Other web Sites
Harmonica Blues  Harmonica Amps
Harmonica Links Harmonica Pages
• Archives Home
• Years
 · 1992
 · 1993
 · 1994
 · 1995
 · 1996
 · 1997 		 · 1998
 · 1999
 · 2000
 · 2001
 · 2002
 · 2003
 
Web HarpL
Ebay Searches:
Amps:
Microphones:
Effects:
Harmonicas and Gear:
Harmonica Music and Instruction:

 

 

Harp-L Archives

[Previous Message] [Next Message]
[Previous in Thread] [Next in Thread]
[Start of Thread] [End of Thread]

From: "Erickson, Dave"
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 17:58:57 -0800
Subject: RE: Unacceptable characterization of French people

Bill,
My suspicion is that Sam had his tongue firmly planted (blocked?) in his
cheek (harp?) when he wrote that...I certainly didn't take any offense...
Dave "Don't call me a frog" Erickson

- -----Original Message-----
From: Bill Lifford [mailto:harmonicam~arthlink.net]
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2000 3:56 PM
To: Samuel J. Gravina; Harp-L
Subject: Unacceptable characterization of French people


Sam, you wrote:

I appreciate the Reilly info but the Francophobia expressed in this
review is far too tame. How can anybody listen to anything French
given the atrocities that Napoleon visited on Europe in the 19th
century. Or what about the Nazi collaborators of the 30's and 40's
with there garish bright red lip stick. Then there is the whole
genocide of Neanderthal cave dwellers by French Homosapiens because
they tasted better than deer in cream sauce.

Can the music of a people randomly associated with events and
perceptions of other random people who lived and died in a similar
geographical location really be worth listening too?

I don't think this is really appropriate material for the list. I lived in
France for about two years, while I was trying tobecome a professional
bicycle racer. I found the French people to be not at all like what the
popular American stereotype of the French is. They were warm, friendly, and
not snobbish at all. I miss my French friends every day and often think of
returning there to live. Many blues musicians moved there because they
were treated with much more respect in Paris than in Chicago... Sugar Blue
and Luther Allison, to name a few.

One other thing we must remember is that, chances are, the people who made
this music really didn't do any of the butchering of Neanderthals or Nazi
collaboration by themselves. Hohner is a German company.... but am I going
to give up harmonica playing because of Nazi Germany's conduct? Suzuki is
a Japanese company and Tombo (I believe) is Japanese also... so, am I not
going to play their harmonicas because Japanese forces bombed Pearl Harbor?
Of course not.


Bear in mind that even the United States is regularly accused of terrible
atrocities... we put Japanese-Americans into holding camps, too. Think of
what we did to the Native Americans. Think of CIA experiments with VD and
LSD on unsuspecting citizens. You'll say, "But, I wasn't directly involved
in that!".... well, neither was the average French person you'll meet on the
streets of Tours or Rouen.


I really think that you should keep your views on race, ethnicity, etc.
private and not air them on the list. Benoit Felten puts out a tremendous
harmonica publication (on-line), in both French and English. Jean-Jacques
Milteau is an unbelieveable harmonicist. There are other Frenchmen on the
list. Please be conscious of other people's feelings. I think you should
apologize to the people of French descent on the list.


Bill Lifford
Proud to have lived in France
membre depuis 1990, Union Cycliste de Joue-les-Tours