The freedom of freedom Freedom

I wrote this in an openDemocracy.com forum back in 2003, and I thought it was funny, so... here it is:

I have re-written the last paragraph of the US Declaration of Independence, replacing every word that was borrowed from the French language by "freedom", so as to help the American people who eat freedom fries further deny their cultural ties with France:

"We, therefore, the freedoms of the united States of America, in Freedom Congress, Freedomed, freedoming to the Supreme Freedom of the world for the freedom of our freedoms, do, in the Name, and by the Freedom of the good Freedom of these Colonies, freedomly freedom and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Freedom States; that they are Absolved from all Freedom to the British Freedom, and that all freedom connection between them and the State of Great Freedom, is and ought to be freedomly dissolved; and that as Free and Freedom States, they have full Freedom to freedom freedom, conclude Freedom, freedom Freedoms, freedom Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Freedom States may of right do. And for the freedom of this Declaration, with a freedom freedom on the freedom of freedom Freedom, we freedomly freedom to each other our Lives, our Freedoms and our freedomed Freedom."

I know it's a ridiculous argument against French-bashing, but I couldn't help myself...

Brendon Grosjean

As I was walking home from campus at noon, I saw a woman with a stroller stop and start talking to her child. I walked past and saw that she was pointing at faces on a big tabloid poster, and telling her 3 or 4-year-old whose faces they were. It amazes me that some people -- including those in France who name their kid after their favorite tv series actor or character -- have such a narrow cultural horizon to begin with, that tv actually broadens it.

A license for tv.... 116 euros.
A library card.... 15 euros.
Intellectual curiosity.... priceless.