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!

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  1. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    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.

    • #1
  2. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    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.

    • #2
  3. Hans Gruber Pfizer President Inactive
    Hans Gruber Pfizer President
    @Pseudodionysius

    Everybody expects the French Revolution.

    • #3
  4. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
    Sorry to scoop you Doc. If you write about it, I’ll read.

    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.

    • #4
  5. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd.  But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    French philosophers have been the bane of liberty for over two centuries. 

    • #5
  6. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd. But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    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…

    • #6
  7. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd. But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    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.

    • #7
  8. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd. But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    French philosophers have been the bane of liberty for over two centuries.

    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. 

    • #8
  9. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd. But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    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.

    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.

    • #9
  10. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd. But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    French philosophers have been the bane of liberty for over two centuries.

    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.

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd. But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    French philosophers have been the bane of liberty for over two centuries.

    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.

    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.

    • #10
  11. Phil Turmel Inactive
    Phil Turmel
    @PhilTurmel

    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. )

    • #11
  12. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):

    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. 

    • #12
  13. JoelB Member
    JoelB
    @JoelB

    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?

    It’s why we must take back our sovereignty, abandoned to European technocrats and judges, who rob the French people of the ability to control their destiny in the name of a fantasy – a Europe that will never be a nation.

    • #13
  14. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    JoelB (View Comment):

    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?

    It’s why we must take back our sovereignty, abandoned to European technocrats and judges, who rob the French people of the ability to control their destiny in the name of a fantasy – a Europe that will never be a nation.

    Sounds like it, doesn’t it?

    • #14
  15. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):
    Phil Turmel @PhilTurmel 32 Minutes Ago

    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. )

    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.

    • #15
  16. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Hang On (View Comment):
    He has baggage (an illegitimate child from an affair)

    In France? I doubt it. Have any of their presidents not had one on the side? It almost seems unmanly in their culture.

    Hang On (View Comment):
    Zemmour also is going to face a very nasty campaign against him.

    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. 

    • #16
  17. DonG (CAGW is a hoax) Coolidge
    DonG (CAGW is a hoax)
    @DonG

    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. 

     

     

    • #17
  18. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):
    He has baggage (an illegitimate child from an affair)

    In France? I doubt it. Have any of their presidents not had one on the side? It almost seems unmanly in their culture.

    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.

    • #18
  19. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    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.

    • #19
  20. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    JoelB (View Comment):

    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?

    It’s why we must take back our sovereignty, abandoned to European technocrats and judges, who rob the French people of the ability to control their destiny in the name of a fantasy – a Europe that will never be a nation.

    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. 

    • #20
  21. Brian Clendinen Inactive
    Brian Clendinen
    @BrianClendinen

    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.

    • #21
  22. colleenb Member
    colleenb
    @colleenb

    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.

    • #22
  23. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd.  But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    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. 

    • #23
  24. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    MarciN (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The idea that western civilization could be saved by France strikes me as a bit odd. But it probably shouldn’t, I suppose…

    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. 

    • #24
  25. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    Some demographics:

    France Demographics

    A law from 1872 prohibits the French Republic from conducting a census by making any official distinction between its citizens in terms of race or religious beliefs, so French demographics can be a bit hard to determine. In 2004, it was estimated that 85% of the population of Metropolitan France was white or of European origin, with 10% from North Africa, 3.5% Black and 1.5% Asian.

    This law does not apply to surveys or polls, and a marketing company called Solis estimated numbers of ethnic minorities in 2009 as 5.23% Maghrebis, 2.94% black (a majority from Sub-Saharan Africa) and 0.71% Turkish.

    In 2010, 27% of newborns in Metro France had at least a single foreign-born parent. Most French people today are of Celtic origin. The country has experienced large-scale immigration over the last 100 years. It’s believed that 40% of France’s population is descended, at least in part, from the waves of immigration since the start of the 20th century.

    In addition, surveys or polls have been used to determine an estimated 63-66% affiliation in Christian based faiths, a 7-9% affiliation with Muslim faiths, a .5-.75% affiliation with Buddhist faiths, .5-.75% affiliation with Jewish faiths, .5-1% affiliation with other faiths, and 23-28% no affiliation or preference to any faith based on 2015 compiled estimates from the World Factbook.

    France Religion, Economy and Politics

    France is one of the least religious countries in the world. According to a 2016 survey from Institut Montaigne, 39.6% claimed no religion. Slightly more than half (51.1%) identify as Christian, 5.6% identify as Muslim, and under 1% (0.8%) are Jewish.

    When we compare these numbers to 1986, a few trends become apparent. The percentage of French people identifying as non-religious has exploded in the past 30 years, from 15.5% to nearly 40% today. The other trend is the increasing Muslim population in France. According to a Pew Research Study of Islam in Europe, an estimated 8.8% of the French population is Muslim. This is higher than the estimate from Institut Montaigne, and would be the highest percentage in Europe. The Muslim population is expected to continue its growth in France due to migration, conversion, and high rates of natural increase. Immigration has become an important political issue in France, and this will likely continue moving forward.

    Like many of its neighbors, France represents a huge attraction for immigration and when statistics were released in 2008, it was reported that 11.8 million foreign-born immigrants and their immediate descendants were residents in the country; a figure which accounted for around 19% of the total population of the time. . . .

    What is clear however is that France’s population is growing quite significantly. The large discrepancy in the birth and death rate shows no signs of narrowing and as such, it will be fascinating to see the results from the next national census.

     

    • #25
  26. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    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 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.)

    • #26
  27. Hans Gruber Pfizer President Inactive
    Hans Gruber Pfizer President
    @Pseudodionysius

    • #27
  28. Hans Gruber Pfizer President Inactive
    Hans Gruber Pfizer President
    @Pseudodionysius

    Zemmour is what he is: a nimble provocateur with a fine line of gabble. If that is what he is, that is all he is. He is not about to become the president of the French Republic. France is a reasonably well-run, very prosperous, democratic state. It is too late to resurrect the French nation as a factor in French life. That vein is no longer patent, as surgeons say. The French are not about to entrust the administration of their state to Eric Zemmour.

    I’d bet my life on it.

    • #28
  29. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Hans Gruber Pfizer President (View Comment):

    She’s really lost her mind. Trump broke her. 

    • #29
  30. Hans Gruber Pfizer President Inactive
    Hans Gruber Pfizer President
    @Pseudodionysius

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Hans Gruber Pfizer President (View Comment):

    She’s really lost her mind. Trump broke her.

    But remember: the vaccine is harmless: get your Christmas booster with free egg nog. Call Hans at Nakatomi Plaza any time. We deliver.

    • #30
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