Declension wrote:
Why exactly do right-wing Americans dislike France? It seems very odd to me, since right-wing Americans apparently worship the founders of America, who were serious Francophiles. Maybe it's because France disagreed with the invasion of Iraq, but isn't it older than that?
The French disagreement with the invasion of Iraq has largely been forgotten, as has the invasion of Iraq itself.
For American conservatives, the principal beef is this
http://www.politicususa.com/sarah-palin ... socialism/Quote:
As if Sarah Palin’s weekend comments on Egypt weren’t confusing enough, Palin appeared on Fox Business to tell the American people, or the five Americans who watch Fox Business, that Obama isn’t really moving to the center. He is moving America towards Socialism. Palin said Obama needs to get away, “from his far left policies that are going to lead to some European-style socialist agenda that is going to destroy the economy.”
Mrs. Palin has never been to Europe. Few American Conservatives have (Mitt Romney being a notable exception). And, Mrs. Palin obviously doesn't have the slightest idea what she is jabbering about. She, and just about all other American Conservatives, have it in their heads that Europe (of which many American Conservatives know that France is a part) is the epicenter for evil Socialist agenda, and free health care.
The founders of the USA were indeed Francophiles, and French military assistance was crucial to defeating the British. However, American Conservatives will be quick to tell you that the American Revolution was all about love of guns, freedom, Christianity, and the Constitution, hatred of taxes, and was in no way motivated by secular-humanist Enlightenment philosophers. And, the French military had very little to do with winning the war, particularly compared to patriots like Paul Revere.
American right-wingers do worship the "Founding Fathers", but not as they actually were: only a remade version, in the image of modern American right-wingers. Man made God in his own image. America's right wing made the "Founding Fathers" in
its own image. And, America's Right Wing has remade France in the image of Beelzebub.