[cratz2]

http://money.cnn.com/2003/03/13/news/companies/sofitel/index.htm

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - French opposition to a war in Iraq appears to be creating a backlash against all things French in the United States.

Products decidedly French like wines, cheese and even French-owned hotel chains like Sofitel lately have been on the receiving end of some angry American consumer sentiment.

Sofitel Hotel in midtown Manhattan replaced the French flag with the Stars and Stripes. French flags no longer are flying high and proud outside the Sofitel Hotel in midtown Manhattan. The French-owned hotel chain, part of the French hotel company Accor whose units include U.S. motel chains Red Roof Inn and Motel 6, replaced the flags with the Stars and Stripes as a peace offering to its American guests.

Sofitel spokesman Paul Charoy said the company last week decided to remove the French flags in front of all eight of its hotels in the United States as a "precautionary" measure and replaced them with a combination of the American flag and city and state flags.

"We wanted to calm down the situation a little," Charoy said. "We were getting some severe feelings and threats directed toward the safety and security of our employees and customers."

"This is not a political consideration," Charoy said. "The move is temporary and we just wanted to be safe."

Charoy added that about 70 percent of the hotels' customers in the United States are American.

[ed: Emphasis my own.]

[cratz2]

Removing the flag of your own country and replacing it with that of another country? For a few bucks... forshame!

[cpileri]

So here's my comment:
No French Fries?!? Let's call MORE things 'french'!!!!
No, really.

My wife was listening to NPR (yea, I know. but it pays to know thy enemy) and they pointed out that the french are fine with us not using their monniker for our fries; one becuase they are of Belgian origin not french, and most importantly because they are considered lowly american greasy junk food.

So I say if we want to get a jibe in we should ADD the word 'french' to as many disagreeable things a possible!

How about:
1. french mountain oysters
2. french haggis (sorry Scotland!)
3. french beets (I hate beets)

anyone else?

p.s. leave it off of the fires, since I do enjoy occasional greasy,salty fries\

C-

[KMKeller]

Like "French Facial Tissue"... it comes in convenient bulk packs of 4, 6, or 8 roll sizes...

[rock jock]

Sofitel Hotel in midtown Manhattan replaced the French flag with the Stars and Stripes
It would have more appropriate if they had replaced them with white flags.

[CZ-75]

France is used to striking its colors to run up the flag of another nation.:D :neener:

[JCOJR]

"French Rooster Fries"! Some of the French people may need an explanation on that.:D

[Blackhawk]

Sofitel Hotel in midtown Manhattan replaced the French flag with the Stars and Stripes. Silly me. I thought it was illegal in the U.S. to fly the flag of any other nation except in the presence of and lower than the Stars & Stripes except at embassies and the UN.

I also think that the Texas flag is the only state flag that can be flown at the same height as the U.S. flag when they're flown together.

Check it out, then let's arrest them. On second thought, let's just arrest them anyway. :neener:

[DeltaElite]

A proud people those French. :rolleyes:

[CZ-75]

I thought it was illegal in the U.S. to fly the flag of any other nation except in the presence of and lower than the Stars & Stripes except at embassies and the UN.

I didn't know the flag code was law, rather than proper form.

[seeker_two]

Sofitel Hotel in midtown Manhattan replaced the French flag with the Stars and Stripes.

Originally, they were going to replace it w/ a blank white flag, but no one would have noticed the difference...:evil:

[DeltaElite]

LOL Seeker. :D

[Dain Bramage]

I'm definitely giving up French Kissing. :evil:

(I'll see if the wife is up for some Freedom Kissing)

[Standing Wolf]

I was watering the front lawn this afternoon, and noticed my neighbor's poodle mutt had left some...

Aw, never mind.

[Bulldozer]

What if someone had the audacity to unfurl a French flag in front of their embassy in Washington, DC laying it flat on the sidewalk and say publicly relive himself on it?!

How much jailtime would be involved, if any? Or can an individual do something similar in his backyard and film it for posting on the Internet? Perhaps e-mail it to the French embassy webpage?

[buzz_knox]

French mountain oysters? Isn't that an oxymoron?

[Blackhawk]

French mountain oysters? Isn't that an oxymoron?Does that have some bearing on why they're called cheese eaters...? :rolleyes:

[JoeSF]

How about "French -R- Toast" as a breakfast choice.....


Blackhawk I believe when they have the stars and stripes on the roof top flag pole it's ok to display a series of other countries flags over the entrance.

[D_Burchfield]

quote: legal repercussions

Bulldozer,

I think you are onto something there!! Now, if I can just get my hands on a white...er.. french flag.:D

[jimpeel]

cratz2:

Removing the flag of your own country and replacing it with that of another country? For a few bucks... forshame!What's one more surrender in a long line of surrenders. If they treat their hotels like they treated their fleet in WWII they'll raze them to the ground.

Blackhawk:Silly me. I thought it was illegal in the U.S. to fly the flag of any other nation except in the presence of and lower than the Stars & Stripes except at embassies and the UN.Flag etiquette states that no flag of any nation shall be flown higher than any other in time of peace.

http://www.anchorflagandflagpole.com/etiquette.htm

The U.S. flag should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of States or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs. When the U.S. flag is on display with flags of other nations, all staffs should be of equal height with the U.S. flag in the position of honor at the U.S. flag's own right, which is the extreme left as the flags are viewed.

When flags of two or more nations are displayed: In this circumstance, all the flags including the U.S. flag are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.

[telewinz]

The French are in a bit of a hurry aren't they, who are they surrendering to this time?

French Toilet Tissue:D