I could not help myself this morning. Just had to do it. Had to click on the Facebook pages of known French bashers, to see their reactions, or decided lack thereof. It was interesting and, I think, telling. Here are some of those that I looked up:
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on former President George W. Bush's Facebook page.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Rush Limbaugh's Facebook page. Radio silence from his end.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Dennis Miller's Facebook page.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Ann Coulter's Facebook page. Remember, she once advocated that the United States needed to attack France.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Bill Gertz 's Facebook page.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Frank Gaffney 's Facebook page.
Quite a bit about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Glen Beck's Facebook page, generally supportive. Apparently, he is not being quite so vocal about the inherent evilness and decadence of French culture right now. In fact, he seemed downright supportive, which given his track record with anti-French sentiments, seems a bit opportunistic.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on former Senator Roy Blunt's Facebook page. He is not a particularly prominent or well-known politician, although he sure stood out for his French-bashing comments in the past, so is well known in that capacity.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Senator Roy Blunt's Facebook page.
One note about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Walter Jones's Facebook page. He was one of the co-sponsors of renaming French fries and French toast some years ago, when the Iraq invasion was looming, and his most pressing call was renaming potatos and toast, and censoring the term French as a word and as a concept in the Congressional cafeteria.
This is what he has to say now:
Today my prayers are for the French people and victims of radical Islamic terrorism. #Prayers4Paris
I find this a little disingenuous, since it is the politically profitable thing to say and do right now. More than a decade ago, he felt that the politically profitable thing to do was French-bashing, and he most certainly did not hesitate then. Apparently, the political winds have changed, at least for the moment, and the French-hater is now expressing public sympathy. I wanted to leave a pointed comment about this double standard, bit decided against it. Maybe he even truly feels that way, right now. So, I will take it at face value, and move on.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Howard Stern Show's Facebook page.
Nothing about the Paris or Lebanese attacks on Jay Leno's Facebook page (called Jay Leno's Garage, which is apparently a new show that he has). However, a presumably amusing clip that promotes his comedy show was posted yesterday. Good to see that the Paris attacks did not bother his life enough (or those of like-minded fans of his) to pay attention to them.
Some things about the Paris attacks on Guy Kawasaki's Facebook page. He might not be a name that immediately comes to mind (I did not know of him, other than the French=bashing piece that he pieced together, Top Ten Quotes; France and the French: http://guykawasaki.com/top_ten_quotes_/
Well, he has a few posts about the French now, and mostly sympathizing with them. They apparently have regained their humanity and are no longer simply just the butt of jokes. Nice move, Guy. I'll just let this stand on it's own, without further comment from me.
Quite a bit relating to the Paris attacks on FOX News's Facebook page. Of course, that is probably because it is a news page, and is not supposed to promote outright political views, in theory. Many pictures and stories relating to it, and generally showing support for Paris and France.
French-bashing, which was of course hugely popular not all that long ago for FOX News and supporters, apparently has sat down for a moment to take a breather. It might be considered a bit inappropriate or in bad taste to make fun of the French at the moment, although I was rather surprised and disgusted to see the stupid French-bashing commercial by Dollar Shave Club airing right on the evening news coverage of the Paris attacks. Otherwise, it has been quiet. One cannot help but wonder how long that will last, though.
Throughout the world, there have been shows of solidarity and sympathy with Paris and France in the wakes of the attacks. In Sydney, Australia, the Sydney Opera House was lit up in the colors of the French flag. So was the statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In Washington, the Capitol Building was decked out in blue, blanc, et rouge in a show of support for France. Similar shows of support in Toronto and throughout eastern Canada, and probably some western cities that I am not as familiar with. In Seattle, the top of the beautiful Space Needle was also in the colors of France as a show of support.
The National Football League will hold a moment of silence in honor of the Paris attacks victims later today, which I thought was a decent gesture. The Army football team yesterday came out under a French flag, which was touching and moving. There were similar shows of support in the NHL, and quite probably the NBA, I am guessing.
The reactions continue...
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