Air America radio attacks on the French

Rhodes is out of order.

I hope you read this bitch.

There a few things that bother me about you, one is you have beaten up on the French all day and it's pathetic. "I don't like their food"... they sent away Jews (most of Europe did).... see Holland... and our tragic tales to save them from death. There were informants everywhere in Europe. Ask Ann Frank.

Go back to your history which you so claim to embrace. The gift of liberty sits right in New York Harbour. You smacked on the French all day and made a fucking fool out of yourself like a Newt tadpole.

Second is you support NATO. Oh, sorry, we Europeans want our own fucking army. NATO is dead. Euro is alive. Oh, sorry, Europe. Wait till OPEC heads for the Euro. That's what this war is all about. Half a billion strong. Anybody but Bush better make peace soon.

Fact is, the French are not idiots, nor are the Germans... but you seem to like Italians. Why? Attention? You even talk about getting laid. Head for Italy, dye your hair blond and you won't have a problem.

Who was she talking to and what was the subject? This seems very one-sided. I didn't listen yesterday, so it's hard for me to tell whether or not it's a French slap without context.

It is very frustrating that so many people have bashed Randi on this but will not provide a transcript, a wav file, or at least something more than vaugue "she bashed the French!".

Where's the transcript so we can judge her words for ourselves?

What was so offensive?

There was plenty of energy a couple of minutes ago on this subject.
What happened?

because people conveniently forget that France was the theater for WW1. The French lost 1.3 million men in that conflict. Here are the casualty figures:

France
8,410,000 total mobilized
1,357,800 dead
4,266,000 wounded
537,000 prisoners and missing
6,160,800 total casulaties
76.3 percentage of total mobilization killed or wounded in WW1.

Compare that with the US losses...

4,355,000 total mobilized
126,000 dead
234,300 wounded
4,500 prisoners and missing
364,800 total casualties
8.2 percentage of total mobilization killed or wounded in WW1

This doesn't count the number of cities, towns, and villages destroyed in the fighting. The Infrastructure France had to rebuild. Is it any wonder why the French saw what was coming in 1939 and threw up their hands? That isn't cowardice, it's common friggin sense.

To put things in perspective, we're freaking out now with under 800 dead in Iraq. 800. 800... The French lost 360,000 at Verdun between February 21, 1916 and December 16, 1916. That's ONE battle in a much larger war. The French lost 200,000 at the Somme too.

I guess it's all perspective - And a heart helping of ignorance, that lead so many of us to believe the French are cowards.

So, French bashers the world over can kiss my McLargehuge ass.

Vive la France!

A country so small should be applauded for opposing this completely unnecessary war. Bush and his war hungry supporters look like big bullies who punish every country that refuses to obey their orders.

The US hasn't had such a lesson... yet.

France was beaten in a six week long campaign in the Spring of 1940. In the course of the Battle of France, the French lost at least 90,000 killed plus another couple of hundred thousand wounded. You don't lose soldiers in such numbers unless you're doing some serious fighting.

The United States suffered about 300,000 killed in action for all theatres from 1941 to 1945, with between six and seven hundred thousand wounded.

(The Maginot Line) and the Germans just went around it (Belgium).

immediate surrender. Thanks for the refresher.

It's not their fault that they know to avoid a life of economic slavery and meaningless materialism.

Does anyone who was listening know why she was doing this, assuming that we take this at face value?
French-bashing is a big no-no in my book; it reminds me of the whole "freedom fries" bullshit before the Iraq War.

so i don't know what set it off. (maybe discussion of cannes? i think) but the reaction to it has been way, way, way, way, way out of proportion.
she did not "beat.. up on the French all day" it was a minute or two of conversation. it was not vitriolic. it was a matter of fact string of statements about rude people, food she didn't like and clothes made for "skinny girls". said she had been there and didn't have a good time. people are acting like she suggested use of nuclear weapons.

another of the frequent outburst of d.u. misogyny if you ask me.

on edit-
personally, i have no problem with the french. i do appreciate their stand on the war-

Rudeness begets rudeness, if she came off in public the way she does on the radio, I could totally see her get treated poorly.

I have spent two trips to Paris and NEVER had a bad time. While we are talking about France, comparison of 9/11(@3000 dead) and the Heat wave(over 3000 dead) deaths.

France - We are behind america....

USA - The French, you know, they are wimps, they can't take the heat..

She probably went to France an arrogant tourist and got treated like one.

Meh.

But I do understand why many Americans who visit it don't walk away with a good impression.

In one way, I think our cultures are a lot alike. Both of us are culturally arrogant; we expect visitors to adjust themselves to us, rather than adjusting ourselves to visitors.

And of course there is Paris. A lot of Americans visit Paris, meet Parisians, and assume that they know what French people are like. Which is about as sensible as visiting New York City, and assuming you know what Americans are like based on your experiences in that city.

Anyway I didn't hear the rant either; if it was just the rudness I probably wouldn't complain--if it was surrender monkeys I'd be a little more annoyed.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

she brought it up several times, and she shut down at least one caller who was calmly trying to change her opinion. She made a bunch of stupid remarks that generalized all French people. All French hate Americans, all French are snobs, the French always surrender, etc.

I can't provide a transcript, but I was furious.

When she stated their food sucks, I was like, shut up, go back to palm Beach, I wish AAR would dump her and put Mike Malloy in her place. RR can be right on sometimes when she sticks to the facts but when she gets on these high and mighty ego rants, she looses it. She does dress down the ditto heads real good though, I wish she would keep it down a few DB's though, I am hard of hearing the way it is....

Where's Mike?

Bad food? Get fucking real.

A little Michael Moore Cannes wannabee jealousy?

I have always enjoyed her fire until she laid into the French today. She was completely out of order.

Why do find the need to call her a bitch because France is not her cup of tea as far as European countries go. They have plenty of things to be critisized about, as do every country on Earth, but a couple of examples might be that utterly baseless MIHOP book that shot to the top of the bestseller list and stayed for several months. And letting a heatwave kill like thousands of their elderly, that was kind of ironic.

I definetly have never gotten on the whole, France sucks, boycott France bandwagon, but I don't think Randi has either.

which made me hope she was just bullshitting. I love Randi and her take no prisoners attitude. And I think the ego thing makes for good radio entertainment. As much as I love Al, her style is far easier for me to listen to then his halting radio speak. But she has had far more experience so I factor that in.
I didn't like the anti-France screed either. Paris is my favorite spot on earth, I've been there many many times and have never had a problem with anyone being rude.
I wanted to bring up the Statue of Liberty as well and also remind here that if it were not for the French helping the rebels in the Revolutionary War she'd be eating British food right now. And IMHO British food DOES suck. And I'm 100 percent Brit on both parents side.

She said the French. Big difference. It was a ridiculous generalization of millions of individuals.

opinion that she didn't really want to get into that much. Sorry if some people don't care for them. She didn't express hatred, she didn't express bigotry, she hinted at a personal dissatisfaction or annoyance with them, of course not every single one of them but enough of them.

It's amazing people here get so up in arms about defending a people who weren't even attacked by her.

It's just a matter of cultural misunderstandings. In France, you are ALWAYS supposed to greet a shopkeeper with a "good morning, madam" as you walk in the door. You are ALWAYS supposed to preface a request for directions with "Excuse me, I'm sorry for bothering you, but ..." The French have learned to do this from childhood. But Americans just blurt out the question, "Where is the Eiffel Tower?" Or they walk in a store and just start browsing without a hello. The French consider this the height of rudeness, so they respond in kind by ignorning us.

I remember one day, while waiting for our son's plane to arrive in Paris, the flight number disappeared from the airport display board. Suddenly frightened, my husband rushed to the Air France counter and asked without any preamble, "Where is the flight from Boston?!!" The male clerk behind the desk eyed him coolly, and said in a scolding voice, "BONJOUR, monsieur!" Thus reminding my husband that he was supposed to greet him properly first before asking his question.

Hint to American tourists: Try simply greeting the French properly before asking a question. You'd be amazed how wonderfully helpful they'll be if you just approach them with the courtesy they expect.

If someone says me "He, what time is it ?" or anything like that, he can wait for its answer a century !!!

Hey,

My French, while imperfect, is/was comprehensible and grammatical, and I noticed in France that people became visibly friendlier once this was established. Noticing that use of the subjunctive in a restaurant is considered good manners in France, I started to observe the same thing here. Americans often tell a server "give me x" or "I want x" or "I'll have x" all of which are devoid of any respectful gesture. Saying "I would like" is much more polite. But in France the rude constructions really cause offense, whereas in the USA such politesse is desirable but optional, not a requirement.

CYD

to her show if she is so terrible. Your post is totally off the wall - she was not bashing the French all day.

Calling Randi a bitch and the language throughout your post really gives your post validity. <sarcasm off>

I am so sick of the obligatory bash Randi threads . . . Just turn your radio off!

Get a life! :grr:

OK, I was tuned into Randi when she made the comment about the French always "surrendering". I didn't hear any later comments, so I will just comment on this exchange. I can't remember why she started saying that the French always surrender, but she DID end the sentence with, "But they will probably SAVE US this time." Or something to that affect.

I've listened to Randi for years and she can really piss you off. I've been very upset with how she treats callers that are not on the subject she is "obsessing" on that day. But, Randi is just Randi. Also, I don't believe for a second that she is that down on France or the French people. She has this acid wit that sometimes goes overboard. I've even felt, at times, that she is too far to the left for me, and I'm about as liberal as you can get.

But, I don't think she will ever steer you wrong on what is going on in this country. If she makes a mistake in facts, she will correct it. She is in show business though, so every now and then she is going to do something out of what some might consider controversial content.

Please, she even said France will probably SAVE US in the future.

Uh, also, maybe she's going throught the change. LOL!! Hey, when I was rudely thrown into that state overnight by an operation, I said some really bitchy things. Blame it on those missing hormones! Yeah, that's right. God, she'd verbally cut me to pieces if she knew I said that.

I still love the goddess!

Skarbrowe

Once she started spewing blatant France bashing. It was clear, it was aimed and it was ugly. I was shocked. I went back to the BBC.

I expect better out of Air Radio America. The Freedom Fry smarmyness does not belong on a progressive radio station.

in New York that she liked to go to precisely because it was French and she wanted to support the kind French person who owned it. She talked about how great the food is there. I think she also complained about French bashing.

I heard some of her rant yesterday and was confused by the seeming contradiction.

allegedly representing Progressives.

If it's any consolation, whe represents no Progressive I know. No one I know out here listens to her trash.

going to waste my breath with your crap. To you also, just don't listen. Who needs ya!

Not listening to her is YOUR loss. :grr:

:nopity:

Randi Rhodes is a rude, ignorant, loud-mouthed b/witch spewing crap - nothing but a DLC-style Rush Limbaugh who does as much to hurt the Liberal cause as "some" of her rude supporters do.

You got that or do I need to use Randi's gutter language for it to sink in?

Who apparently does not know that if it weren't for the "chickens" as I believe I heard her call the French (and I'm thinking of Gen's Lafayette and Rochambeau in particular) there would be no wonderful US of A.

has no set rules. yes she does go on rants somedays, but that is what makes her randi. she will go long and far in her business, so get use to it.

me personally, I listen every chance I get, and sometimes I don't like what I hear, but I always check back in.

Which I heard her announce to a caller who happened to ask, that she will never never ever discuss.

in comparison to France.
The French have learned from their history. Diplomacy.

I'm deleting this because I don't wanna be responsible for other people thinking it's OK to tell someone to go fuck themselves on DU and whatever and get in trouble for it themselves. Just watch what you say about Italians, OK?

You even talk about getting laid. Head for Italy, dye your hair blond and you won't have a problem.

...I rat on you so it's no use. I thought you should hear it from someone you pissed off rather than me running to the mods.

"Lighten up Francis"

Not me.

"Oh... But I love Italy... Italians.... mmmmmmm.........

Quote.....

You know what? I don't hate Americans. I don't even hate RR.

I feel closer to people in Seattle that I do to Torontonians.

I am also Dutch. So my feet spread over a pond.

I just HATE slotting ethnic groups into little holes. Let's talk Israel with Rhodes. Will she? No.

Of course not. But she has the Gaul (sic) to beat on the French. And make remarks about getting her ass chased in Italy and how nice the Italians are.

She is shallow. Sorry. I would be surprised if she has spent any substantial time in Europe.

But you didn't mention what she said about the chasing part and I still don't see why it was worth mentioning.

Truly stirring rhetoric.

Where can I learn to be so articulate?

I don't put up with shit like that.

but if you had stuck to making your point instead of insulting the other poster, maybe I would see things your way - who knows?

This isn't about calling people "Asian" and furniture "oriental" or something like that.

When did I become a separate race?

I could have said "he said some prejudiced shit about Italians."

That we're greasy? All in the mob? Smell of garlic? Have good hair?

EOM

I love the French, but they are - well - kind of French.

eom

I thought the French people were great. Friendly, easy-going... they always had a minute to chat. I love 'em. I don't know why people say they're rude.

Does someone have a trascript of what she said?

I have the show on my HD if you can give me a rough idea what time she said it.

archived here:
http://www.randirhodesarchives.com/

The French-bashing part that I heard is a little ways in on the second half. Hope this helps.

It wasn't all day, and she did give them credit for not going into this war.

But she did make a lot of references to the French that were very harsh.

And it was pretty much anything French.
It was very similar to the treatment they get from Monty Python, but without the humor.

summer on record. Americans were used to ice in drinks and of course then that was not the case in Europe and the bitching by spoiled Americans was unrelenting. If loud verbal disturbances were heard at the airports or restaurants 10-1 it would be an American. My last visit to Europe with a stay in Paris was Aug, 01 which was more enjoyable since it seemed Americans I encountered had come to realize that the sun don't really rise and shine only on them and the "I am American" banners didn't protrude from their foreheads. I think of a fellow traveler who went in a restaurant with us and said I don't eat that crap and proceeded to try and order a hamburger all the way.lol Americans! Americans!

Then nobody on DU would be upset with her

:evilgrin:

The Chin' bashing, the jap'bashing, the India bashing, the Russ'bashing........... One or two centuries of bashing.

.....wouldn't it be funny if their an-an-ancestors where originally from france whahahahahahaha