Do the French Try to Offend or Are They Just Born That Way?

Two back-to-back Web reports today made me say, “Mon Dieu.”

The first really chaps my hide, as we used to say in the West. West Fargo, that is.

At next week’s remembrance of D-Day in France, Barack Obama will be present as well as French president Nicolas Sarkozy. But guess who has not been invited?

Queen Elizabeth II.

Even though she was a Princess Royal and certainly did not need to do so, Elizabeth volunteered for driving service during WWII. Her parents, King Edward and Queen Elizabeth, refused to leave London even as the city was subjected to unceasing bombing raids. Quite unbelievably, however, they kept their two daughters with them throughout the duration.

If my WWII history is correct, Great Britain had a little bit to do with saving France’s lard, did it not? Perhaps I’m exaggerating but it was always my understanding that the French would be strolling down the Champs ElyFuhrer if it weren’t for the United States and Great Britain.

That’s gratitude for ya’.

French Insult #2:

A study by the PEW Center for Excellence in Journalism of H1N1 (“swine”) flu coverage among nations found that the United States wasn’t even close to being the most hysterical when it came to reporting the disease, its symptoms and tracking. Not even close.

The country that hyped the story the most? China. China? Turns out the number of its reported cases of swine flu — one — was as heavily reported with front page stories as newspapers in the USA, which had 2,000 cases.

Where do the French fit in? Well, quoting the report:
“The French paper Le Figaro..ran just two stories on the front pages, but sparked an outcry by terming the outbreak “’the Mexican flu.’”

Mon Dieu.