tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post1018923646366419321..comments2023-08-07T09:56:04.428-05:00Comments on Better Than Machines: Maybe This Is Why Conservatives Hate FranceDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11154351095467482965noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-43201952850814884562009-02-16T17:02:00.000-06:002009-02-16T17:02:00.000-06:00J'adore la France.J'adore la France.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06517252487552392654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-61836376199290334182009-02-16T17:01:00.000-06:002009-02-16T17:01:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06517252487552392654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-2178509302254237072009-02-13T19:28:00.000-06:002009-02-13T19:28:00.000-06:00you are hilarious, dad. actually, i would like fra...you are hilarious, dad. actually, i would like france alot more if there were some hobbits running around. that would improve any location.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07969357513275063157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-63733137898349949462009-02-13T15:27:00.000-06:002009-02-13T15:27:00.000-06:00"Brie"? Isn't that the village where the Dancing ..."Brie"? Isn't that the village where the Dancing Pony Tavern is? I wonder if they ever fixed the gates after the Nazgul knocked them down?Camp Papahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03918758148818443535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-14248975988778389102009-02-13T13:55:00.000-06:002009-02-13T13:55:00.000-06:00It could be a larger post about how the upper-eche...It could be a larger post about how the upper-echelons of the party manipulate the religious convictions of the lower and middle classes (especially in the South) to get huge benefits for the wealthy. <BR/><BR/>Get drafting on that.M and Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09949403946041080463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-32975952415853819272009-02-13T13:39:00.000-06:002009-02-13T13:39:00.000-06:00Liz, that's a good point. I didn't touch on religi...Liz, that's a good point. I didn't touch on religion at all. <BR/><BR/>But I do think that "conservatives" (I should explain better what I mean when I say that) try to confuse the issue by making it seem like leftist economics and Godlessness cannot be separated.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11154351095467482965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-71999391624657427282009-02-13T12:47:00.000-06:002009-02-13T12:47:00.000-06:00WHAT'S SO WRONG WITH BRIE?????I love France. Love...WHAT'S SO WRONG WITH BRIE?????<BR/><BR/>I love France. Love the wine, love the cheese, love the cities, love the countryside...the list goes on and on. I'm not completely sold on their political institutions or some of their labor laws, but I think there are definitely plenty of nice things we can find to say about France. <BR/><BR/>I think one thing you don't mention that is extremely important in understanding Conservative "fear"- especially for the religiously-minded- is it's "rampant" moral relativism (leading the way for the rest of Europe). I think the statistics that get thrown around about non-belief strike at the very heart of what so many traditional, conservative people believe to be most important: religion. People fear that we will one day be a country (like France) where people don't even recognize a higher power.M and Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09949403946041080463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-34186941745970294952009-02-13T10:31:00.000-06:002009-02-13T10:31:00.000-06:00The post is proudly one-sided in a few different w...The post is proudly one-sided in a few different ways: I think France is not the crumbling place it is sometimes portrayed as. I think a lot of what is great about France is the direct result of "an organized, engaged, militant citizenry." Finally, I think the US could benefit from a little of that militant spirit. In fact, I would argue that most of the great progressive gains in American history (abolition of slavery, child labor laws, minimum wage, the weekend, women's suffrage, environmental protections, the new deal, social security, civil rights, etc.) resulted from "people in the streets" acting outside of electoral politics.<BR/><BR/>Can we still make fun of them? Of course! I mean, look at 'em! But we oughta get us some of that "general strike" every once in a while.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11154351095467482965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-35511650683685049912009-02-13T01:08:00.000-06:002009-02-13T01:08:00.000-06:00Hmmm, Dave. Never thought about it that way. I've ...Hmmm, Dave. Never thought about it that way. I've never noticed that France is portrayed in the US as a "power to the people" kind of place, so why would conservatives single out that image to combat? Also, they have alot less people to look after than America does, could that have something to do with it? You raise some interesting points that I need to think more about.<BR/><BR/>Can we still make fun of them, just a little? Only good naturedly? They make fun of us--it's only fair! ;)Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07969357513275063157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-57003376620942877922009-02-12T23:22:00.000-06:002009-02-12T23:22:00.000-06:00The French, uh? Okay, as long as I can have a smo...The French, uh? Okay, as long as I can have a smoke-free and a dog-free restaurant. <BR/><BR/>I think T. J. said it well, "Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories."Camp Papahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03918758148818443535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4065910512732060865.post-56728685911354607972009-02-12T23:11:00.000-06:002009-02-12T23:11:00.000-06:00First of all, I think you and I agree on a lot of ...First of all, I think you and I agree on a lot of things, but I think your post is too one sided. Here are my two biggest concerns about France:<BR/><BR/>1) <A HREF="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123361145807140931.html" REL="nofollow">Unemployment</A>, but these are tough economic times (our current unemployment is <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Economy" REL="nofollow">7.6%</A>).<BR/><BR/>2) <A HREF="http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1688014,00.html" REL="nofollow">People in the streets.</A> <A HREF="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4413964.stm" REL="nofollow">An organized, engaged, militant citizenry.</A>Natehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06755878647524837095noreply@blogger.com