Seattle is closer to France than to Texas (French kid's artwork on US!)

[Barrett808]

Seattle is closer to France than to Texas
By DAVID HORSEY
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL CARTOONIST

The typical citizen of Seattle would feel more at home, ideologically speaking, in Paris than in Dallas. Yet, even a liberal Seattleite would be shocked by the images of America drawn by French schoolchildren.



Thibault Mear's colorful drawing reflects what many French children picture when they think of America: fast food and fat people.

In January, a cartoon festival was held in the town of Carquefou, just outside of Nantes in the northwest corner of France. Students of all ages competed in a contest to illustrate their vision of the United States. They drew obese Americans devouring Coca-Cola and McDonald's hamburgers. They drew the Statue of Liberty with fangs or in chains or being run over by a wicked Uncle Sam on a motorcycle. And they drew George W. Bush: Bush riding a tank to war; Bush taking over the world; Bush as a liar; Bush as a monster.


French schoolchildren know the Statue of Liberty was a gift from France. Romain Gueraud's drawing shows what he imagines is Lady Liberty's current state.


There were a few lighthearted drawings of Hollywood and Las Vegas and fast food (hamburgers, always hamburgers) but, predominantly, from ages 8 to 18, the French students sketched images of a fierce and fearsome country. One cartoon summed up American villainy with a series of three hands. The first was a fist representing Stalin's Russia. The second was a saluting palm, representing Hitler's Germany. The third was another fist clutching a cross, representing Bush's America.

Stalin, Hitler and Bush -- one French student's axis of evil.


(more)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/162066_focus29.html

[anti-NAFTA]

1. "The third was another fist clutching a cross,representing Bush's America"

LOL. So true... God bless the French.

[schrodinger_I]

2. Nice pictures

The French children definitely have us figured out!

[patricia92243]

3. I think Bush thought he could just slap the French around for having a...

different opinion than us, and they and their children would not have negative views of the US.

What always bother me though, is the problem is Bush - not the rest of US, but foreigners think he represents all of our views.

[arikara]

4. Children are so brilliant

I'd really like to see the rest of those.

[Zookeeper]

5. My husband just spent two weeks in France...

and he said that the French were able to distinguish American people from the American government. He didn't find any hostility directed toward him.

[WyLoochka]

6. I'll bet if Bush* actually

manages to get elected in Nov that will change. If we, as a people, endorse this jerk by electing him, the hostility towards us will start to increase.

I have long thought people all over the world are giving US citizens the benefit of the doubt because they know we were taken over in a coup. If we don't run Bush* out I think there may be "hell to pay" on our part.