Should Bob come home?

[Thundersport Syd]

After watching this american news report , I harbour fear for Bob's safety, so I have to ask you all... Should Bob come home?

http://www.youtube.com/embed/A3YQANdvvbY




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My 99 year old Grandma came to dinner for Mothers day, she whispered to me over the dinner table: "I used to give your father 3d to go to the shops with. He would return with a Mars bar, a bag of 'Pick 'n Mix, a comic book, a bottle of Corona, a 'Lucky' bag, a handful of halfpenny sweets, 2 stick on tattoos, a gob stopper and still have change. Why can't you do that any more?" I said: "Because the shops have CCTV now Nanna..."

[Bob B]

Thank you for you concern Syd but I shall reserve my return except in a jar, those of you that know me will will understand that remark!

In my experience this is not portraying real France, it is a very biased view by an extremely anti-muslim group intent on creating turmoil for their own ends. Admittedly we live in a very rural area but in the towns of our departement there is relative harmony and peace unless a specific and usually non-race based matter causes strikes! Agreed that in the big cities such as Paris, Marseilles and one or two others there can be problems but nothing on the scale of the UK or Holland, we never sense any untoward feeling when we go to towns around us.

The political party FN (National Front) frequently poll up to twenty per cent of national and regional elections, accepted as a legitimate party and rarely if ever foment trouble.

Have looked at the website promoting the youtube vid, it is very militant and a rabble rousing exercise in my opinion, nothing more than that. Shall seek some French opinions this evening and hopefully post later!

Yes, France has problems and apart from the financual and economic ones they are largely different to those of the UK, I think that I can say that with a degree of confidence having lived here for six years now, watch national TV including news programmes and also take a French newspaper most days. There is not enough tea in Chine, coffee in Brazil etc to tempt me back to the UK on a permanent basis, racing however may be a different matter

[mum e]

No , he shouldn't Bob lives in a lovely location, and where would we go to visit, Canvey doesnt seem the same. although he would not be short of BACON. and TEABAGS. and BOVRIL. in Canvey.

[Bob B]

That's it, some silly a**e had to mention bacon, just as I've almost erased it from the memory banks Someone will be on about Ginsters next ...

[Thundersport Syd]

Just had bacon sarnie m'mmmmm, still smell it! I've noticed France not too cracky on the bacon front...

I haven't seen the website you speak of, someone emailed me that youtube link Bob, but I'm confident you know how I worry. Though you might look quite fetching in a Burka...

[Bob B]

The website can be found at:

DéFrancisation.com

Nearest to bacon here is poitrine fumée which is akin to smoked streaky bacon, tends to be very fatty. Another option is to used jambon, similar to Parma ham but tends to be very salty and chewy when cooked. There ain't nufink to beat British bacon IMHO

As for me in a burka have got just photos or the negs Syd

[Fanch]

Indeed, the movie proposed at the beginning of this post is a nonsense. It's the gathering of pictures melt together without any correlation : this poor woman, we're not sure of the identity oh her aggressors; some demonstrations in the streets, it seemed to be against israelian behavior in the occupied territories (we can see a sign marked "Gaza" on it); and so on.
And this movie had been made by an extremist party around the FN (Front National) : http://www.defrancisation.com (unfrenchization ?)

Sure, nothing is really perfect. But, as said a professor recently on a TV programm, only 2% of the Muslin people could be suspected to be extremist.
I know a lot of them who drink alcohol and eat pork (more rarely than alcohol )
But, in a country as our, with such an history marked by the Christianity (and all the religious wars around that), to see different religious comportments, mainly coming from the poorest part of the population, is a huge difficulty for a lot of people.

As Bob wrote, as I'm also living in the countryside, we don't have the difficulties of the big cities.
I'm living near the main city of Brittany (200 000 people downtown and 360 000 at all around) and the troubles as shown in the movie are so rare !!

And, at least, in a community, when there are so many difficulties to find a job, to earn enough money, to receive a good education at school, people always need scapegoats (correct word ?).
Remember, before that war that became the WW II, it was the Jewish people who was the origin of all the difficulties in Europe. Today, it's the Muslin people. And tomorrow ??

But, France is still a good place to retire, isn't it, Bob, "Germaine" and the Kittens ?

[Bob B]

Merci Fanch Yes, we think that France is an excellent place to retire, our two kittens, now eight months old, do not seem to think of it as retirement however, more as a life of luxury Also 'scapegoat' is the right word - wish that my French was as good as your English As you say which racial group will be next, hopefully none but I tend sometimes to haunt an idealistic world

If one looked in UK such inflammatory, right wing propaganda can be found quite easily I imagine used to persue certain agendas. The youtube source of CBN News is from what I can gather a not very 'reliable' source for most 'news' ...

[mum e]

Ah Ginster pasties, mouth watering, may have one for my tea. and then again mature cheddar cheese and branston pickle. for lunch.

[Fanch]

Hey Bob,

I've just got a look at the above poll !!

There is a (large) majority who would prefer you to stay in France - or not to go back to the UK !!

[Bob B]

I have just looked Fanch - find it a bit worrying

[Dan]

Cameron and the government have enough problems to deal with without Bob returning and causing them even more.

[d.laidlow]

Cameron and the government have enough problems to deal with without Bob returning and causing them even more.

I can remember who started the down fall of this country i think the name was something like Mrs Thatcher but i might be wrong.

anyway BOB stay were you are much better weather i would think

been very nice here last 2 days but that cold breeze i don't know where its coming from, but if its from Iceland i an't gonner shop there again
Or yer and I like Red Roses

[d.laidlow]

Cameron and the government have enough problems to deal with without Bob returning and causing them even more.

I can remember who started the(Problems) down fall of this country i think the name was something like Mrs Thatcher but i might be wrong.

anyway BOB stay were you are much better weather i would think

been very nice here last 2 days but that cold breeze i don't know where its coming from, but if its from Iceland i an't gonner shop there again
Or yer and I like Red Roses

[Ali]

I have just looked Fanch - find it a bit worrying

I posted NO on the grounds that The Fruitcake would lynch you