Comments on: The French connection http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/ In the last few years I have met many foreigners living in Romania. I also have lots of foreign friends everywhere. Every now and then, but on regular basis, I hear how Romania or Romanians are and I am being asked about that. Here is the beginning of a cultural guide to getting to know Romania and Romanians with good and bad, so feel free to have have your say. Many other countries are doing this unconventional research, so, why not us too?! Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:46:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Claudia Darian http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/#comment-28 Claudia Darian Sat, 16 Dec 2006 14:40:34 +0000 http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/#comment-28 see above see above

]]> By: Anonymus http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/#comment-27 Anonymus Sat, 16 Dec 2006 14:39:44 +0000 http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/#comment-27 I didn't say that. I do share the view that Romania has more in common with other countries, but at the same time I wouldn't diss off France and our past connection with the French. I didn’t say that. I do share the view that Romania has more in common with other countries, but at the same time I wouldn’t diss off France and our past connection with the French.

]]> By: jon http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/#comment-26 jon Fri, 15 Dec 2006 20:51:23 +0000 http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/#comment-26 France is in a mess socially, morally and politcally. They are closer to communism than Romania at the present moment. Please don't say you like the French simply because they don't like Americans. There are plenty of countries that don't like America. Why not side with Iraq or Cuba. Romania has much more in common with much better countries than France. Setting common linquistic characteristics aside and the fact that Romania hired French designers to help beautiful Bucuresti decades back should not create such an afinity. Romania has more in common with the Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece and Hungary from a cultural standpoint than they do with France. Forget France. Follow them and you might as well resurrect Ceaucescu from the grave, prop him up in the peoples palace and let him make all the decisions again. France is in a mess socially, morally and politcally. They are closer to communism than Romania at the present moment. Please don’t say you like the French simply because they don’t like Americans. There are plenty of countries that don’t like America. Why not side with Iraq or Cuba.

Romania has much more in common with much better countries than France. Setting common linquistic characteristics aside and the fact that Romania hired French designers to help beautiful Bucuresti decades back should not create such an afinity. Romania has more in common with the Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece and Hungary from a cultural standpoint than they do with France. Forget France. Follow them and you might as well resurrect Ceaucescu from the grave, prop him up in the peoples palace and let him make all the decisions again.

]]> By: dizzyggg http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/#comment-6 dizzyggg Tue, 21 Nov 2006 02:46:10 +0000 http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/the-french-connection/#comment-6 Joegee said... Interesting comment here - "All things considered, I like French because they are the only one opposing the Americans most often than not." When I was in Romania last summer I did not seem to run into much anti-American sentiment, of course that doesn't mean it does not exist. My general impression, though, is that Romanians seem to favor America (maybe excluding some foreign policy decisions)rather than not. What's behind your anti-American sentiment? 25 September, 2006 Anonymous said... Hi Joegee. I am not anti-American, I am against arrogance, self-sufficency and unilateralism in global politics, things that U.S. showed plenty under the George W. Bush administration. I think is healthy to have a counter-balance and an opposition to such a forcefull foreign policy as the one practiced by US. Unfortunately E.U. proved unable to balance the global decisions and to temper the Americans in more than one ocassion. In the EU we have mostly individual voices of a few countries, particularly France and Germany. Sometimes Spain and Italy. Nonetheless, if the French or the Germans will go and bomb a foreign country having no clear grounds and no international backup, I'll have no reluctance in critising them too. In any case, I really do think that George W. Bush had had a disastrous foreign policy and he is the first to be held responsible for the rise of terrorism and the anti-Americanism across the globe, that is a very dangerous trend. People should never be anti- any other people. 26 September, 2006 claudia darian said... Hi Joegee. I am not anti-American, I am against arrogance, self-sufficency and unilateralism in global politics, things that U.S. showed plenty under the George W. Bush administration. I think is healthy to have a counter-balance and an opposition to such a forcefull foreign policy as the one practiced by US. Unfortunately E.U. proved unable to balance the global decisions and to temper the Americans in more than one ocassion. In the EU we have mostly individual voices of a few countries, particularly France and Germany. Sometimes Spain and Italy. Nonetheless, if the French or the Germans will go and bomb a foreign country having no clear grounds and no international backup, I'll have no reluctance in critising them too. In any case, I really do think that George W. Bush had had a disastrous foreign policy and he is the first to be held responsible for the rise of terrorism and the anti-Americanism across the globe, that is a very dangerous trend. People should never be anti- any other people. 26 September, 2006 joegee said... Claudia…I think that a problem arises when we use synecdoche to define the merits or the integrity of whole nations, in this case the US. I won’t sit here and pretend that the policies of the US in Iraq haven’t created glaring problems, but George Bush’s action in this one regard is just that, one action which people are using to define the whole of America’s foreign policy and in some cases the whole American government and culture. There are actually many acts of benevolence that the US is responsible for on a daily basis as well, like the support of countless democracies worldwide, including Romania to the tune of millions upon millions of dollars. I think ultimately the only valid opinion on whether the actions of the US have been right or wrong will be the opinion of the Iraqi people as a whole, and I think the jury is still out on this one…..let’s wait and see. 26 September, 2006 claudia darian said... Joegee...I didn't judge US through its president, George Bush. I really disagree that 'the only valid opinion on whether the actions of the US have been right or wrong will be the opinion of the Iraqi people as a whole'. We live in a global society for good or bad and, as long as we are informed, we should be able to judge the world around us, that is the role of civil society... As for the support of democracy worldwide by US, that had always come with a price; however is the part of US role as the global leader. I don't like Bush at all, but I would't judge America by him. More than half of Americans don't like Bush either. It has nothing to do with American culture. I also hate McDonalds, but I like a lot Coca Cola... hope you understand my point. 28 September, 2006 Joegee said... Claudia……you’ve made your point well, and so it is hard to miss. You don’t like George Bush and his leadership of the US. You are right, for the most part, about public opinion here for Mr. Bush. With almost 3000 dead Americans and billions of dollars spent, much of the former public anger that was born on September 11th 2001 has faded into the background. It can be almost humorous if it wasn’t so pathetic to listen to the way liberal journalists and political scholars take him apart piece by piece on news programs. But the anti-American sentiment is sounding so loud in the ears of the world, America included, that anything short of total success in Iraq will equal doom for his Presidency. I am curious about what you think about the plans for an American military base in your country. I mean, what effect do you think this little part of Americana will have on the Romanian people? 29 September, 2006 Anthony Adams said... Romanian connection w/ France in many ways--to mention a few --you've already mentioned the Latin connection --in Culture and Language--the Sociopolitical connection--there are parallels w/the French revolution of the 18th century and the passionate push for"Egalite,Fraternite,Liberte"and Romania's turbulent History and striving to try to make Democracy work--especially of course since December 1989--there is a lot of relevance in this meeting with the work that Romania will be doing to become an ever more evident and important player within the EU as the date of Romania's full acceptance into the EU draws closer---It's obvious that Romania seeks to use Political leverage as a major tool even though they are technically still outside of EU membership for the moment and the connections that Romania can improve on within this meeting should prove a great asset for Romania--as well as benefitting France and the other members of the EU---and the Social,Cultural and Political connections that Romania has with France and the United States are going to be used(definitely should @ least)for Romania's advantage on all of these fronts. 02 October, 2006 claudia darian said... Joegee, I think American people are smart enough not to look only at the Iraqi operation when they will judge George Bush policy, merits and failures. As I said before, the growing anti-Americanism across the globe is only the direct result of his policy; if you cultivate violence, you will ensure increased violence. Is not only Iraq, is the Middle East, the long delayed Israeli attitude towards the Palestinians, etc. Osama bin Laden is still free, and it is amazing how he was not captured in all these years, though info was available on his plans. Anyway, I don't want to get into American politics too much, you probably know these things much better. As for the American military base in Romania, I do not know much, so I cannot say a lot. I only reckon that, given the fact that Romanians have been waiting for Americans for a few decades to free us from communism, the reaction will be quite possitive. 03 October, 2006 claudia darian said... Anthony, I agree with you on all the points you've made; probably the same considerations were taken into account by the organizers of this French sommet. My point in the post was that people in Romania, most of them, at least, do not feel the same as our political players. Moreover, it is silly to declare yourself so openly pro American and British in a very sensitive moment, when key European countries were questioning Blair on his back up of Bush in the Iraqi operation and the whole lie about the weapons of mass distruction came about and then to forget about that and make a French sommet with very dodgy state rules in Bucharest. Of course, politics is politics and everyone will forget about this soon, and all will be happy showing around and discussing important world affairs, being in the news accros the globe, and feeding Romanian politicians image of great regional leaders and influencial behind the doors in mediating between the French and the Brits, let's assume. The problem with all this, in my view, is that there is no consistency and you become a fool in the end and no one will take you seriously. I bet that soon our president will figure that a closer relationship with Russia is crucial for Romania's future in Europe and will declare another axa passing through Moscow-Bucharest towards Brussels. 03 October, 2006 Joegee said…
Interesting comment here - “All things considered, I like French because they are the only one opposing the Americans most often than not.”
When I was in Romania last summer I did not seem to run into much anti-American sentiment, of course that doesn’t mean it does not exist. My general impression, though, is that Romanians seem to favor America (maybe excluding some foreign policy decisions)rather than not. What’s behind your anti-American sentiment?

25 September, 2006

Anonymous said…
Hi Joegee. I am not anti-American, I am against arrogance, self-sufficency and unilateralism in global politics, things that U.S. showed plenty under the George W. Bush administration. I think is healthy to have a counter-balance and an opposition to such a forcefull foreign policy as the one practiced by US. Unfortunately E.U. proved unable to balance the global decisions and to temper the Americans in more than one ocassion. In the EU we have mostly individual voices of a few countries, particularly France and Germany. Sometimes Spain and Italy. Nonetheless, if the French or the Germans will go and bomb a foreign country having no clear grounds and no international backup, I’ll have no reluctance in critising them too.
In any case, I really do think that George W. Bush had had a disastrous foreign policy and he is the first to be held responsible for the rise of terrorism and the anti-Americanism across the globe, that is a very dangerous trend. People should never be anti- any other people.

26 September, 2006

claudia darian said…
Hi Joegee. I am not anti-American, I am against arrogance, self-sufficency and unilateralism in global politics, things that U.S. showed plenty under the George W. Bush administration. I think is healthy to have a counter-balance and an opposition to such a forcefull foreign policy as the one practiced by US. Unfortunately E.U. proved unable to balance the global decisions and to temper the Americans in more than one ocassion. In the EU we have mostly individual voices of a few countries, particularly France and Germany. Sometimes Spain and Italy. Nonetheless, if the French or the Germans will go and bomb a foreign country having no clear grounds and no international backup, I’ll have no reluctance in critising them too.
In any case, I really do think that George W. Bush had had a disastrous foreign policy and he is the first to be held responsible for the rise of terrorism and the anti-Americanism across the globe, that is a very dangerous trend. People should never be anti- any other people.

26 September, 2006

joegee said…
Claudia…I think that a problem arises when we use synecdoche to define the merits or the integrity of whole nations, in this case the US. I won’t sit here and pretend that the policies of the US in Iraq haven’t created glaring problems, but George Bush’s action in this one regard is just that, one action which people are using to define the whole of America’s foreign policy and in some cases the whole American government and culture. There are actually many acts of benevolence that the US is responsible for on a daily basis as well, like the support of countless democracies worldwide, including Romania to the tune of millions upon millions of dollars. I think ultimately the only valid opinion on whether the actions of the US have been right or wrong will be the opinion of the Iraqi people as a whole, and I think the jury is still out on this one…..let’s wait and see.

26 September, 2006

claudia darian said…
Joegee…I didn’t judge US through its president, George Bush. I really disagree that ‘the only valid opinion on whether the actions of the US have been right or wrong will be the opinion of the Iraqi people as a whole’. We live in a global society for good or bad and, as long as we are informed, we should be able to judge the world around us, that is the role of civil society… As for the support of democracy worldwide by US, that had always come with a price; however is the part of US role as the global leader.
I don’t like Bush at all, but I would’t judge America by him. More than half of Americans don’t like Bush either. It has nothing to do with American culture. I also hate McDonalds, but I like a lot Coca Cola… hope you understand my point.

28 September, 2006

Joegee said…
Claudia……you’ve made your point well, and so it is hard to miss. You don’t like George Bush and his leadership of the US. You are right, for the most part, about public opinion here for Mr. Bush. With almost 3000 dead Americans and billions of dollars spent, much of the former public anger that was born on September 11th 2001 has faded into the background. It can be almost humorous if it wasn’t so pathetic to listen to the way liberal journalists and political scholars take him apart piece by piece on news programs. But the anti-American sentiment is sounding so loud in the ears of the world, America included, that anything short of total success in Iraq will equal doom for his Presidency. I am curious about what you think about the plans for an American military base in your country. I mean, what effect do you think this little part of Americana will have on the Romanian people?

29 September, 2006

Anthony Adams said…
Romanian connection w/ France in many ways–to mention a few –you’ve already mentioned the Latin connection –in Culture and Language–the Sociopolitical connection–there are parallels w/the French revolution of the 18th century and the passionate push for”Egalite,Fraternite,Liberte”and Romania’s turbulent History and striving to try to make Democracy work–especially of course since December 1989–there is a lot of relevance in this meeting with the work that Romania will be doing to become an ever more evident and important player within the EU as the date of Romania’s full acceptance into the EU draws closer—It’s obvious that Romania seeks to use Political leverage as a major tool even though they are technically still outside of EU membership for the moment and the connections that Romania can improve on within this meeting should prove a great asset for Romania–as well as benefitting France and the other members of the EU—and the Social,Cultural and Political connections that Romania has with France and the United States are going to be used(definitely should @ least)for Romania’s advantage on all of these fronts.

02 October, 2006

claudia darian said…
Joegee, I think American people are smart enough not to look only at the Iraqi operation when they will judge George Bush policy, merits and failures. As I said before, the growing anti-Americanism across the globe is only the direct result of his policy; if you cultivate violence, you will ensure increased violence. Is not only Iraq, is the Middle East, the long delayed Israeli attitude towards the Palestinians, etc. Osama bin Laden is still free, and it is amazing how he was not captured in all these years, though info was available on his plans. Anyway, I don’t want to get into American politics too much, you probably know these things much better.

As for the American military base in Romania, I do not know much, so I cannot say a lot. I only reckon that, given the fact that Romanians have been waiting for Americans for a few decades to free us from communism, the reaction will be quite possitive.

03 October, 2006

claudia darian said…
Anthony, I agree with you on all the points you’ve made; probably the same considerations were taken into account by the organizers of this French sommet. My point in the post was that people in Romania, most of them, at least, do not feel the same as our political players. Moreover, it is silly to declare yourself so openly pro American and British in a very sensitive moment, when key European countries were questioning Blair on his back up of Bush in the Iraqi operation and the whole lie about the weapons of mass distruction came about and then to forget about that and make a French sommet with very dodgy state rules in Bucharest. Of course, politics is politics and everyone will forget about this soon, and all will be happy showing around and discussing important world affairs, being in the news accros the globe, and feeding Romanian politicians image of great regional leaders and influencial behind the doors in mediating between the French and the Brits, let’s assume.

The problem with all this, in my view, is that there is no consistency and you become a fool in the end and no one will take you seriously. I bet that soon our president will figure that a closer relationship with Russia is crucial for Romania’s future in Europe and will declare another axa passing through Moscow-Bucharest towards Brussels.

03 October, 2006

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