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| French Fries Get New Name in Congress |
| 2003-03-11 |
| Does Ted Kennedy know about this? They'll be hell to pay when he finds out. Show the flag and pass the ketchup was the order of the day in House cafeterias Tuesday. Lawmakers struck a lunchtime blow against the French and put "freedom fries" on the menu. And for breakfast they'll now have "freedom toast." The name changes follow similar actions by restaurants around the country protesting French opposition to the administration's Iraq war plans. It won't do much of anything, but a nice touch. "Update. Now Serving in All House Office Buildings, 'Freedom Fries,'" read a sign that Republican Reps. Bob Ney of Ohio and Walter Jones of North Carolina placed at the register in the Longworth Office Building food court. Both Republicans. When the Dims find out they'll probably get a court order to stop it. Jones said he was inspired by Cubbie's restaurant in Beaufort, N.C., in his district, one of the first to put "freedom fries" on the menu instead of french fries. "This action today is a small but symbolic effort to show the strong displeasure of many on Capitol Hill with the actions of our so-called ally, France," said Ney, chairman of the House Administration Committee. Ney, whose panel oversees House operations, ordered the menu changes. The French Embassy in Washington had no immediate comment, except to say that french fries actually come from Belgium. So why don't we rename them Euroweenie Fries and cover everybody? Or Surrender Fries? Ney said he was of French descent and "once the French government comes around we can get back to talking about french fries." I don't think they really care. They probably think fries are just another sign of our cultural inferiority. On a more serious note, Republican Jim Saxton of New Jersey has proposed a ban on Pentagon participation in this year's Paris Air Show and restrictions on French participation in any postwar construction projects in Iraq. But House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said at a news conference that applying legislative sanctions to France was not necessary. "I don't think we have to retaliate against France. They've isolated themselves pretty well," he said. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #5 Angie, that's not very precise. "Weasel bread" could be French white bread OR German black bread, right? |
| Posted by: tcc 2003-03-11 18:42:25 |
| #4 Uh, guys? "French" fries don't really have anything to do with France at all. They actually hail from Belgium - I know, I KNOW, that's not much of an improvement, but still. Actually, the "french" in "french fries" refers to the method of cutting the potatoes into long, thin strips for frying, which is called "frenching". "French-cut" green beans are called that for exactly the same reason. As a matter of fact, I vote for calling them "chips", because that's what the British call them, as in "fish and chips" (what we call potato "chips", the Brits call "crisps"). |
| Posted by: Joe 2003-03-11 18:34:01 |
| #3 Gawd grow up guys. Didn't get your "freedom kiss" today??? |
| Posted by: tcc 2003-03-11 18:06:54 |
| #2 Personally, I've stopped buying French bread. Now I buy weasel bread. (It's the same stuff, baked in the local store. I just put a different name on the grocery list.) |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2003-03-11 13:41:13 |
| #1 Tom DeLay has it about right. They have isolated themselves pretty well. This french fry et al thing is pretty small potatoes (sorry, I could not help myself; I had to say it). France has a history of selling its foreign policy to middle east oil suppliers. Look at what they did in 1973. The French have backed themselves in a serious corner, and they have a very significant potential fifth column. Let France serve as a very serious lesson to all of us. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-03-11 13:34:45 |