Paris is a pain in the ass since Her (his ?)Excellence the Emperor of China has arrived for an official visit to his buddy, Moron 1st, king of France. Like a spoiled rebel teenager, Paris is just getting on my nerves.
there a hundred cops at every corner of the streets that the imperial carriage will take, who can’t figure their right hand from their left, there are subway stations closed in a random order that changes everyday, to name just a few things that get me angry as hell.

yesterday, i was to get A., the daughter of my former english teacher in photo school, from her english class at the british counsil and take her home. she’s 12 but her parents are the overprotective kind who think she needs a baby-sitter for a fifteen minutes subway ride.
but what the hell, i’m paid.

so i was angry yesterday at Paris, the whole city, and our goverment that bends low before a man responsible of countless freedom repressions against his people, just to have the opportunity to sell planes, nuclear power or whatever will make the most money.
– what a bunch of hypocrits, i blurted out after i heard A. tell me how cops had nearly arrested one of her friends because she has the bad luck of living in front the hotel where the emperor of china is staying and had forgotten her pass this time.
– why that ? A. asked.
– because your parents and mine are paying on their income a bizillion cops to protect some rat’s ass who puts in jail everyone who doesn’t agree with the politic of his goverment.

i deliberately made it simple for her.
– what do you mean ? A. wanted to know more.
i wasn’t much inclined to discuss politics with a 12 year old girl because i’m simply not paid for that, and i didn’t want her parents to think that i was brainwashing their kid. but i was angry, so i went on.
– well, it means that if you’re chinese and you’re expressing your opinion against the goverment, say on some internet site, you can be put in jail just for that. that’s what’s happening actually. you just don’t have a real freedom of speech there.
A. nearly shrugged.
– so ? it’s the same in the U.S.A., she said on a “why do you make such a fuss about it” tone.
:eek: :eek: :eek:

to my american buddies out there, this is what a french 12 years old girl, a smart kid raised in an educated family, with intellectual parents and background, going in a private school, this is what she thinks about the USA.

i spent the ten minutes left i had with her explaining her what’s the freedom of speech, opinion and beliefs.
maybe i’m going to prepare another lecture for next week, say on democracy, and how much blood is still being spread for it in many countries.

maybe i’ll also ask for a pay raise.