Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]This is in response to Don R's message. I must wonder if he has ever been to France and especially to Normandy. A year ago, my wife and I took a train from Paris to Normandy to visit some friends who live 5 KM from Mt. Saint Michel. On the train, a distinguished old man approached us and asked if we were Americans. Maybe it was my taking pictures out the train window with my Leica that gave us away. (There, back on topic.) We responded, "Yes". He then said, "I want to thank you and all Americans for sending your boys to France to save us from the Germans." He was living in Normandy during WW2 and he said he remembered the terrible times under the Nazis and how bad the battles were. He said he was impressed with how brave the American soldiers were. He certainly seemed genuinely grateful to me. All over Normandy one see monuments and displays of gratitude to the Americans and the British. Once I was at the American cemetery on Memorial Day and the huge display of floral wreaths all emblazoned, "Merci, USA" was simply astounding. I have had similar experiences of gratitude many times in France. In fact on my last two trips to Paris, my wife and I agreed, the French were much more friendly to Americans than ever. Even the waiters were more pleasant and wished us a pleasant stay in Paris when we parted. I have never had a bad experience with any Frenchman other than one waiter in Paris. It is my observation that the average American who berates the French for being ungrateful has never been to France. Or if they have been, they went on a bus tour with Americans where they never had the opportunity to speak directly with real Frenchmen. One should not judge what a people think and say just by what one reads in the newspaper or sees on TV. It makes better news copy if the reporter can put a negative spin on things. I would like to hear from others on the LUG who have had good experiences in France and other European countries.-- while photographing with their Leicas. Ken Lassiter Boynton Beach, FL Don R wrote: "Mike, you are directly on target! Don't let anyone bully you about this subject. Dad went into France with hundreds of thousands of American boys and after almost a year and a half of observing the Vichy French who threw in with Hitler and his Nazi's killing Americans, his view was that it was a true shame that a single American boy died saving France. The French have not changed in hundreds of years and they will not change. But they will certainly scream for help once their Islamic population begins to take over....." - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html