[tkret]

We were in Paris and Normandy in late September. Everyone we met and spoke with could not have been more kind and helpful to us. While we were there I received email addresses from some of the folks we met. I emailed them my condolences and received replies asking if America would help. All I could say was that I hope we would. I had no idea at the time that I took this photo that 6 weeks later it would mean so much more to me.
Vive le monde libre; vive le France!

[salpal]

I've been to Paris & France many times. I have always been treated with kindness and respect and courteous service. I know the French have a bad reputation, but I've never encountered anything to justify it. The recent events are so tragic and my heart goes out to the French people.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by salpal

I've been to Paris & France many times. I have always been treated with kindness and respect and courteous service. I know the French have a bad reputation, but I've never encountered anything to justify it. The recent events are so tragic and my heart goes out to the French people.

I have always wanted to see Paris. I received a French dictionary when I won the Outstanding Reader of French Award from the French embassy in San Francisco while a student at the University of Nevada, Reno around 1980.

[Bonnevie]

just there in July. Loved the city. Although my high school French was sorely lacking, just being able to say pardonez-moi, ou est (fill in the blank) "excuse me where is.....) was always met with much helpfulness

[Sable99]

I think as with everyone it depends on the people you've met. When I was still working I had two female friends who dated French men.

One of the women was accepted by the man's family and the last I knew they had been married many years. He owned a French restaurant near Union Station (Capitol Hill area) in DC.

The other was not accepted by his family. The couple was engaged and they got their families together many, many times. His family did everything they could to break them up and in the end they succeeded. He told me that his family liked her but did not like that she was American. Believe me, she was a sweetheart and his family would have been very lucky to have a daughter-in-law like her.

[784caroline]

We were in Paris Early October...had a great time and enjoyed the sights, food and people. NO one deserved what happened there.

[tcxr750]

My wife had relatives who traveled to Flavigny, France last year to see a memorial placed by the village to honor the fallen Americans in WW2. They were greeted with admiration and respect.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

I have always wanted to see Paris. I received a French dictionary when I won the Outstanding Reader of French Award from the French embassy in San Francisco while a student at the University of Nevada, Reno around 1980.

My French does now need considerable work.

[redwitch]

What happened is Paris was ugly and tragic. Like many posters here, I have truly enjoyed the French people I have met, in Paris and in other parts of France. They were always kind and polite.

That being said, I'm not sure what America is supposed to do about these random acts of terrorism. Destroying ISIL is not going to change anything. It seems that the destruction of one organization helps create another, stronger, more evil group to replace the old one. We should stop any support of terrorist groups, whether financial, informational or anyone just generally abetting these groups. This should be a worldwide campaign, not an American responsibility. Asking us to bomb ISIL into oblivion is, at best, a stopgap measure and, at worst, an open invitation to retaliate on our soil.

So, my sincere sympathies to Paris. No one deserves these kind of attacks but please don't ask us to do more than we are doing.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by redwitch

What happened is Paris was ugly and tragic. Like many posters here, I have truly enjoyed the French people I have met, in Paris and in other parts of France. They were always kind and polite.

That being said, I'm not sure what America is supposed to do about these random acts of terrorism. Destroying ISIL is not going to change anything. It seems that the destruction of one organization helps create another, stronger, more evil group to replace the old one. We should stop any support of terrorist groups, whether financial, informational or anyone just generally abetting these groups. This should be a worldwide campaign, not an American responsibility. Asking us to bomb ISIL into oblivion is, at best, a stopgap measure and, at worst, an open invitation to retaliate on our soil.

So, my sincere sympathies to Paris. No one deserves these kind of attacks but please don't ask us to do more than we are doing.

Turkey could take a dark turn. Turkish politics | Economist - World News, Politics, Economics, Business & Finance There's a Thanksgiving joke in there too! Sorry about the dark humor.

Thoughts about my former Mosul friend who I hung out with at the University of Denver Graduate School of Librarianship and Information Management come to mind. This was in 1983-1984 when the Iran-Iraq war was going full force. His brother was some kind of military leader in Saddam Hussein's army and Mahmood would get all worked up about the Iran-Iraq War and tell me rather offensive Kurd jokes. Now Isis controls Mosul and I do not know if Mahmood is even alive let alone his brother. Mahmood worked at the University of Mosul Library.

I suppose something worse could happen in Mosul than ISIS but I am having a hard time imagining it. ISIS is definitely far worse than Saddam Hussein.

I had written Mahmood for a few years but his thoughts became quite hostile towards Western values so I had to stop around 1985.

[justjim]

We have been planning a European trip next summer (taking grandchildren), of course, Paris included. Now we have "second thoughts". I guess we will give it some time......

[jojo]

I was in Paris in September and may go back next summer. As other posters noted, Parisians were friendly and we felt welcomed wherever we went. They were helpful when we looked confused in the metro station or had a map out on the street. A friendly Bon Jour Madame or Monsieur helps.