The most hated American in France is a Texan, but his name isn't George W. Bush. It's cyclist Lance Armstrong. He'll be the guy wearing that yellow jersey today.
Armstrong took the lead in the Tour de France on Tuesday. With five stages to go, Armstrong looks like a strong favorite to win the race for the sixth straight time. This would make the ugly American the greatest Tour de France champion in history. Frenchmen suffering from inferiority complexes don't like this.
Though Armstrong boasts legions of French fans, armies of Frenchmen hate him. In 2002, French fans booed the cancer survivor as he peddled up a mountain. Last year, a spectator "accidentally" collided with Armstrong. This year, the French press has harped on the theory that Armstrong uses performance enhancing drugs--despite the fact that drug test after drug test has discredited this idea.
The French contempt for Lance Armstrong might be best viewed as a microcosm of their current hysterical anti-Americanism. French elites hate America because it dominates militarily, economically, and culturally. Similarly, Armstrong is hated not for his failures but for his successes. In both instances, the fuel for the Gaullic hatred is the same: envy.
As of today in stage 16, Armstrong now has a 3:48 overall lead over Ivan Basso. The Tour wraps up Sunday.
On a related note, it has been reported that French fans have been spitting on our hero and, at some legs of the race, it has become very dangerous when trying to navigate roads full of overzealous, unruly, observers.
This would not happen in America. God bless us.
Mike,
You say this would not happen in America.
I hate to say it, but it has happened in America.
ESPN has just this week run an hour special (on the program "Outside the Lines"), giving approximately 50 minutes to those who say that Lance is doping, or has doped (a former team masseuse, and the once-great Greg Le Mond, and the usual collection of nobodies). After doing no less than building the "case for the prosecution" very methodically, they then close with some numb-nuts reporter on the slopes of the L'Alp D'Huez, saying that "Armstrong and his teammates vociferously deny the allegations."
That's it. No investigation. Just an airing of grievances.
As far as I'm concerned, they may as well have spit on Lance.
Despicable, and downright un-American (yes, I called it un-American). Anyone for a boycott of ESPN? Or at least a Wm. F. Buckleyan "angry letter"?
Le G. (live from the Tour -- I wish...)
PS: It was the Germans who were spitting, according to Lance himself in a post-time-trial interview. The French don't spit. They're too well-mannered.
Gadfly, you are a typical America hating Communist wanna be. The perfect “new” Democrat. Mean spirited and pi$$ed at anything that has to do with the U.S. while yearning for the new World order.
You dissent for the sake of dissenting because you can under the freedoms offered by this great country. And them you mock the reasons that we enjoy that freedom.
It’s amazing to me that people of your ilk continue to be Anti-American yet you stay here comfortably living in a society where you know there are few risks.
What happened to all these people who threatened to leave this country if Bush were elected? They’re all still here. They may go abroad and spout crap about this country, but they always come back. Loud mouthed cowards with very little conviction I would say.
You seem to fall into this category.
And, I watched that program on Armstrong. Lots of “he said/she said” and innuendo from people who had a more than vested interest in his demise and de-throwning the Champion.
Just more America bashing with very little respect for a fellow citizen who happens to be the best at his sport and a great representative of this country.
It was the Germans, who learned from the French,
'I spit on you!'.
