Actually, there is a precedent. I believe it was
during World War I when sauerkraut became
"liberty cabbage." For some reason, it didn't
stick.

"Freedom Fries" made me laugh, but I
completely understand it.
France is our original ally, our oldest friend,
our partners in the experiment of democracy.
They gave us our Statue of Liberty, as a gift, as
an example of our great friendship. So we like
the French. We save them from Germany in
the first World War (after they forgot to defend
their Belgian border). Then, in World War II, we
save them again (after they forgot to defend
their Belgian border*). Then, we try to help
them out of a sticky little situation in Vietnam.
Apparently all this friendly activity made France
hate our guts.

We've not forgotten what France has done for
us; they've forgotten what we've done for them.
The frustration felt by proponents of "Freedom
Fries" is the frustration of a friend betrayed. Or
at least, knowing few of the facts, that was my
gut-level, knee-jerk, strictly-emotional reaction:
"Why? We help them!" **

To quote Randy Newman, "No one likes us, I
don't know why. We may not be perfect, but
heaven knows we try."

But as for Germany, well, I wonder that they
aren't ashamed of themselves, making pious
antiwar statements like that. I wonder that they
aren't hiding in the corner, hoping no one will
remember what happened seventy years ago
when another dictator slowly began breaking
a world-imposed "parole" while the neighbors
waffled, squawking about "peace in our time."
Maybe they've forgotten, like France has.


*Not strictly accurate, but essentially true. In
World War II France defended part of their
Belgian border, but not the part that Hitler
crossed through.

** Of course, thinking with the heart and not
with the head is the mistake many (not all)
antiwar protesters are making. They are
responding emotionally to the symbol WAR
with images of Vietnam and Sherman's
march to the sea. These are bad images, and
they are responding accordingly. The emotion
is so strong, so overpowering, that it is
blinding them to logic; one cannot reason with
people who are frothing at the mouth.

(this little rant is brought to you by Delia D.,
displaying the irritable pomposity
one gets from a degree
in history)