by Joseph Zavarella

Created on: April 17, 2008

It is almost revolting, but certainly infuriating, to read that the French are aghast at the new English incursion to their language. Apparently the French purists are taking issue with the fact that the lyrics of France's entry in a popular European song contest are in English. My goodness what is to become of these pampered brats of the European continent? Isn't it true that the English ate their lunch at a place called Waterloo? It surprises me that they aren't speaking English after that walloping that Napoleon took. Never mind the pasting that Napoleon and the French army took when it ill advisedly tried to conquer Russia in the worst military disaster of the time.

I guess the one thing the French have to hold on to with any degree of pride is their language since they've lost any of the wars in which they've been involved. Speaking of that, America is often called a war mongering country in many instances by the French, but it seems to me that most of the wars we Americans have been involved in have something to do with France's inability to defend itself when push comes to shove. Europe has existed for thousands of years and in those millennia countless millions have been killed by conquering armies that swept across the continent in all directions. They still haven't got it right over there. The U.S. has existed for a bit over two hundred years and, yes, we've been involved in wars, but except for the Revolution and our own Civil War, most have been inspired by European influence whether it is from Spain, France, England or Germany. Asia and the Middle East come in at a close second.

Please spare us the whining of a nation of egoistic fools who cry when others make better wine, better cars, infinitely better cuisine, and in this case songs that win at Eurovision. The French culture is an amalgam of all the cultures of conquering armies and incursions by the Vikings of old and the Romans. How dare they suggest that they have some kind of proprietary right to whether or not a song should be sung in French or English when it is the artist who has that right to make whatever decision he cares to make. In this particular instance the artist himself, Sebastien Tellier, is French. Tellier said he tried the lyrics in French first, but that didn't work as well as the English version. He is being criticized by many in France including the government for his decision to go ahead and sing the song at Eurovision in English.

I suppose it can be argued that Tellier does not have national pride, but his critics certainly do. Of course this is not an issue upon which a nation will ultimately go to war, but it seems that it could kindle some very unfortunate feelings of contempt for the French people and its government. Not that it would make any difference because the French seem to be oblivious to the fact that their particular ethnocentric value structure is elitist in substance and content. One can only wonder if that attitude is justified in light of their history.

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