French Deface British Memorial Cemetery
This is sad indeed. Whatever your opinion might be regarding this war, these WWII veterans gave the ultimate sacrifice in order that the French, and millions of other Europeans might be free. Do you feel this to be an acceptable avenue for anti war protest?? It made me sick.
As sad or even sadder, in a recent French public opinion poll, 1/3 or those polled said they were strongly opposed to the war. Shockingly, another 1/3 hoped that Saddam with defeat the coalition. TO WHAT END?? What never ceases to confound and amaze me, is learning how those who so vehemently oppose the war because of the "killing of innocent lives" would support, encourage and cheer on this slaughtering, torturing, egomanical scum!
Meanwhile, in Pakistan, pumped up anti war protestors, bull horns in hand, rallied the energized crowd to heed the call to "jihad" against the "evil, baby killing Americans." Anti war...or Anti American? Get a grip and get real and SAY WHAT YOU REALLY THINK! Of course in order to organize and carry out their "jihad," they may need to take a little time out from the testing of those nuclear missles aimed at India. It really is "Alice through the looking glass.":rolleyes:
BRITISH WAR CEMETERY DEFACED
Ok, can someone tell me why the above links works when pasted in any other PT forum, EXCEPT "The Dog House????" Grrrrrrrr. I suspect a conspiracy!!!;)
Article pasted below...........:mad:
Guess you "got through" Soledad. Anyway, this was the BBC article. The one desecreation claiming the cemetery was "contaminating" French soil was perhaps the worst. What IS this world coming to?
French plea as cemetery defaced...As reported by the BBC
Etaples contains 11,000 war graves
French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has pleaded for trans-Atlantic tolerance after graffiti was daubed on a British war cemetery in northern France.
Slogans reading "Death to Yankees" and "Rosbeefs (Brits) go home" were painted on the central memorial in Etaples, near the Channel port of Boulogne in northern France.
The slogans also called for UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W Bush to be sent to the international criminal court in The Hague.
"Saddam Hussein will win and spill your blood", one slogan read.
Another claimed the graves were "contaminating" French soil.
Our disagreement with the British and American governments (on Iraq) can in no way justify any assault on the memory of men who sacrificed themselves for our country
Jack Lang
Former French minister
The graffiti appeared on 26 March - six days after the start of the war in Iraq, which France had fought to prevent.
Mr Raffarin, without making reference to the incident, pleaded on Tuesday for anti-American feeling to be restrained, calling displays of such sentiment "unacceptable".
"It is indispensable to be vigilant against all displays of anti-Americanism, which would be unacceptable," spokesman Jean-Francois Cope quoted Mr Raffarin as telling parliamentary leaders at a meeting on Tuesday.
The government should also be on guard for any signs of racism, anti-Semitism or xenophobia in the frequent protests against the war, Mr Cope quoted him as saying.
A judicial enquiry has been opened into the Etaples attack, which was condemned by senior French politicians.
Condemnation
"This violation of a burial place - scandalous in itself - is an attack on the memory of the sacrifice made by the British and American soldiers who contributed to the liberation of our soil," said the local member of parliament, former Socialist arts minister Jack Lang.
"Our disagreement with the British and American governments (on Iraq) can in no way justify any assault on the memory of men who sacrificed themselves for our country."
Mr Raffarin's warning was the latest in a series of comments apparently aimed at healing the deep rift with the US and UK which opened up over the Iraq crisis.
Mr Raffarin has already said that France is not an enemy of the United States, while the Foreign Ministry has issued a statement saying Paris hoped US-led forces would win the war in Iraq.
FRENCH OPINION
34% - support US-led forces
25% - support Iraq
31% - support neither side
Source: Le Monde/TF1 poll
As the government attempts to mend fences with Washington, public opinion appears to remain firmly against the war.
And in a poll published by Le Monde newspaper and TF1 television station on Monday, 25% of those questioned said they supported Iraq in the war. Only 34% of the 946 people questioned said they were "on the side" of the US-led forces.
Just over 30% said they supported neither side.
As public feelings continue to run high, the government is also worried that the frequent protests against the war could become a forum for anti-Semitism.
Figures released last week showed a big rise in racist and anti-Semitic activity since the 11 September attacks on the US.
We are pretty hacked off and I am pleased to say the French authorities are too
Tim Reeves
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Two French Jewish people were attacked at a recent anti-war protest in Paris.
Mr Raffarin's government "will not tolerate any racist, anti-Semitic or xenophobic acts," Mr Cope quoted him as saying.
The defaced Etaples cemetery is one of the biggest in northern France. Around 11,000 fallen British soldiers are buried there. It lies near the site of several wartime hospitals.
"We are pretty hacked off and I am pleased to say the French authorities are too," said Tim Reeves, of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).
Re: French Deface British Memorial Cemetary
Sandra, I could not open the web site, but
thank you for taking the time to cut and past
for us.
I remember reading in the paper about
the rise of racist and anti-semitic activity after 0911th.
IF I recall a couple of synagogues were set on fire too.
Very disgusting and sad about the cemetery being defaced.
I also recall that demonstrators also defamed a replica of
the Statue of Liberty.
Just strengthens my beliefs why I am no longer
buying French products.
Goodbye Lancome and Loreal!!!
Not to mention I will not be spending my money
on visiting France again.
JMHO since it's my choice!
