Happy Bastille Day!
A quick note to those of my friends out there who are celebrating Bastille Day (or already have, as I'm a little late--like 9 hours or so), here's hoping that you're having a great holiday.
What I love about this photo of the Ile des Cygnes (Swan Island) is the visual connection between the symbols of our two countries. Despite the unfortunate, embarrassing rhetoric and ignorant posturing emanating from our nation's capital during the past eight years, let us not forget that France has been this country's oldest friend.
Many people do not realize that the Statue of Liberty was a gift to the people of the United States from the people of France, designed by French artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Gustave Eiffel.
They also might not realize that not one, but two, smaller replicas of Lady Liberty stand proudly in Paris, one in the middle of the Seine as you see here, and the other in the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens.
It is my hope that the people of both our countries continue to rise above the ignorance of our leaders and forge friendships, person to person, private ambassadors to each other.
ps. I did not forget the rest of you. I know I am woefully behind on posts, visits, comments and email...see you soon.
6 comments:
Happy Bastille Day to you my friend!
As a French citizen, i feel really touched by your post.
you know what, i lived in Paris for years and never really paid attention to our Statue de la Liberté !!
Happy day to you as well..!
:-)
The line that begins with "It is my hope..." is so touching. If only people could be in charge again, real people who understand struggle and loss and what it means to fight for something. Ah, I could go on but you said it best, as always.
I have had barely any time for reading blogs lately, so I'm trying to catch up too.
Ah... thank you, tangobaby, to remind everybody that our 2 people have always been friends... until the last administration. Yes, we love Americans -shouldn't our friends always gently remind us when we are about to commit something really stupid?
So, thank you, again, for celebrating that day with us! :-)
Lots of love!
Very interesting historical short review on the topic. Thank you Tangobaby for this usuful information.
Hi christina,
Thank you!
Hi Lala,
I'm so glad you read my post. I can't tell you enough about the lovely people I have met in Paris, and been treated so kindly. I think the only way that diplomacy can ever be really achieved is on a one-to-one basis. People are people all the world over.
I hope you had a wonderful day in your lovely home in Granada.
Hi TheElementary,
From Thomas Jefferson:
"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.
The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is
wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts
they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions,
it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. ...
And what country can preserve its liberties, if it's rulers are not
warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of
resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as
to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost
in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
It is its natural manure."
And where did Mr. Jefferson learn the concepts that helped to form his mind and ideas? From the years he spent living in France. (As did Benjamin Franklin, who lived in France for even longer than Jefferson.)
***
I know what you mean about catching up with the blogs, but what delightful "homework" to have.
Hi Tassili,
It's sad to me that we need this reminder but the brainwashing this country has received from the Bush Administration makes me realize that there is work to do.
Thankfully our national nightmare will be over soon (hopefully not to be continued by the next election) and we can go back to remembering what countries can do together instead of separately.
Hi Phivos,
Thank you...I'm glad you enjoyed the post, too.
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