of them, they all start to look the same!) Paris is one of my favourite cities and while I don't speak the language fluently, I do make an attempt. Hopefully I'll never refer to myself as a jellyfish! Now confusing horse/hair is a different story! <BR> <BR>I think in general we tend to romanticise places we visit since we only see a small piece of the big picture. Living/working in another city (Paris or otherwise) would probably be a different story than a quick vacation. <BR> <BR>

Georgio

Ah Monsieur, <BR> <BR>You are truly ignorant of France and French laws. We do not abide by the British Common Law that you "formerly British colony lackees" follow. Our laws do not grant automatic citizenship to anyone who just happen to be bornt in France. Maybe that is why our society is not tinted with "uncivilized" tendencies as your society is. <BR> <BR>The Rainbow people are people with "too much to eat and nothing to do." They profess they love nature, I wonder if they all are Vegetarians and they do not have modern conveniences, including electricity and gas, in their houses. They want to save this and save that, but it is their own ignorance of civilization and progress that should be saved! <BR> <BR>I have no intention of visiting your country. I will have to buy and wear a set Givenchy designer body armour if I come to visit your country. Not worth it! <BR> <BR>Do not count on your neighborhood for being safe from the prevalent violence in your country. Look around, you may be the next target for burglary, rape, drive-by shooting.... <BR> <BR>A set of Givenchy body armour is 250.091 FRF. Can you afford it? <BR> <BR>Bye-bye, I hope you live long and "prosper?" <BR> <BR>GA <BR>Paris

mark

Hey NYCS - another great reason for living here - Europe's only a 6 hour flight away. There are times I wish to see the sun set over the ocean instead of New Jersey (I grew up on the west coast of Florida) - but I couldn't imagine adding another 7 hours to my flying.

Steve Mueller

Georgio, <BR> <BR>As I already stated, rape and burglary/robbery are more common in Europe than in the US. <BR> <BR>I am no greater admirer of Green Peace than you are. However, being from a civilized nation, I do not believe that it is acceptable to murder someone simply because you disagree with them. <BR> <BR>If the French believe that the racial heterogeneity of the US makes it an uncivilized and "tainted" nation, than that says more about you and your fellow citizens than it does about the US - namely, that you're a bunch of bigoted inbreds. <BR> <BR>At least Americans have enough sense to know that Einhorn belongs in prison.

Florence

Georgio et Steve: vous faites une belle paire de méduses !

ughIhate

Sam's obviously a troll, and probably under 18. I find Steve Mueller's response the most telling; he seems to respond whenever possible with a self-promoting diatribe to show his vast knowledge of politics and statistics. <BR> <BR>Does anyone remember any travel advice from Steve?

Florence

Travel advice from Steve ? sure, stay away from France and the French !

Steve Mueller

ughIHate, <BR> <BR>Thank you for the compliment. But my knowledge only appears vast in contrast to your own. At least I have enough conviction in what I say to use my own name. Also, just because you don't like what someone says doesn't automatically make it a troll. <BR> <BR>Unlike Georgio, I don't have the gall to speak of tolerance and equality in one post and then follow that with disparaging comments about Algerians and uncivilized racial tainting. It's interesting that I have not seen a post by anyone from France (or anywhere else in Europe for that matter) disputing this opinion. In the US, racial purity is only promoted by fringe elements of society. <BR> <BR>I do think that Paris is overrated, but I have never encouraged someone not to go there. I have only advised them that, if they do, be prepared for a disorganized society (e.g., Sam's baggage handler strike). By the way, I do offer a fair amount of travel advice, particularly in the US forum.

Jardina

So, Steve, <BR> <BR>If USA is so racially tolerant, why did and do talented African-American performaners prefer to live in Paris? <BR> <BR>You are obviously white and who have not been discriminated on the job, on the street, in the restaurant, etc. because of your skin color and looks. Turn your self dark and come and live in East L.A. You will know what it is like to be an African American or a Mexican. <BR> <BR>Don't speak of racial tolerance until you are personally being impacted by it. <BR> <BR>Jardina <BR>East L.A.

Steve Mueller

Jardina, <BR> <BR>I didn't experience World War II, but that doesn't keep from deciding that Hitler was evil. Nor do I have to be African-American to know that the attitude expressed above toward Parisians of Algerian descent is bigoted. <BR> <BR>From the perspective of my cozy middle-class (and racially-mixed) suburb, I do believe that the US is one of the most racially tolerant nations. I defy anyone to identify another country that has a greater mix of Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians. <BR> <BR>With the exception of Josephine Baker, please name a single globally-known African-American artist that has emigrated to France. I can name hundreds of talented African-American performers that live in the US. <BR> <BR>The grass may seem greener in the next pasture, but I hope that you don't decide that it's in your best interest to move to Paris for the reasons that you have stated. If you do, I hope that you are never mistaken for an Algerian.

jason

Louis Armstrong had a taped/filmed performance in France long before he was allowed that privilege in the US.

jason

Before there was motown and hip-hop, many black artists did time in Europe before coming back to the US and fame. You've got to be kidding me, artists have been migrating to Paris for centuries, though they weren't always people of color. Paris is a refuge for the artistically diverse and politically different with no preference to color.

Joan

I have been to Paris three times and I think it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I can't wait to return. I am a world traveler. I have never been treated rudely by anyone in all of France. I speak a little french, far from fluently, and am always answered in french. I believe if you are polite to people they will respond the same way. The french are very polite people and have always been very helpful when we have been lost. Perhaps the people who have had bad experiences go with a chip in their shoulder. A smile always is better than a frown.

Steve Mueller

OK, Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong. This list is getting pretty long.

Yehudi

Mr. Mueller, <BR> <BR>Please do not patronize us Jews by saying that you know Hitler was evil and that you did not have to live during WWII to be able to say that. <BR> <BR>Only the 6 million Jews who died under Hitler knows the pains. You should experience bigotry in the US for once to know how Jardina feels like. Even though we Jews appear white, we are still being discriminated in this country. Why do you think every year there are more American Jews leaving for Israel? <BR> <BR>So stop patronizing the oppressed and the discriminated, until you know what it is like first-hand! <BR> <BR>Yehudi <BR>NYC

Buyer

First of all this person is a troll... a very successful troll who knows how to rile up this board.... by responding we are letting the troll "win" and yes, I am aware that this very response falls under that umbrella. Also I am kind of curious about Yehundi's post.... does that mean that every one who is not a Holocaust survivor should assume that Hitlar was NOT evil because they weren't direct victims of his crime???? Does that mean that when the last HOlocaust survivor passes away, all of this history books can say Hitler was ok because no one directly effected by him will still be living??? I am confused... and I am sorry, but despite the fact that I've never been a victem of the KKK or Hitler or Skin heads or the JDL or any miltant hate group... I reserve the right to believe they are ALL evil!!!!!

Buyer

Oh, and BTW, Hitler killed a lot of people who weren't Jews as well... oh only a bunch of artists, or French Patriots, or liberals... gay people... disabled people... mentally retarded people.. you name it if it weren't aryan he would kill it... I don't believe that only Jews should be able to say that Hitler was evil.

Trolldetector

Is this some sort of world record for people responding to a troll ???

Steve Mueller

Yahudi, <BR> <BR>For someone who invokes the memory of persecuted ancestors to make an irrelevant point, you are curiously silent about the point that initially angered so many people - the government-sponsored persecution of North Africans in France. But of course the fact that Louis Armstrong visited France once proves that the French are too noble for bigotry. <BR> <BR>According to your logic, since you obviously didn't die during WWII, you are no more qualified to condemn the Third Reich than I am. <BR> <BR>Many Americans, including my father, fought in WWII and therefore played a small role in bringing that nightmare to an end. Can you make a similar claim? Who are you to invoke the victims of the holocaust to promote your own piousness? Do you believe that because you are a descendant of a persecuted group that you can't be a bigot? I suspect you do. <BR> <BR>I know that the KKK and Louis Farakhan are devotely anti-Semitic. But if, as you apparently believe, the majority of Americans feel the same, please explain why the US gives more foreign aid to Isreal than any other country.