This got posted on a forum where I live (fishing town). I find the term massively offensive, historically inaccurate and racist.
Am I snowflake or justified in asking for the poster to be banned?
Yet you've repeated it. 😕
‘Historically inaccurate’?
Explain please.
If you’re offended then kick off like everyone else does.
Neither. A better use of your time would be to understand why people create scapegoats to cover up the shortcomings of their own decisions.
This got posted on a forum where I live (fishing town)
Hartlepool?
‘Historically inaccurate’?
Explain please.
"France has one of the best military records by country, and they have taken part in more wars than any other country in the world. Out of 168 battles fought since 387 BC, France has won 109, lost 49 and drawn 10."
Snowflake
It's from The Simpsons.
Suggest to those people that they go on a tour of France only visiting French military cemeteries from the 1st and 2nd 20th century European wars. And maybe go to the German war graves in France as well.
Then ask them what they think.
I'd ignore it and move on with your life. There's an interesting thread about supermarket black pudding that's worth checking out.
Are you really offended or just trying to get a “discussion” going? Pre-trolling?
Hartlepool?
Made me laugh! 🐒
Sadly, lazily insulting the French will become more and more common form here on. What I really fear is that anti-Irish sentiment will also begin to grow after the anti-French stuff has fulfilled its purpose as the scapegoating and distraction tactic of choice in England.
It’s from The Simpsons.
Yup, in an example of gross ingratitude.
If it wasn't for the French Americans would be speaking British English today :
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/how-france-helped-win-american-revolution
France provided the money, troops, armament, military leadership, and naval support that tipped the balance of military power in favor of the United States and paved the way for the Continental Army’s ultimate victory, which was sealed at Yorktown, VA, five years after Franklin embarked on his mission.
When British Gen. Charles Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown on Oct. 19, 1781, his vanquished troops marched through a corridor formed by the victorious forces. On one side were the Americans; on the other side stood the French – a scene that mirrored how critical France’s support had been.
Anti-Irish sentiment has never really gone away.
Of course not, but it could grow. I fear it might become useful to encourage that, just as it is useful to encourage the anti-French stuff to grow now. And the effects could be worse than the anti-French, er, Renaissance, that is building now.
Significantly less accurate statement than Perfidious Albion.
Oh, importantly, in the Simpson’s episode, its a Brit using the term, not an American.
Biden alluded to the debt the USA has to France only this week.
Was it not French soldiers that fought off the Germans whilst the evacuation at Dunkirk was ongoing ?
Oh, importantly, in the Simpson’s episode, it’s a Brit using the term, not an American.
Also important to note is that in the run-up to the second gulf war anti-French feelings were running very high in the United States, certainly higher than in the UK.
Based on the fact that the French President at the time, despite being a crook, was aware of how horrific war is, unlike the US neo-con chicken hawks.
Lets not let the truth get in the way of some Euro-bashing.
Oh, importantly, in the Simpson’s episode, its a Scot using the term, not an American.
It was Groundskeeper Willie.
If that’s as bad as it gets… you’re lucky.
You couldn’t be that arsed to use it as your topic title.
Note the poignant date.
https://www.newsweek.com/britain-produces-more-cheese-france-484465?amp=1
Be careful when throwing rocks in glasshouses.
As for surrender - I can’t think of a word that better defines brexit.
It’s from The Simpsons.
I was racking my brain trying to think where I’d heard that. Had it down as a John Cleese thing.
From that story…
Over 750 different cheeses are produced in Britain today
How many of those are polluted with cranberries or apricot?
Also important to note is that in the run-up to the second gulf war anti-French feelings were running very high in the United States, certainly higher than in the UK.
I don’t think the Simpsons episode comes from that period at all.
It was Groundskeeper Willie.
It was!
The term isn't "cheese producing surrender monkeys"
The French consume more cheese than any other nation on Earth.
Having worked very closely with a team in France for the last 20 years they thought CESM was quite funny
The French consume more cheese than any other nation on Earth.
Is that not the USA?
EDIT: ah, you probably mean per a head, not the nation as a whole
I don’t think the Simpsons episode comes from that period at all.
No you're right, 1995. The term however came to prominence in the United States in the run-up to the second gulf war.
Anti-French feelings were running high. It was a time when french fries were renamed freedom fries, because apparently that would hurt the French.
Is that not the USA?
Per capita.
Is that not the USA?
The majority of “cheese” in the USA is not cheese. God knows what it is. But it’s not cheese.
Grounds keeper Wullie was clearly a traitor to the auld alliance.
Per capita.
Factoid to go to bed on…
The countries with the highest levels of cheese per capita consumption in 2019 were the Czech Republic (64 kg per person), Germany (37 kg per person) and France (25 kg per person).
…happy cheese dreams.
But it’s not cheese
The USA consumes a quarter of the world’s actual cheese. That’s not including all their “cheese flavoured” stuff, or their “contains real cheese” not real cheese.
What's your sauce?
Edit : Whatever it is it's more recent than mine. Britian still doesn't figure though.
Blessed are the cheese makers anyway.
I was surprised as well. Things have changed considerably since your 2014 story.
From 2013 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of cheese per capita consumption, amongst the main consuming countries, was attained by the Czech Republic, while cheese per capita consumption for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.
The French consume more cheese than any other nation on Earth.
Not per capita (which seems like a reasonable way to measure it) they don’t - admittedly 2017 figures and you may have more recent ones.
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-who-consume-the-most-cheese.html
If you want to do it by total consumption, then given population size I think the US eats 2-3 times as much cheese as France.
But you can dredge up internet “facts” and stats to support anything (or at least I can).
Edit - far, far too slow. Anyone who knows me in real life may know what my wife does for a living and would find this argument about cheese production (or dairy generally) very funny.
Anyway having established that the Americans eat more cheese than anyone else, when was the last time they won a war without someone else's help?
Never?
Anyway, I’m reminded that I’m trying to eat less cheese, so need to stop talking about it before I’m drawn to the fridge. Night, night.
And to be fair, the French do make/eat some very good cheese.
@kelvin - my wife would be able to explain to you why good cheese is very good for you. Only good cheese if I recall.
Americans and wars - 1776ish springs to mind… or were they helped out by the French?
I thought it was Donald Rumsfeld who used the phrase in 2002/3 but if the Simpsons were using it in 1995 maybe he was just quoting them, I never knew that.
I’d ignore it and move on with your life.
This.
I quite like the fact the thread has degenerated into a discussion on global cheese consumption. More interesting than the OP.
It's definitely Groundskeeper Willie, a scot, voiced by an American.
But importantly, the context it's shown in is one of how inappropriate a French teacher he is because he'd use a phrase like that.
That it has been adopted by knuckle draggers as an actual insult is somewhat ironic
The phrase predates the Simpsons by 20 years, certainly used when I was at school.
Offensive? To me it's too ridiculous and contrived to be offensive, but who am I to judge how others should feel.
As for the wider political issues - aiui fishing rights are governed by international treaties and laws, so I'm behind the curve as to how the UK or France can be disputing all this. You either have the right and/or license to fish somewhere or you don't. It "should" be Black and white clearcut?
I am not offended and i love cheese. I live less than 20km from where Roquefort is made and get to eat lots of it.
