Two Reasons Europe is Superior to the U.S.
First off, let us consider France. Often the target of scorn in this country because the French government did not support our war in Iraq. The French have been the target of at least one notable boycott (attack campaign?) that has not, in fact, caused France any harm.
But consider a recent book written by a member of the French government. The Guide to the Pretty Women of Paris, is essentially, a catalog of the best places in the French capital to see attractive women. The current French administration is, of course, conservative, which makes the book all that sweeter, to me, at least. The author claims that part of his motivation for writing the book is as an attack against political correctness. In this country, of course, the biggest voices against political correctness come from the right…but they would also be those who would oppose this very book (never mind that they are part of a corporate structure that gave the world such high-brow entertainment as Temptation Island, Playing It Straight, Paradise Hotel).
Still not convinced that Europe is far superior to the US? OK then, consider that a recent group of British clerics stated that young people should consider themes like good, evil, redemption and resurrection set against the backdrop of a police box. Don’t you wish pastor’s in this country would start using more Star Wars, or Lord of the Rings (which, actually, makes a lot of sense) in their sermons?
Plus, they have proper football over there.
Death Cab for Cutie - Crooked Teeth
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May 5th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I always thought the reason we scorn the French is because they are a bunch of “cheese eating surrender monkeys” (circa WWII) to quote a certain Scottish grounds keeper.
O’Reilly is a blowhard that does not speak for my “Right-leaning” viewpoint. I can’t believe that people actually listen to the junk that comes out of his mouth.
May 5th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
But he totally shut down the French economy…or so I was led to believe.
And while I often bow down to Willie’s insight, the French collapse in WWII was more to do with Nazi superiority both in terms of weaponry (specifically, tanks since the French were using armor that was more appropriate to the trench warfare of WWI) and tactics (i.e., thanks to the better technology and the implementation of it guys like Guderien ran OVER and AROUND the French). I would suggest a book called Hitler Slept Late by James P Duffy for more information on how the French fell to the Nazis. But you know, after the Nazi’s began occupying France is when the French, through their resistance efforts, actually did the most to help the allied effort.
OK, so that was a much too serious response…sorry about that.
May 5th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
And see that…that’s why NR is the greatest website in the world. You, Tengu, are a republican, gilgrim’s a libertarian, I’m not sure what the f exsulis is, and I’m the most left leaning non-commy anyone will ever meet (I’ve voted for Nader like three times!) but we all come together because of our love of semi-decent, nearly naked, web comics!
May 5th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
you will always be my fave, little commi-pinko Kilian
May 5th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
ah shucks!
May 5th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Well, for one the French in WW2 used horses to fight tanks, and that is where I’m going to stop at their dumbshit tactics. Though building a really neat huge wall with a corridor was pretty damn dumb too. Part of the reason why some hate the French has to do with how rude they are but I’ve met worse here so I can’t be too hard on the blokes.
Thankfully, the French government finally has a decent leader who is trying to balance social welfare, and a budget (points at someone).
You would not believe the number of escorts walking around the French capital after 11PM. I’m just saying the number is kinda high.
As to political correctiveness it is pretty damn stupid endeavor. Hey lets work on creating new words to pretend that we are equal.
Kilian you should remember the triple F conversation!!
May 5th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
the reason i don’t like france… they have pretty women… Of course i wouldn’t go there because they seem to think Americans are violent… of course i can always support that theory if they want me too
ALSO i think if they had star wars or Lord of the rings in sermons i would be more confused then a fish in a airplane…xD
May 5th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Don’t forget that those pretty women don’t shave under their arms :o/ Demographically the US has the same number of “pretty” women.
Count the very reason you need to visit is to met, greet, and have dinner with some random folks to disprove that notion.
May 5th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Well, the French did have tanks, but they topped out at around 10 mph, whereas the smaller, lighter German variety topped out around 40 mph, meaning that the Germans were much more able to maneuver fight their battle. And, you know, the Germans employed horses as well, but usually as part of supply movement.
May 5th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Oh Europe, how superior you are.
May 5th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Kilian are you European !?
May 5th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
i think to say europe as a whole is superior to the states may be a bit far of a reach. there are some great countries there that have much to offer(norway comes to mind quickly) but there are some shit hole places that make me wonder just how far that continent has come in the past fifty years(eastern portion mostly). i must say i love the concept they have of working to live, not living to work, i guess i am back and forth when it comes to europe. france is f’ing dirty though, im not bagging on the people but the country itself could use crates full of those sanitary wipes that you get at gas stations and what not. sanitation my friends, sanitation.
May 5th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Well, you do have to cut Eastern Europe a bit of slack. Here’s a true story. In 2004, when I was still living in San Francisco, the goalie on one of my soccer team’s was Czech. He was 30 and had never seen Star Wars. When he told me that, I nearly popped an eyeball out of my head until he explained that, hey, until 1989, his country was still under communist rule and there was a lot of western european/US pop-culture that he (and, I’m guessing most eastern europeans of a certain age range) had missed out on.
And, Western Europe has it’s issues. Try watching a soccer match from Denmark or Sweden (hell, any of the scandanavian countries) with a team that fields an african player. I can just about guarantee that you’ll hear a sizable portion of the crowd making monkey sounds, and odds are good you’ll see at least a few bananas thrown onto the pitch.
There’s f’ed up shit everywhere…I just think there’s less of it on the other side of the Atlantic.
And, no I’m not european. Born and raised in Southern California…of course, had I the means, I’d pack the wife and kid and move to london in a heartbeat.
May 6th, 2008 at 9:25 am
30 and no star wars!!! that just plain sucks. soccer is serious there eh?
May 6th, 2008 at 10:14 am
That’s what I’m sayin…about the star wars. Let’s just say that in Europe there is soccer and then…everything else. That’s not a euphemism either. Consider, for instance, Glasgow. The Scottish Premier League has been won by one of two teams each year since 1986; either Celtic or Rangers. Each team plays in Glasgow, Celtic is a Catholic side, Rangers are a Protestant side. You can imagine, there is quite a bit of…emotion that runs up when the two teams play. So much so, in fact, that supporters from Rangers have been known to sing a song with a line “up to our knees in fenian blood” during matches.
I could go on…like how some Italian clubs have supporter groups that are, essentially, neo-nazi/fascist gangs. How, in the past, some english club supporters have rioted and killed dozens (even hundreds) of opposing supporters. How Real Madrid (possibly the most historically successful soccer club on the planet) was, for a long time, part of Franco’s propaganda machine in fascist Spain, and how Barcelona (and it’s basque supporters) were, in a lot of serious way, repressed and abused.
Really, the last, say 150 years of European history can be traced/linked to soccer in a very real and interesting (at least to me) way.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:40 am
I like to think we balance out.
But something to note. Our money is better. Hence:
May 6th, 2008 at 11:41 am
The picture didn’t show up, so here’s the link.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
well, i’d say that is an argument for their money being better…
May 6th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Ew.
May 7th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
lol its jagged