Yeah, it's getting a little out of hand.
NewsMax's nationwide campaign to "Boycott France" hit a major milestone today when the New York Times published a NewsMax advertisement in its print editions.
The Boycott France ad called for a complete boycott of French goods and services, and offered a list of French companies and products on the boycott list. Already NewsMax has received a tremendously positive response to the ad. The New York Times is one of the most influential newspapers in the world--and has several million readers each day.
You can see the ad by Clicking Here. With the help of our readers, NewsMax has placed ads in the Washington Times and New York Times, as well as having sent more than 10 million e-mails urging a French boycott and providing the boycott list.
In Idaho, they're actually getting worried. In a non-ironic way.
Idaho potato farmers are suggesting the industry change the name of one of America's favorite fast foods from french fries to American fries.
"We had heard talk that people were actually going to boycott french fries," said Keith Esplin, executive director of the Potato Growers of Idaho, a trade association. "We wanted to make it clear that french fries aren't from France."
and
He was in Denver last week for a potato industry meeting.
"The British Potato Council did a presentation and in their presentation they changed they struck 'french fries' and substituted 'freedom fries,' so it's getting a lot of publicity, which is good," McCullough said.
We're not talking about a few lone goofballs. It's a bona fide cultural movement. How *significant* a cultural movement remains to be seen.
``Iraq first, then France,'' read an e-mail sent last week to the French Embassy in Washington, D.C.
A California chain of three dry cleaning stores called French Cleaners was targeted by vandals on Wednesday. One shop was gutted by fire.
...A World War II veteran who was decorated by the French government for his D-Day bravery returned his medal Friday to protest what he called the country's cowardice for opposing the war in Iraq.
George Wilson, 80, placed the Jubilee of Liberty medal at the gate of the French Embassy.
``This morning was rather sad,'' said embassy spokeswoman Agnes Vondermuhll.
...In West Los Angeles on Friday, five people waved American flags in front of the French Consulate. They held signs saying ``What is France hiding?'' and shouted at passing cars: ``Boycott France'' and ``Support our troops.''
Executives with Sofitel hotels, an upscale chain owned by Accor Hotels of France, have ordered French flags to be taken down at most of its U.S. locations, calling it a precautionary measure.
Last week, the chairman of the U.S. House Administration Committee, Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, ordered that House restaurants change their menus to read ``freedom fries'' instead of French fries. French toast would also become freedom toast.
In West Palm Beach, Fla., last month a bar owner dumped his entire stock of French wine and champagne into the street, vowing to serve vintages only from nations that support U.S. policy.
As a local, I can tell you that last item got a *lot* of coverage around here. And has apparently been good for the bar's business. |
