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The "presumption of innocence" was turned into a presumption of culpability of the accuser. Much ink was poured over how awful it is for DSK. And since DSK must be presumed innocent, not a word was spared to worry about the maid and her family, who are going through a hard time.
And then came the outrage over the perp walk. Pictures of people in handcuffs who haven't been convicted of a crime are illegal in France. "France Furious About Dominique Strauss-Kahn Perp Walk," we headlined. In reality, "France" was glued to their TV sets and to Twitter. It was a small French elite that was mortified.
Reaction in France to the New York arrest of IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn has ranged from shock and disbelief to anti-American condemnations of the justice system.
French anti-Americanism is a historical construct with deep roots in French culture. If you try to understand it by reading anything into its seasonal varieties, it is bound to slip through your fingers. Developed over and shaped by the long haul, it forces the investigator to plunge into the long haul. It did not start with the Vietnam War or with the cold war—or even in the 1930s, which was its peak. Nearly all the ingredients were there more than a century ago: its narrative structures had largely been formed, its argumentation polished up, and its rhetoric broken in as early as the 1890s.
You must remember that Europeans in general, and the French specifically, are much more sophisticated about matters sexual than we are here in the US. That's why many here, on these very forums, believe that we should emulate them.
My second ship was home-ported in Gaeta, Italy. Made friends withe some locals while there. When our ship went to France, I was excited to see the land of my ancestors (family surnames include Bordelon, Chiasson, Benoit). I was shocked at their horrible attitude and vowed I'll never go to France again. When we returned to Italy, I asked my Italian friends how they feel about France. Had to step back from the spitting, vulgar hand gestures, and cursing. It isn't just Americans they hate.
First, the French are not anti-American. But they are pro-French first and foremost and are unwilling to bend over when asked by the US.
The second is that, unlike in the US, they take the presumption of innocence seriously. We tend to presume guilt and this presumption is reinforced by the media as well as by prosecutors with an eye to re-election or keeping their jobs.
They're jealous of our cuisine, especially Boone's Farm wine and Kraft processed cheese.
French food sucks! I had much better food in Spain, Italy, and Greece. As for their wine, I'll put some California, Spanish, and Italian wines up against ones in France.
The people's reactions I care about the most are those who are members of the Socialist Party of France. Most of those that I have come across have been along the lines of "While we are disappointed that DSK has not been given the opportunity to respond to charge, and while we are a bit shocked that he was strutted out in front of photographers by American police, we understand that the American justice system is not the same as the French justice system and that this is traditional and in line with American justice."
I think this is a very reasonable reaction. Keep in mind that in the French justice system, both sides present their initial arguments at the same time, and it is illegal for photographers and media to be present in the courtroom.
French food sucks! I had much better food in Spain, Italy, and Greece. As for their wine, I'll put some California, Spanish, and Italian wines up against ones in France.
French cuisine is the foundation of modern cuisine. Most traditional American dishes have some sort of French influence.
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