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A Revolution in France?
I don’t have much to say about this other than, it is must-watch, even if you don’t understand French (as I don’t). You’ll get the gist and maybe even be tempted to stand up and sing La Marseillaise!
Transcript and more available at PowerLine from Steven Hayward.
Donald Trump is a patriot, but this Éric Zemmour fellow makes you long for a more … cultured leader. Someone who understands what it means in depth and breadth to be American. In any case, it looks like France is getting a new president. God bless them and bonne chance!
Published in General
Thanks for posting about this. I was going to write about this tonight.
Everyone should read the speech in the link provided above in the post. It’s short and powerful. As you read it, imagine how well it applies to our situation here in America.
His description of the disappearance of French culture is more advanced than America’s current situation, but we’re following the same path. Still, any American politician who gave that exact speech here would strike a cord.
But our history of slavery and racism makes such a speech impossible, I think. It would be immediately attacked as racist somehow, even though America has been a diverse population for a very long time. A lot of Americans are not white, which Democrats seem to forget from time to time. Democrats somehow view any message that is pro-American as anti-black, which makes no sense whatsoever. But as long as the media repeats such claims as gospel, it’s an impossible battle to win.
Anyway, as you read that speech, compare it to our situation here. Very interesting.
Yes, but we patriots let the Left get away with identifying patriotism with racism. It’s not as if the French don’t have dirt in their background. This Zemmour fellow makes the case for preserving what is good. Any American politician could do the same, if he had the courage to withstand the universal and universally stupid charges of “raaaaaaacist!”
Sorry to scoop you Doc. If you write about it, I’ll read.
Everybody expects the French Revolution.
Oh heavens – no, I just thought this was worthy of everyone’s time – I’m so glad you posted this.
My wife speaks French and lived in France for a while. I look forward to hearing her perspective tonight.
The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd. But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…
Thanks again for posting this.
French philosophers have been the bane of liberty for over two centuries.
Not all French philosophers, if you don’t mind – like my Uncle Fred, for example. And many others.
But you’re right, France has produced some horrifying philosophy. But some good stuff as well…
But can France come back to it’s former glory without belief in G-d? At least with art, atheism made art both hoity-toity and ugly.
Yeah, he even mentions Rousseau. I don’t know my French philosophers all that well, but I was lead to believe Rousseau is a baddie. Not all influencers are good influencers.
No, every nation needs God, whether it recognizes it or not. Fortunately, there’s a robust Catholic remnant in France, if the pro-life marches are any indication. Even some of the secularists join them, recognizing the inestimable value of every life.
I was thinking maybe Poland would save the West from itself, but God works in mysterious ways. Maybe the Daughter of the Church will be the one.
Rousseau is indeed one of the worst influencers of all time. It would not surprise me if he was an avatar of the hindu devil Maara.
Moreover, France can’t will autarkic centralized planning to work. It doesn’t matter how pretty the speeeches are. Additionally, I think that France does OK with scientific research but the wealth and population of France ensures that they can’t outcompete America or even a semi-competent China.
I read the translation at PowerLine this morning. Impressive, I thought.
I just watched the video, and listened with my imperfect french ear. Holy smokes! The translation seems accurate enough, but does not–perhaps cannot–do justice to that speech as delivered. I’ll find out from my in-laws over there what they think about him, but I have nothing but admiration for Monsieur Zemmour. His winning their Presidency would be very, very good for France.
( His diction is perfect, too. I might have missed 5%, but just on vocabulary. )
Yes, his delivery is magnificent, even to those of us who can’t translate. Beethoven’s 7th doesn’t hurt either.
What an outstanding speech! There are so many quotable phrases such as the “third-worlding of our country and our people”. Is a call for a Frexit part of his platform?
Sounds like it, doesn’t it?
Absolutely what I thought as well about his use of language, imagery, history, and the future. I used to love to hear DeGaulle speak. This is what Zemmour reminded me of. His use of young people while tying it to tradition, I thought was brilliant. I’ve always been an admirer of French tradition and this shows its strength.
He is a journalist and called himself a Cassandra in his address.
He has baggage (an illegitimate child from an affair), but I’m not sure how much that hurts. He doesn’t have the baggage of the le Pens, which is pretty reprehensible.
I doubt he will ever use ‘iel’.
Zemmour also is going to face a very nasty campaign against him.
In France? I doubt it. Have any of their presidents not had one on the side? It almost seems unmanly in their culture.
He says as much and he seems ready to answer. The only way to beat the globalist left is to fight back. Trump understood this, while many s0-called “conservatives” never have. Know your enemy.
The polling does not look. https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/france/
He needs Le Pen to drop out. The two of them are blocking each other. She has a big ego and is unlikely to drop out. April is a long time away, maybe people will consolidate around him.
If by one on the side you mean mistress, probably yes. If you mean a child, probably no.
He’s also Jewish and defends the Vichy Republic as defending Jews (not here, but elsewhere). That’s problematic and depends on which time. Early on, there was some defense. But there were those in the Vichy government who were only too happy to cooperate in handing over the Jews. Vichy was a jumping-off point for Jews to go elsewhere – Morocco, Spain, Senegal even. I’ve known families who were able to get out that way. But it was not a place to roost. The ones who did were eventually rounded up, but then the Germans crushed Vichy late in the war. France was an economic colony of the Germans during the war providing raw materials (especially food), manpower, and industrial output. His argument against the EU will be that France is now in the same position.
I just watched it again. That may be the greatest campaign opener in the modern era. Even better than descending a gilt escalator. Definitely better than campaigning from one’s basement.
I keep telling my neighbors that I was in favor of the Brexit and would be in favor of the Dexit, Frexit and Nexit as well. They are shocked. Most of them anyway.
Freddie from unherd TV did an interview with him last week. So the questions are in English. Check it out, since its a real journalist doing a real interview.
I recommend the Claremont Review article linked in the PowerLine piece. Also, I think in one of the 2021 summer editions of First Things is an article on Zemmour (which was where I first heard of him). It’s rather hilarious that he’s labeled right wing as he spent time in prison in Chile (?) in the 60’s for supporting Che. Quite an interesting guy.
Hitler’s biggest mistake was taking France. As much as the Brits get ticked off at their brother across the channel, there is real love and respect between them. He really shot himself in the foot.
Yes. Repeatedly (Dunkirk, Stalingrad). Thank God.
Some demographics:
I agree. The second movement to Beethoven’s seventh symphony was a powerful assist to the urgency in his message. (Here is the Israeli Philharmonic performing it.)
She’s really lost her mind. Trump broke her.
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