Happy Bastille Day

[ancianita]

Last edited Tue Jul 14, 2020, 10:58 PM - Edit history (1)

I love the French for giving us the Statue Of Liberty every time I see it.
I've loved American Jazz, and the fact that the French held jazz festivals of our music before we ever did.
I love that James Baldwin lived in France, was happy there, and learned what a free society felt like.

I love...
French DJ and ambient techno music.
French classical composers.
French parenting, their love of children, their schooling system,
French cooking, baking.

I love the French love of art, sun and beaches, nature,
their bullet train and so much else.

My next and probably last trip was going to be to France.
But now, American passports are worthless.

Here's some French and American history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France–United_States_relations

I just want to remember today that the French have had Americans' back, especially about Western values and freedom. We've taken that for granted.

We're going to need our allies back soon. I can't think of a better historical ally than France.

Oh, and I love France's national anthem. If you're offended by the words, you should read the 2nd and 3rd verses of the American national anthem.

[erronis]

1. Wonderful tribute to a nation that help make democracy real.

Thanks for that French/English translation during the Marseillaise. Although I'm pretty conversant in French the song is always muddled to my ears.

As another (r)epuglicon president said, these are the old countries. Not like the new tawdry country that trump/repuglicons/putin have turned us into.

[WhiteTara]

2. The best part of the day

is that all of France celebrates my birthday!

[ancianita]

4. Hey! Happy birthday! You've got a great one!

[WhiteTara]

6. Thank you

It's weird getting this age. I'm 73 this year!!!!! OMG
Numerology says this is my number one year. Starting out all over again.

[ancianita]

7. ...

I hope it's been a lovely day for you.

[WhiteTara]

10. Yes, I transplanted my new

line of fragrant geraniums, braided onions, and started peach jelly. Picking and processing green beans in the morning. It's the beginning of the harvest. Of course, the world is being overtaken by weeds, but I'm hoping the heat kills them and the grass.

[ancianita]

11. Awesome!

You've got a lot of energy to do all that. Good for you. It sounds so therapeutic, as well as healthy.

[WhiteTara]

15. Not some energy as being pressed by Nature

it's either done in the moment or it's gone forever. I slept in this morning I was so tired!

[ancianita]

16. Haha I hear you. Here in FL, there's no such thing as gardening, but 99% keeping Nature at bay.

[WhiteTara]

17. In Arkansas, mowing is the main form

of gardening. Weekly, daily for some. I personally detest mowing and avoid it as long as possible.

[ancianita]

18. I hire someone.

[WhiteTara]

19. I got tired of people mowing down

my very expensive landscaping. They would just mow right over bushes, small trees, and of course, any plant in their way. One guy also pulled out all my water lines. That was when I decided that enough was enough. I bought all the right tools and I do it myself.

[ancianita]

20. I put brick trim around what I didn't want mowed, which sort of lent garden design to the lawn.

[Karadeniz]

3. When I heard Ivanka's advice...people should just find new jobs...the first thing I thought of was

Marie Antoinette...but it turns out she didn't say the cake thing.

[ancianita]

5. Maybe not, but the sentiment of out of touch leader-grifters is apropos to today.

[BigmanPigman]

8. I thought that storming the Oval Office after his campaign speech

today would have been an appropriate celebration.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=13752463

[ancianita]

9. Haha... yes. I laugh in a dead serious way, because while we'd never do it

because of rule of law, he'd deserve it because he only weaponizes law.

[notinkansas]

12. I was so fortunate to visit Paris several years ago.

Now I am afraid that may never happen again. Americans are now pariahs. No other country can risk allowing Americans to enter their country.

I loved the city and the people. Only ran into a single person with a 'damn Americans' attitude.

While riding on the Metro one day (I think that's what it's called), I was sitting next to a young French man. Me - an oldie. He started talking about how grateful the French were for all the help Americans had provided during WW2 and how Americans would always be welcomed in France. I was stunned to hear that. I still am. And I hope that after this awful pandemic is over.....

[ancianita]

13. ...

Thank you for your sharing your experience. I've had a couple of French students who've told me about the simultaneously positive and negative attitudes the French have about Americans. I've come to realize that being grateful doesn't mean they have to like us. It must be bad enough to them to just witness what we go through, that they must think we're a bunch of rubes.

[beveeheart]

14. During one of my visits to the Normandy American Cemetery

and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, a busload of French teenagers arrived. I was expecting them to be loud and all over the place (like I had experienced with American teenagers on various school trips). Not only were they not loud and not all over the place, they were way more respectful of the fallen American soldiers than some adults in my group. I am a former French teacher, so I was able to understand the comments they made as they wandered near me in the cemetery. At some point I decided to introduce myself to them and, as you discovered, they were very happy to talk to an American about how grateful they were for all those American soldiers who sacrificed their lives.
During my 1st trip there in 1976, there was a man in our group who had survived the Normandy invasion. The French officials were very quick to honor him when our tour guide mentioned it to them. I was surprised by how serious they were in emphasizing their gratitude, as was the man who had helped free them.

I hope you'll be able to return to Paris. It is my favorite place in the world.



Vive la France!!!