Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity
(Blue), (White), and (Red)

1. They gave us the notion of the 'French Kiss,' need I say more, or do you need to be reminded of how the Puritans use to do it?
2. Without Jacques Cousteau, the inventor of the aqua lung, underwater exploration would still be a dream.
3. France has the best railway system in the world, the 'National Railways Society.' The environmentally friendly, state run, railway system is a model of mass transportation for the world. It is a "mastery of thermal and electric propulsion, reliable braking techniques and materials, aero-acoustic comfort, and high-performance security, monitoring, control, and signaling software." In addition, the Train à Grande Vitesse holds the world speed record of 515 km/h.
4. Without the help of the French (most notably Marquis de Lafayette, who convinced the French nobility into giving aid to Gen. Washington in order to defeat the British, Admiral Ternay who brought troops and equipment to the Americans, and Count Rochambeau who commanded those troops for Gen. Washington), the American colonists would have lost the war against the British and this nation would still be a colony of Britain.
5. For the efforts of Marie and Pierre Curie, they pioneered the study of radiation.
6. For Louis Braille's method of type, which has allowed millions of blind people to read.
7. For the mathematician, physicists, philosopher, and theologian, Blaise Pascal, who the computer field owes a debt of thanks for laying the ground work for computer industry.
8. Paris gave Victor Hugo the education and life experiences that inspired him to write "Les Miserables" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Two shining literary examples of what true democracy is up against.
9. The people of France gave the US the Statue of Liberty in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution and to commemorate America's 100th birthday in 1876.
10. The French people, as a nation, had the will power to point out to its closest friends in the world, the United States of America, that the President of United States and his administration was acting like a group of thugs. Just because France didn't want to help the 'US of A' steal Iraq's oil, doesn't mean that they're anti-American. The act of a true friend is one who will tell you, to your face, that you're acting like an ass and your screwing things up for the rest of the world. And that's what France did.

A note to the Misinformed (a.k.a. the Conservatives and other "Lying Liars"): the United States of America is not a Democracy! If you don't believe me check you dictionary for the word 'democracy' and/or read the U.S. constitution. If you read the U.S. Constitution not only will you learn that United States of America is NOT a democracy but also why President Bush, the only president in U.S. history to be appointed by the Supreme Court, should be impeached and/or tried for treason. United States of America has always been and is now a republic!!! In short, we cannot bring democracy to other countries if it doesn't exist here in the United States or, putting it in businessmenspeak (a kindred spirit to Newspeak), 'No have, no sell.'
First posted 07-28-2004