A Bunch of Cowboys

Ok, be honest, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about French people? Berets, black and white striped shirts, cigarettes, and baguettes, right? Admit it, we all have pre-conceived images of other cultures. And these days, the popular image of the French is of whiny, wussy surrender monkeys.

Well I don’t want to get into politics, but I can tell you that berets are pretty much out (although I have seen a couple that apparently weren’t on tourists), the same goes for the striped shirt, but the cigarettes and baguettes hold true. And don’t forget the cheese.

But do you have idea of how the French view us? What they think the typical American is like? Gun-slinging, horse-riding, Bush-voting cowboys. And these days, the popular image of the Americans is a video that was played over and over again on French television a few years ago when France gave a big thumbs-down to the Iraq war: wine-dumping war monkeys.

Apparently, some years back when we all hated the French and coined the term “freedom fries”, there were some particularly passionate people who dumped French wine into the gutter. And video of these wine-dumpers made it to France, and it was all they could talk about for months. And now, whenever I have difficulty with any member of French beauracracy, I can almost see that video replaying in their minds.

How long ago was that? Three or four years? I saw the same video in my hotel room in Valencia on Tuedsay. Thank you CNN Europe, for making sure no one forgets this embarassing scene!

But back to the standard stereotype, the cowboy. It's not just the American "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality. Many French people, especially those who have never been to the States, are genuinely surprised to learn that I didn’t grow up on a ranch.

“I’ve never ridden a horse in my life” I state firmly. (Ponies at the fair don’t count)

"Ok, but you have to be related to a cowboy. Is your dad a cowboy?”

(sarcastically) “I think my grandfather had a horse in the 40’s.”

“Ah hah!”

"Ok, well, I’ve also never held a gun in my life”. (BB guns don’t count)

"But you know people who do have guns”

"Yes, but…”

"Ah hah!”

This image is certainly not helped by the popular American television icon, Walker, Texas Ranger. The French love Chuck Norris. And they're obsessed with his silver sheriff's star.

Stephane, my former colleague from Detroit, has one of these coveted stars. I saw it displayed proudly in his apartment. When I asked him about it, he excitedly told me about his trip to the Grand Canyon with his other French friends. He said that they just had to rent horses, and he had to buy that star and wear it. “Just like a real American”.

This infuriated me. The guy spent almost years in the States, in Michigan no less, and didn’t figure out that we are NOT all cowboys? I mean, how many of us ARE cowboys?

You can be sure that there are fewer American cowboys then there are Frenchmen who smoke cigarettes and walk around with baguettes tucked under their arms.