Dear Michael and mid-60s Buick owners who see the values of the United States as the ultimate patriotism,
This is one retired U.S. military member that also served with the French in NATO.
And eve though we make light and sport of the French, I understand that America owes a eternal debt of gratitude to the French, who helped us in a last hour, and we returned in kind many years later.
Thank you very much for taking the time to write this. It is hard to overstate how difficult it has become to be French in the United States, only worse so in the realm of academia. Academics are very proud of championing "diversity," but French are relegated to the indignity of
"dead white men." That's extremely hard to take when you are very much alive and unable to find work as an academic.
Before the invasion of Iraq, all the cars had French and American flag stickers and we flew both flags on the patriotic holidays of both countries. In the political wrangling before the invasion, my cousin in Boston was harassed for being French. I decided it was no longer safe to publicly proclaim my French identity. The stickers came off the cars - the flags flew no more.
Being a patriot is very much like being a sincere worshiper. A patriot only Independence day is like a Christian only on Christmas. It is the other 364 days that really count. For far too many - they don't . . . . .
Such are the conditions that prevail . . . . .
Edouard
