The arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn has left the French shell-shocked. The violent and voyeuristic nature of the accusation, the political prominence of the accused, and the globalization of the scandal make it a perfect storm for yet another bout of anti-Americanism in France. But so far the atavistic reflexes have been limited and restrained. Where did French anti-Americanism go?
Whatever their party affiliation (with the exception of the far-right National Front), the French have been experiencing a collective exercise through the five stages of grief since the DSK news broke out on Sunday morning.
First was denial. How could a man on top of the world, reputed for his professionalism and competence, assured to be competing in and likely to win the French presidential election, so completely self-destruct at the height of his glory? To be sure, his lust for women and philandering were a hardly disguised secret in French politics, but there is a wide gap between seducer and rapist. So the French concluded that something was fishy about this story. Maybe the New York police made a mistake. Maybe the accuser had an ulterior motive. The friends of DSK made the media rounds to proclaim his innocence, and the internet soon was abuzz with elaborate conspiracy theories. Indeed, two days after the revelations, 57 percent of the French believed that this was a set up.
Second came anger. When Strauss-Kahn was initially denied bail and the reality that evidence may exist against him started to sink in, France turned to laying blame. And the culprit was, to be expected, the United States.
The American justice system was first to be indicted. The images of DSK's perp walk were shocking in a country where it is forbidden to broadcast pictures affecting the presumption of innocence of the accused. The following 24 hour news cycle was dominated by denunciations and analyses of the brutality and savagery of American justice procedures. Though used to watching American crime shows on television, the French were given a crash-course on the American justice system where the prosecution seems to have the upper hand, where the accused is degraded and treated with what many see as cruelty, where money apparently can buy you better conditions, and where in many jurisdictions, including NYC, the elected DA must take into account political considerations. As French public intellectual Alain Finkielkraut put it, the United States has a "barbarian judicial system."
The American media was next on the hit list. The muckrakers were already digging into DSK's past -motivated by Puritanism and greed, both of them equally appalling to the French. Unlike predatory Anglo-Saxon journalism, private lives have traditionally been off limits in France. Journalists and politicians congratulated each other on having managed to preserve a French exception when it comes to "the bedroom."
The denunciation of the US justice system and media practices both fit the traditional anti-American tropes honed in France over centuries -a land of savagery and lack of civilization, a place where Puritanism meets hypocrisy. And also, as suggested by outraged former minister Jack Lang, a country where French-bashing still pays off.
With a few days hindsight, however, what is most surprising about the fallout of the DSK scandal in France is not how much, but rather how little displays of anti-Americanism it has provoked. To the contrary, the scandal is now turning into a teachable moment and a frank analysis of the comparative merits of French and American society. Perhaps this is the bargaining stage: if we understand the American system, perhaps we can expect it to treat one of our own fairly?
The flamboyant declarations by Bernard-Henri Lévy who was trying to help his friend by complaining that the American judge had treated DSK "like any other" subject of justice backfired. The next news cycle in France was about introspection. What if the American justice system actually had some features that could be replicated, such as the equality of treatment? A flurry of accusatory articles popped up in the French press denouncing how a defendant of DSK's stature would never have gone through the same legal troubles in France -unlike a random "Benoit" or "Karim." As socialist and DSK friend Manuel Valls publicly confessed, criticizing the American justice system also puts the spotlight on the weaknesses of French justice. This realization that perhaps the Americans might have components in their justice system that should be replicated in France might have left many with the depressing thought - "maybe we are not as wonderful and superior as we thought: so what is now our place in the world?"
Many analysts, mostly women but not only, seized on the scandal to praise an American society where it is easy (read, easier than in France) to denounce sex crimes and violence against women.
As for the French media, they, too, quickly went into soul-searching mode. By refusing to report beyond the "bedroom door", had they been complicit? Why doesn't France have a tradition of investigative journalism? Should French reporters be importing best practices from their American counterparts? Ahhhh, acceptance.
Surprisingly, the DSK scandal so far has not driven a wedge between France and the US and not resuscitated the age-old reflexes of anti-Americanism. For those who tried to exploit it, it did not pay off. French anti-Americanism ain't what it used to be!
It would be a mistake to under estimate the long term consequences of this affair and the damage on the image of America ...
So not only DSK has lost his career, but America has lost the esteem and friendship of many French people (who used to be, again, more pro american than your average European )
As for justice: there may be criticism back and forth, but both countries are mature enough to know that the judicial process must not be interfered with. When Polanski was facing extradition, a majority of French - though not the pundits - thought he should indeed face the music in California. With DSK it is the same: even if many think it was a set-up, the trial still has to be held, and of course the French realize it has to be held in the US applying US laws.
I was lucky to be born on Norman soil where yesterday's liberators are fondly remembered and today's American visitors are given a warm welcome. Let that be till the end of time for the men who lost their lives to free us from tyranny were the bravest among the brave.
France is America's oldest friend and America is France's dearest friend, no matter what irredeemable vulgarians dare say or write. No matter how abyssal our cultural differences seem to be, our two nations can learn a lot from each other and I believe it is what we should focus on. We are rich with ourselves and our differences. Let us not forget that we are allies, not enemies, and let us try to reach upwards. Vive l'Amérique ! Vive la France ! Love conquers all and we have known that for long, haven't we?
An interesting realization for me was this: in France there is a ban on publicly showing a presumed innocent suspect handcuffed, arrested, in court or in jail, and yet, there is no respect of privacy for the victim. Thus, while in America the identity of victims of sexual crimes is kept secret, so that their privacy can be preserved, in France, it is left wide open for everyone; a day or two after DSK's arrest, information was already ciculating in the media about the victim's identity, her family status, national origin, living situation, acquaintances, personal address, etc. In France, people knew all about her, whereas in the US, all that was revealed was that she was an immigrant from Africa.
I will leave you judge as to which one is more bothersome. But it's just an interesting, comparative observation on the judicial culture in one and the other countries.
More on topic: Anti-Americanism has faded significantly in France and the rest of the world since the election of Barack Obama. It is so palpable, that it's almost funny.
I wish French journalists like you who are aware of this would speak out against French-bashing instead of philisophing about non existent anti-americanism in France.
And I'm talking from personal experience.
That said, you must admit that there is a lot of sexism around this topic too. It's worse than I've ever seen and not what I expected from the French culture. I am glad women have taken to the streets to decry it. I hope it will do some good. There is no sense making excuses for a whole country attacking a poor woman who has already been traumatically assaulted and her 15-year-old daughter (who your papers victimized also by naming and shaming her) or deliberately looking the other way when a French journalist goes on television to report the same thing happened to her. It is in the dark times that an individual's character shines through. And countries are made up of individuals. Change starts with each and every one of us.
Of course, do not mistake Sarkozy's for pro-Americanism, this is exclusively meant Bush.
Get rid of the death penalty too while you're at it.
I am a Norman and an Americanophile and am sorry to say that you are the one who fans the flames here. Calm down. Words count and it is not how you should talk to a friend.
We all agree that racial bias is abominable, whatever nation is targeted.
No private prisons!
BTW, who in the world is 'Robert Boulin' and what's the story about 'news for Chernobyl' ?
Long story short :
A journaliste set up a trap on internet to catch and meet a PEDOPHILE so He said he was a 8YO girl and do some talking with a man (MAURICE GUNTMAN) they agreed to date.
So the journalist take is camera and go for it
The man meet the journalist and realise it was a set up but HE DO NOT FEEL AFRAID AND SAID "I WILL BE OK"
The whole scene can be seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BodRE0az2HU
Then the politician (maurice gutman) had a trial.
And guess what the judgement said?
-NON LIEU- LITTERALY "didn't happen"
And guess HOW MANY PAGES the news had in the news paper?
-NOT EVEN A LINE
I could go about thoose injustice for hours and hours.
I did a journalist degree but I CANNOT DO IT IN FRANCE
THX for your reading
So if he called for a prostitute, why would he do so around noon, in a room he was supposed to have checked out of? Surely he could not have been surprised by a housekeeper showing up at that time. Besides what kind of prostitute shows up and enters a suite leaving the door open and proceeds to clean two rooms before entering the bedroom?
It is a totally implausible theory. My own theory, actually, is that he waited past checkout time with the INTENT of propositioning the maid when she showed up. Possibly also letting her walk in on him naked on purpose so that he would have a better excuse to threaten to complain to management if she didn't go along with it. You know, like in 19th century, the chambermaid gets caught doing something wrong, and the lord of the manor uses that to force her to go to bed with him. Otherwise, she's fired.